Monroe-based developer is willing to compromise with borough officals on plans for the nearly 200-year-old house located on Gatzmer Avenue.
By: Leon Tovey
JAMESBURG A Monroe-based developer whose plan to tear down a nearly 200-year-old house on Gatzmer Avenue to make room for three new, single-family houses touched off a small controversy last week is offering a compromise.
John Profaci, president of Mid-State Realty in Monroe, said Wednesday that he has been discussing with borough officials a revised plan for the 26,568-square-foot lot at the northeast corner of the intersection of Gatzmer Avenue and Front Street he purchased earlier this year.
The original plan, which was scheduled for consideration for major subdivision preliminary approval at the April 13 Land Use Board meeting, called for subdividing the parcel into three conforming lots and tearing down the existing house, which was built in 1807.
However, after members of the Jamesburg Historical Association sent letters to area newspapers opposing the plan and criticizing borough officials for not doing enough to protect historic buildings in town, Mr. Profaci asked the Land Use Board to postpone consideration of the plan so he could work out a compromise.
Mr. Profaci said Wednesday that his revised plan calls for subdividing the parcel into three lots and moving the existing house toward Gatzmer Avenue. The house would be renovated in keeping with its historic character and two new houses would be built on the neighboring parcels, he said.
"Hopefully, this will be a win-win for everyone," he said. "I had no idea that this was an historic house, no one ever said anything to me along those lines the first I heard about it was when I picked up the newspaper (April 13) and saw it all in there.
"I would love to see the house restored," he added. "I’m a resident of the Monroe and Jamesburg area my entire life; the last thing I want to do is hurt the history of the town."
Mr. Profaci said details of the plan are still being worked out including whether variances would be needed in order to move the house. Because the existing house is larger than the new houses he initially proposed, it is likely he would need to seek a variance for setbacks in order to move it, he said.
The initial application required no variances because the parcel is located in the borough’s R-75 zone. Lots in that zone must be at least 7,500 square feet, with a minimum width of 60 feet, a minimum depth of 100 feet and minimum setbacks of 20 feet in the front, 10 feet on the sides and 25 feet in the rear.
JHA President Ron Becker on Wednesday applauded Mr. Profaci’s offer of a compromise solution.
"I haven’t seen the plans yet, but I’m very happy that he’s chosen to include us in his new plans," Mr. Becker said. "Obviously, it’s his property and he has a right to develop it and he was well within his rights to follow through with (the original) plan, so we’re glad that he’s taken this route instead."
Mr. Becker said the JHA’s main concern now is to push for a historic preservation ordinance in the borough to prevent similar situations from arising in the future.
"Especially as more and more offices and other uses move into these older houses, we would like to see them preserve the historic characteristics of what’s here," he said. "The town needs an ordinance spelling that out because not everyone is going to be as willing to work things out as (Mr. Profaci)."
Borough Mayor Tony LaMantia said Tuesday that he had asked Borough Attorney Frederick Raffetto to begin researching such ordinances with an eye toward drafting one for Jamesburg. He said the subject of an historic preservation ordinance might come up at the next Borough Council meeting.
The plan is scheduled to come before the Land Use Board again on May 11 at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.