Commission Approves Design for 98-Unit Baldwin Street Redevelopment, With Conditions

With the full nine-member commission present, commissioners unanimously approved revised architectural plans for Glen Ridge ReDevelopers' 98-unit apartment building planned for Baldwin Street, where developer Joe Forgione's company has purchased and plans to demolish five existing houses. Conditions attached to the approval include reworking the garage entrance and main entrances, replacing herringbone brick detailing on the second and third floors with Hardie fiber-cement panel, and correcting inaccuracies in the submitted drawings.

Five smaller projects were also approved unanimously: a poolside pavilion for Shannin and Pierre Van Wayenberge at 276 Ridgewood Avenue; a kitchen bump-out and new second story for Gracious Properties LLC at 523 Ridgewood Avenue; window changes tied to a kitchen renovation at 259 Ridgewood Avenue; and a garage roof style change for Matthew and Kimberley Raynor at 418 Ridgewood Avenue. A sixth application, a front portico proposed by Michael Ferrante at 204 Forest Avenue, was withdrawn after commissioners said there wasn't enough detail about the columns, dimensions and materials to vote on it.

During public comment, neighbor Bruce Johnson of 93 Sherman Avenue raised concerns about how close a new driveway under construction at 97 Sherman Avenue would sit to his property; the commission told him driveways fall outside its jurisdiction. Separately, the commission flagged that as-built work at 16 Sherman Avenue has deviated from what was previously approved and will require the owners to appear before the full commission to address it.

What to watch

• The owners of 16 Sherman Avenue are expected to appear before the commission to address as-built deviations from their approved plans.