Historic Commission Rejects Bloomfield Avenue Office Building in 3-3 Tie Vote

The Glen Ridge Historic Preservation Commission voted down a proposed new commercial building at 959 Bloomfield Avenue at its April 7, 2021 meeting. The application, from Domus Augusta Family, LP, sought approval for a two-story office building with ground-floor parking garage on a vacant lot. After extensive debate over whether the building's spare, minimally-windowed design fit the historic district -- board members Vande Stouwe, Moriarty and others said it looked like a "storage unit" or warehouse, while Darby and McMahon found it inoffensive in the broader context of the block -- the commission split 3-3, with Githens, Darby and McMahon voting yes and Chair Herrigel, Vande Stouwe and Moriarty voting no. Nicholas Colello recused himself and Gregory Switzer and alternate Grisafi were absent. Because the commission's rules require four affirmative votes to approve an application, the project failed. The applicant's attorney, Robert Gaccione, was told the owner has the option of taking the project to the Planning Board instead.

In a smaller dispute, an application from Josh Brodsky and Kim Enoch to enclose a side porch at 59 Hillside Avenue as part of a kitchen and laundry renovation passed 6-1, with Dan McMahon casting the lone no vote.

The commission approved five other applications unanimously (with recusals or absences noted where they occurred): a porch and roof addition at 77 Baldwin Street for Michael and Shana Fiorianti, after the owners agreed to withdraw a more contentious plan to alter the main roofline (Vande Stouwe recused from part of the discussion); a two-story rear addition at 573 Ridgewood Avenue for Gouri Sadhwani and Paul Giacomini; a front stoop replacement at 28 Appleton Road for Alex and Elina Vives; a rear addition at 320 Ridgewood Avenue for Varuna and Sabeena Desilva; and, at 281 Bay Avenue, partial approval for Cristina and Brent Jerolimic to remove fake stone siding, with the commission asking them to return with a new siding proposal once the stone comes off.

The commission also welcomed a new member, architect Nicholas Colello, introduced by Chair Herrigel at the start of the meeting.

What to watch

• The owner of 959 Bloomfield Avenue may bring the rejected office building application to the Glen Ridge Planning Board instead.
• The owners of 281 Bay Avenue are expected to return with a revised siding proposal once the existing stone facing is removed.