Envy Apartment

MONTCLAIR, NJ - The Montclair Planning board met on Monday night to discuss adjustments made to the plans for the redevelopment of the former Diva Lounge on Bloomfield Ave. This building, which has been uninhabited for many years except for an auto repair business , is expected to be transformed into a mixed used facility containing both apartment buildings and retail space. However, many residents and planning board members have expressed concern regarding its size and the impact that it would have on the surrounding community. Christine A. Nazzaro-Cofone, PP, AICP presented her report to the planning board . According to the revised plan, the site will now contain 11 apartments and 3600 square feet of retail space, rather than 19 units as previously proposed. Sign Up for E-News “All of the uses that are proposed on this application are permitted as of right in your C1 district so there is no issue with use, density or height,” she said. The plan is also proposing 19 parking spaces...

455 Eye Street NW, a new apartment building, incorporates three historic buildings . All images from Equity Residential used with permission. As DC grows, new buildings are often required to incorporate historic structures . That’s easier said than done, but the results can be worth the effort. Here’s how one new apartment building in Mount Vernon Triangle incorporated three historic buildings for new uses. Located within the Mount Vernon Triangle Historic District , 455 Eye Street is a 174- unit residential building that opened this June. It consists of a tower atop three historic buildings around a landscaped courtyard. The historic structures provide a focal point and now house the building’s amenity spaces and a future restaurant. Here’s how they did it The District of Columbia is home to 27,000 buildings in 60 historic districts, including 600 buildings designated as historic landmarks with the National Trust for Historic Preservation . DC’s Office of Planning reviewed m...

COLLEGE STATION - 21 people are without a place to live Monday night after an early morning apartment fire caused major damage at the Campus View Apartments in College Station . Fire officials announced late Monday afternoon the cause of the fire was related to a heating unit located in the ceiling of an upstairs apartment . News 3 looks at why the fire spread so quickly. Flames shot out of the roof of the Campus View Apartments on Harvey Road in College Station . Residents like Abraham Obregon were woken up by police and firefighters pounding on doors. "We found that the building right next to ours is completely engulfed in flames. The entire roof is on fire," he said. "Yeah this corner there was a very big flame," said Qibo Li, another resident. Nearly 50 firefighters fought back the flames. "At one point the fire went through the roof and we had to go into defensive mode," said Eric Dotson, College Station Fire Marshal . ...

The Montclair Planning Board finished hearing one application and punted two more into September at its August 14 meeting .  But the application that wrapped up and was subsequently approved was a big leap in the board’s efforts at getting larger projects resolved , as it was local developer Steven Plofker ’s application for a five-story, 11- unit apartment building along North Willow Street that will incorporate the former Diva Lounge on Bloomfield Avenue as modest retail space .  The property is a lot merged several years ago. Holding up a rendering of developer Steven Plofker ’s proposed apartment/retail project for the corner of North Willow Street and Bloomfield Avenue at the August 14 Montclair Planning Board meeting , board member Martin Schwartz asks about possible changes to the details of the design. Professional planner Christine Nazzaro Cafone of the Red Bank- based Cafone Consulting Group testified on behalf of the relevance of the variances being requested, especia...