Post by admin on Mar 31, 2007 7:40:47 GMT -5
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11 homes coming to Freehold; condos proposed
Borough almost fully developed
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/31/07
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
FREEHOLD BUREAU
FREEHOLD — A single-family housing development and 30 condominiums are planned for a borough that has been almost completely developed.
Almost.
Sofia Homes LLC of Neptune City purchased a lot on Orchard Street in Freehold in the fall of 2006 with the intention of building nine single-family homes. A neighboring property owner, John Warren, subsequently contributed two parcels to be included in the development, bringing the number of homes to be built to 11.
The lot over the years had become littered with trash and was a spot for day laborers to gather and wait to be picked up for work, Sofia managing member Charles Kelly said. The borough gated off the lot to keep loiterers out, Kelly added.
Since buying the property, Sofia has cleaned it up. On March 22, it held a groundbreaking ceremony "to tell the community and the real estate world that we're ready to go," Kelly said Wednesday.
"We're revitalizing what was a forgotten segment of Freehold Borough," he said.
In addition to the construction, Orchard Street will be redone and will connect with Marcy Street, according to Kelly, who likened Orchard Street to almost a dirt path.
Kelly said Sofia has been waiting for building permits from the borough for quite a while, but expects them to be issued any day, and ground to be broken for the first home by April 7.
The homes will have four bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, nine-foot first-floor ceilings and full basements. Depending on the model chosen, the homes will range in size from 2,100 to 2,300 square feet and will have either a one- or two-car garage. The homes will start at $399,900.
Across Orchard Street on the east side, Sofia will be the general contractor for the condominiums, which would be restricted to people who are at least 55 years old.
The land for the condos is owned by developer Roger Passarella's firm, Bay Dock Holdings LLC of Lavallette.
Passarella said the land had been nothing but woods for the past 50 years and the project is a good opportunity to take a lower-income area and put in new construction. It will revitalize the area, improve property values and motivate neighbors to fix up and upgrade their houses, he said.
"I think it's going to be really excellent because we're talking about 40 brand new housing units, which doesn't happen too often in the borough," Passarella said.
The total value of the two projects is $12.5 million — $8 million for the condos and $4.5 million for the houses.
The land for the condos previously was zoned for commercial use, but the Borough Council voted last week to change the zoning, allowing for age-restricted housing, according to Passarella.
He said now that it is a permitted use, he can make an application to the Planning Board. He estimated it will take six months to get the necessary approvals before construction can begin.
The name of the housing development will be Liberty Crossing at Freehold, and Sofia uses the tagline "The Borough's Newest Neighborhood" for it.
Construction of a residential subdivision in the borough is uncommon because of a lack of land. Development in many of the townships surrounding the borough is more the rule than the exception because there is more land available.
"It's very unusual to find a development like this in the borough," Kelly said.
Borough Councilman Robert Crawford, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, said Freehold is at least 95 percent developed, but "wherever we can find a plot that can be developed, we're doing it."
Crawford said Freehold could always use more housing because it increases the tax base.
He said the leadership keeps trying to improve the borough, and he called the construction of the houses and condos a positive step.
"Something like this is a welcome addition," he said.
Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com
11 homes coming to Freehold; condos proposed
Borough almost fully developed
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/31/07
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
FREEHOLD BUREAU
FREEHOLD — A single-family housing development and 30 condominiums are planned for a borough that has been almost completely developed.
Almost.
Sofia Homes LLC of Neptune City purchased a lot on Orchard Street in Freehold in the fall of 2006 with the intention of building nine single-family homes. A neighboring property owner, John Warren, subsequently contributed two parcels to be included in the development, bringing the number of homes to be built to 11.
The lot over the years had become littered with trash and was a spot for day laborers to gather and wait to be picked up for work, Sofia managing member Charles Kelly said. The borough gated off the lot to keep loiterers out, Kelly added.
Since buying the property, Sofia has cleaned it up. On March 22, it held a groundbreaking ceremony "to tell the community and the real estate world that we're ready to go," Kelly said Wednesday.
"We're revitalizing what was a forgotten segment of Freehold Borough," he said.
In addition to the construction, Orchard Street will be redone and will connect with Marcy Street, according to Kelly, who likened Orchard Street to almost a dirt path.
Kelly said Sofia has been waiting for building permits from the borough for quite a while, but expects them to be issued any day, and ground to be broken for the first home by April 7.
The homes will have four bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, nine-foot first-floor ceilings and full basements. Depending on the model chosen, the homes will range in size from 2,100 to 2,300 square feet and will have either a one- or two-car garage. The homes will start at $399,900.
Across Orchard Street on the east side, Sofia will be the general contractor for the condominiums, which would be restricted to people who are at least 55 years old.
The land for the condos is owned by developer Roger Passarella's firm, Bay Dock Holdings LLC of Lavallette.
Passarella said the land had been nothing but woods for the past 50 years and the project is a good opportunity to take a lower-income area and put in new construction. It will revitalize the area, improve property values and motivate neighbors to fix up and upgrade their houses, he said.
"I think it's going to be really excellent because we're talking about 40 brand new housing units, which doesn't happen too often in the borough," Passarella said.
The total value of the two projects is $12.5 million — $8 million for the condos and $4.5 million for the houses.
The land for the condos previously was zoned for commercial use, but the Borough Council voted last week to change the zoning, allowing for age-restricted housing, according to Passarella.
He said now that it is a permitted use, he can make an application to the Planning Board. He estimated it will take six months to get the necessary approvals before construction can begin.
The name of the housing development will be Liberty Crossing at Freehold, and Sofia uses the tagline "The Borough's Newest Neighborhood" for it.
Construction of a residential subdivision in the borough is uncommon because of a lack of land. Development in many of the townships surrounding the borough is more the rule than the exception because there is more land available.
"It's very unusual to find a development like this in the borough," Kelly said.
Borough Councilman Robert Crawford, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, said Freehold is at least 95 percent developed, but "wherever we can find a plot that can be developed, we're doing it."
Crawford said Freehold could always use more housing because it increases the tax base.
He said the leadership keeps trying to improve the borough, and he called the construction of the houses and condos a positive step.
"Something like this is a welcome addition," he said.
Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com
