Monmouth Commerce Center Unveils New Plan in Howell

HOWELL, NJ — A commercial development application on Randolph Road that was unanimously rejected by the Planning Board in 2020 is back with a new proposal.

Lawrence Katz and Felix Pflaster, the owners of Monmouth Commerce Center, LLC, are seeking approval to construct five one-story warehouse buildings with office space, according to the information posted on a Planning Board agenda.

The new project has a total area of 1.19 million square feet, a decrease from the original 1.24 million square feet, but it has been consolidated into five buildings. According to Planning Board records, the new design includes parking for 558 cars and 253 loading spaces.

The new design calls for three driveways on Randolph Road and a fourth on Brook Road. The original plan called for five driveways, all on Randolph.

The Brook Road driveway and one of the Randolph Road driveways would be designated for cars only, while the other two would be designated for trucks as well.

Lighting, landscaping, above-ground infiltration basins for stormwater management and refuse enclosures are among the other proposed site improvements.

The Monmouth Commerce Center proposal was initially denied following public hearings in early 2020 due to township residents' objections to the proposed use of the neighborhood.

Read more: Monmouth Commerce Center Developer Files Another Appeal: Reports

Four months after the Planning Board rejected their first proposal, the developers filed a legal complaint. Both lawsuits have since been dismissed, and the developers have filed appeals in both.

Read more: Howell's Rejection Of Monmouth Commerce Center Upheld In Court

According to Planning Board records, the proposal will be heard by the board on May 12.