The developer of a proposed bayfront restaurant and event venue will be back in front of the Brick Township zoning board this week, seeking approval for the latest of several high-end facilities he owns across New Jersey.
SEE PREVIOUS: An in-depth look at the proposed restaurant/venue.
Described as an “iconic” structure that will help define Brick Township’s expansive waterfront, the restaurant requires variance relief due to its height. At 82-feet, it would be the tallest building in Brick aside from Ocean Medical Center. The ambitious project would be undertaken at Barnegat Bay Marina, the former Winter’s Yacht Basin and Hinckley marina property at the the foot of the Mantoloking Bridge. Over the last two years, the marina has undergone millions of dollars in renovations. The restaurant and event space will be co-owned by Barry Maurillo, who also owns the Park Savoy in Florham Park and the Park Chateau Estate and Gardens in East Brunswick.
It is unknown if there will be any formal objections to the application. At its introductory meeting in May, the attorney for the Borough of Mantoloking, Jean Cipriani, asked the Brick zoning board to temporarily adjourn the hearing to determine if Mantoloking’s municipal government should have been legally notified. Notifications are required if a property seeking a variance is within 200-feet of a neighboring plot. Though Mantoloking is a separate town located across the bay, Cipriani argued that the town borders could technically be in the zone, even though they would be located underwater – at least 700 feet away from any dry land in Mantoloking. The board rejected her request for adjournment, but the neighboring community could still attempt to fight the application.
Sources within the Mantoloking community have told Shorebeat the concerns of its residents include a blocked view of the sunset, the potential for noise to travel across the bay and the light the building will produce. There is one residential homeowners within the 200-foot zone, though he did not indicate he is against the project.
John Jackson, the attorney representing the developer, has compared the building to other iconic Shore structures, such as the Essex & Sussex in Spring Lake, which stands 112-feet tall.
“We put a lot of love into the community, a lot of love into the venue and a lot of love into the people of the community,” said Maurillo, introducing his proposal in May.
The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the township municipal complex on Chambers Bridge Road.