PLANNING BOARD APPROVES 45 UNITS FOR EAST CHERRY

As part of the redevelopment of downtown Rahway, E&LP was contracted to provide surveying, engineering, landscape architecture, and environmental services for the construction of a 45-unit mixed use apartment and commercial building and a pocket park on East Cherry Street. East Cherry Street is an important connective corridor in the city tying together Main Street and Broad Street, crossing an adjacent NJ Transit rail line and the Rahway Station, and located one block from the Rahway River.

From the outset of the project, E&LP looked at the entire context of the existing block, streetscape conditions, local businesses, and planned future adjacent developments, so as to best integrate the proposed new building and pocket park. The five-story building replaced three smaller dilapidated structures and provides a corner anchor to connect to an adjoining redevelopment project. The pocket park will connect the new building and provide a quiet pedestrian refuge off of East Cherry Street and nearby Main Street. Designed and detailed by E&LP’s landscape architect team, the pocket park is an open plaza with custom paving design, benches, planters, and ornamental fencing, gates, and seatwalls for site security. Additionally, E&LP designed adjacent streetscape improvements surrounding the proposed building and pocket park including sidewalks, pavers, street trees, and new roadway infrastructure. All public space elements of the project, such as the streetscape and pocket park, will be dedicated to the City of Rahway.

E&LP was able to perform our services for the site while still adhering to the City’s fast-tracked timeline for the project. All services were completed and approved in a six-month timeframe including state, county, and local permits.