In 2004, Robert Wood Johnson Fitness & Wellness Center, LLC (RWJ) identified the ideal vacant industrial property located within a highly desirable area of Union County for another one of their successful fitness & wellness centers located close to their Rahway Hospital affiliate. The industrial zoned property had been left idle by the prior manufacturing occupant that since moved manufacturing operations to Alabama.
While the location was ideal, the condition of the property was not, based on the presence of freshwater wetlands, and the large parking area required to serve the RWJ facility. E&LP worked with RWJ to investigate the feasibility of constructing a new facility on this property. Severe development restrictions plagued this 10 acre property. The restrictions included the following:

• Existing Industrial Zoning
• Significant Presence of Forested Wetlands on the property
• Regulated Floodplain on the property from an adjacent stream
• Shallow Groundwater Conditions
• Traffic Access / Circulation Issues along the County Road

These development restrictions lead prior consultants to conclude that these property restrictions would make an expanded redevelopment of this property extremely difficult, if not impossible. This conclusion was largely based on the large extent of NJDEP regulated wetlands and shallow groundwater conditions that would make compliance with NJDEP’s new Phase II Stormwater Regulations extremely difficult. A large parking deck was the only solution suggested to accommodate these constraints at an estimated cost of $3 million dollars for the parking facility alone.

E&LP proposed three site development solutions and met with NJDEP representatives to negotiate compliance details for the selected alternative. We then proceeded through the design phase and obtained the required NJDEP Wetlands General Fill Permit, NJDEP Stream Encroachment Permit and Stormwater Management approvals to permit the project. E&LP also worked hand-in-hand with County Engineers to address traffic ingress/egress and traffic circulation issues. With NJDEP permits in hand, E&LP expeditiously obtained the local municipal Use Variance and Site Plan approvals necessary for this redevelopment project.

It is our opinion that as time passes and development pressures increase, developers and property owners are forced to have a Consultant that is more creative and efficient in producing “Solutions.” E&LP views development constraints as challenges for which a “Solution” is waiting to be found.