ALEXANDRIA TWP. — The township’s first town hall will probably be built near Sky Manor Airport by township resident Aram Papazian.
The Alexandria Township Committee has tentatively accepted Papazian’s proposal to provide a town hall for the township to rent, but a final decision is likely to be made at a special Township Committee meeting on the evening of Wednesday, April 24.
His proposal and one by the township’s current landlord, Anthony DeSapio, received a brief examination at the April 10 Township Committee meeting. Although preference was expressed for Papazian’s offer, officials wanted Township Attorney Sharon Dragan to review it.
Both proposals were for new construction of a one-story building that would have office space and a meeting room that could seat an audience of 40. Papazian wants a monthly rent of $5,333; DeSapio wants a monthly rent of $7,333. DeSapio would build on the same Frenchtown-Milford Road lot that is also the site of the former Pastore Chevrolet building. That’s where township offices have been housed in 2,300 square feet of space since 2009.
Papazian proposes building a 4,000-square-foot building on a long, narrow lot at 26 Sky Manor Road. The 2.8-acre undeveloped site has an airplane hangar on one side and a light-industrial building on the other. A small amount of the front yard would be in the no-build “airport clear zone,” and the building itself would be in the less-restrictive “airport safety zone,” where height restrictions apply.
Variances would probably have to be sought for bulk — the zoning calls for a 6-acre minimum lot size and 75-foot property-line setbacks. The lot is only 182 feet wide.
Papazian’s proposal says he is under contract to buy the lot. On the morning of Tuesday, April 16, he was at the site supervising the digging of holes for percolation tests, which will have a bearing on the kind of sewage system that would be needed.
His proposal said he could have the place ready 270 days after his proposal is officially accepted. The township has been hoping to move in on Nov. 1 of this year, but 270 days from late April would put opening day in February. As requested by the township, the first lease would be for five to 10 years, with two 10-year renewal options.
Papazian has experience in building for public tenants. In the 1990s he built post offices in Hampton and Pittstown. He has since sold the Hampton building, but he is still the landlord of the Pittstown P.O.
Story and Photo: http://www.nj.com
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