RED BANK: PLANNING BOARD OK’S PARKING LOT EXPANSION

The Red Bank Planning Board unanimously approved an expansion of an office building parking lot on Drs. James Parker Boulevard on Wednesday night. 

The planned construction is located at the parking lot for a collection of business and medical offices leased by Cardoso Properties at 10 Drs. James Parker Boulevard, across the street from Monmouth Day Care and the rear entrance to Count Basie Park. 

The expansion would fill a grassy area surrounded by parking lots at 26 Drs. James Parker Blvd. to increase the total number of parking spaces in the lot from 109 to 128. 

“We’re filling the hole in the donut, essentially,” said former mayor Edward McKenna, the attorney for Cardoso Properties. 

The vacant plot had been abandoned after a house fire and was a longstanding eyesore for years afterward, but was purchased by Cardoso Properties in 2021 and cleared. Now, they plan to add greenery to the area alongside the expanded parking.

The project will utilize “a porous pavement stormwater system’ according to the Planning Board agenda, along with “installation of a drainage inlet within the porous pavement drainage system to connect to the existing drainage infrastructure on site.”

Porous pavement allows stormwater to seep into the soil, reducing runoff, which is a main source of pollution in local waterways.

“We will be substantially improving the appearance of the area,” McKenna said.

In addition to adding more parking spaces, the approved changes would also turn some angled parking spaces into parallel spaces, which would allow drivers more room to back out, according to David Cramner, an engineer who testified on behalf of Cardoso Properties. 

“Overall, we think it’s going to be a great improvement,” McKenna said.