By Joseph Sapia
MIDDLETOWN – On June 1, the township Planning Board is scheduled to begin hearing the commercial component – almost 340,000 square feet of movie theater, retail and restaurant space – for the proposed Route 35 “Village” project.
The Shoppes at Middletown are proposed for about 52 acres of Route 35 North, between Kings Highway, Kanes Lane and Carriage Drive — or diagonally across the highway from the municipal complex.
The property is famous for its “Calico the Clown” sign, various businesses, a few residences and open space, including woods.
Plans on file at the township Planning Department show 338,455 square feet of commercial space, broken down into:
— Retail space of 285,622 square feet, individually ranging from 5,000 to 199,572 square feet.
— Restaurant space of 27,033 square feet, individually ranging from 4,000 to 9,500 square feet.
— Movie theater space of 25,800 square feet.
Plans show a combination of connected and disconnected buildings, along with parking areas, an internal road system, storm water basins and wetlands. The plans call for the removal of most of the existing structures.
The 52 acres are part of the 118 acres owned by Mountain Hill LLC. No application – expected to be residential – has been made for the remaining 66 acres, said Amy H. Sarrinikolaou, director of the community development in the township Planning Department.
The commercial developer – Village 35 LP, Purchase, New York – is to present the plans at the Wednesday, June 1, township Planning Board meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the municipal complex courtroom.
Village 35 seeks preliminary and final major subdivision and site plan approval. The subdivision is necessary to divide the 52-acre commercial aspect from the property’s remaining 66 acres, Sarrinikolaou said.
The proposed use of the property complies with the site’s “Planned Development” (PD) zoning.
“The property has been the subject of many applications to the township’s Planning and Zoning Boards over the past two decades,” according to paperwork filed with the Planning Department in September.
The other projects did not come to fruition.
