Sp16 PHYSL DESIGN/SITE PLMetuchen Site Plan

Final project

Xiaotian Zhou

HistoryMetuchenWas a part of Woodbridge Township where European settlers began living late 1600s.The name "Metuchen" first appeared in 1688/1689The Main Street was the commercial centerIn 1836, the construction of Metuchen station of New Jersey Railroad was completed and located at Main StreetBy the end of the 19th century, Metuchen had grown into a thriving residential communityPublic utilities expanded in 1890sAcquired the nickname "the Brainy Boro"In 1900, Metuchen became a boroughThe downtown district developed rapidly in the first half of 20th centuryIn 1981, Metuchen became the Seat of the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.Later it became the retail orientated town center and transit hub since 1996SiteThe Main street was laid out in 1705Downtown district developed rapidly from mid 19th century to mid 20th centuryIts smart growth development has been recognized since 2001Metuchen Borough Hall, dedicated in 2005

Metuchen. http://www.metuchennj.org/metnj/Announcements/Welcome%20to%20Metuchen.pdf

Aerial Photo

Aerial and Site Reconnaissance

South end of downtown district along the MainStreet near Metuchen Station

Metuchen Saving Bank at the crossing ofNew Street and Main Street

Chase Bank at the north end of downtowndistrict

The residential community along Middlesex Avenears the unconstructed site of the project

The empty site near LakeAveThe empty site near Central Ave

Middlesex Greenway

Community along Amboy Avein the south of the railroad

Base Map

1”=160’

Base Map

1”=80’

Previous Coverage Map

1”=160’

streets map

1”=160’

Pedestrian and Street furnishings map

1”=80’

City Imageability Map

1”=160’

Land Use Standards1. Permitted uses:(1)Retail shops and stores, provided that they are located fronting on New or PearlStreets. (2)Personal service businesses. (3)Offices. (4)Banks and other financialinstitutions, except drive-in banks. (5)Eating and drinking establishments, exceptfast-food restaurants and drive-in restaurants. (6)Apartments, except located frontingon Middlesex Avenue unless substantial buffering is provided. (7)Nursery schools andday-care centers. (8)Borough-operated public facilities. (9)Affordable senior housing2. Permitted accessory uses: (1)Driveways, parking lots, loading areas andmultilevel parking facilities (2)Plazas, courtyards, alleys3. Permitted conditional use:(1) Planned unit residential development; (2) Dry-cleaning establishments; (3) Innsand hotels; (4)Mixed-use neighborhoods; (5)Planned unit commercial development;(6)Downtown Gateway Overlay District

Downtown Gateway Overlay District and Mixed-Use Neighborhoods DesignStandards1.Maximum building coverage: 70%2.Maximum impervious coverage: 90%3.Business and service uses shall be integrated with existing constructions4. Maximized height of buildings: (1)20 feet for one-story buildings (2)45 feet forthree stories (3)50 feet for 4 stories (5)Building elements may exceed by 15 feet5. Minimum setbacks: (1)front yard-5 feet, except along Central Avenue(2)Buildings-15 feet for external streets, 10 feet for internal streets (3) Side and rearyard setbacks-10 feet for any residential use and 5 feet for all other uses6. Front design: (1) buildings shall be located to front towards public streets exceptpermission of the Planning Board. (2)Design techniques shall be used to engage andactivate the street (3)Frontages along Middlesex Avenue, Lake Avenue and CentralAvenue shall include Main Street style7. Material: (1) The predominant building material for buildings facing MiddlesexAvenue, Lake Avenue and Central Avenue shall be brick in traditional colors8 Special constructions: (1) A supermarket may be permitted to have parking locatedbetween the building and the street. (2)Pedestrian gathering spaces shall be providedconsisting of walkways and special elements (3)Freestanding monument signage shallbe visually compatible with the design characteristics of a town center while avoidhighway pylon or shopping center directory sign boards. (4) Drive-in banks shallcomply with- (a) a total of three vehicle-stacking spaces for each drive-in lane (b)abypass lane shall be provided to allow vehicles to alternatively exit (c)All drive-instacking lanes shall have adequate directional signage and striping(d)Internalcirculation shall be arranged such that stacked vehicles in drive-in lanes shall notinterfere with general vehicular circulation or parking or pedestrian circulation on thesite(e)Principal buildings and pedestrian walkways shall have the primary visualorientation to the street or a parking plaza(f)Where possible, drive-in lanes shall exitonto side streets or parking lots(g)The drive-in facility shall be on the same property

as the primary bank use(h)The applicant shall demonstrate by competent professionalevidence that vehicular ingress and egress9. Improvement: (1)Off-tract improvements may be required of the developer as partof an overall development integration plan

Parking Lot and Loading Area Design Standards1. For all uses except single- and two-family dwellings, parking lots or individualspaces shall be prohibited within front yard areas. For nonresidential uses, parkingareas with more than 25 spaces shall have separate entrances and exits.2. Standard parking spaces shall measure 9 feet wide by 18 feet long. Handicappedparking spaces shall measure 12 feet wide by 18 feet long.3. Dimensions.Angle Width of one-way aisle Width of two-way aisle0 11 2230 12 Not permitted45 13 Not permitted60 18 Not permitted90 24 244.Handicapped parking shall be provided according to Uniform Construction Code.Where handicapped accessible or adaptable dwelling units, a minimum of onehandicapped parking space shall be provided in a location within closest proximity tosuch dwelling unit.5.Parking regulation for different constructionsAutomobile repair establishments 4.0 per bay plus 1.0 per service vehicleAutomobile washing establishments 3.0 per establishment for employeesBanks and other financial institutions 4.0 per teller window plus 1.5 spaces per

nonteller work station or 1.0 per 180 squarefeet of floor area, whichever is greater

Churches and other places of worship 1.0 per 3 seats or 1.0 per 72 linear inches ofseating when benches are used

Day-care centers and nursery schools formore than 5 children

1.0 per teacher or staff member plus 1.0 perevery 3 children

Dry-cleaning establishments 1.0 per 180 square feet of floor areaEating and drinking establishments 1.0 per 200 square feet of floor area or 1.0

per every 3 seats, whichever is greaterFuneral homes 10.0 per viewing room plus 1.0 per 300

square feet of public floor areaGasoline service stations 1.0 per pumpHotels, inns and motels 1.0 per guest room plus 2.5 per 1,000 square

feet of floor area plus 75% of the requirementfor any eating and drinking establishment onthe premises

Laboratory and research uses 3.0 per 1,000 square feet of floor area

Light industrial uses, except manufacturing 1.0 per 800 square feet of floor area

Machine shops and manufacturing usesoffices

1.0 per 500 square feet of floor area

Business and professional, including clinicalpsychologists and mental health counselorsnot engaged in group counseling on a regularbasis

1.0 per 250 square feet of floor area

Medical, dental, veterinary, clinicalpsychologists engaged in group counselingon a regular basis

1.0 per 250 square feet of floor area plus 4.0per professional on duty

Real estate 1.0 per 150 square feet of floor areaPersonal service businesses 1.0 per 180 square feet of floor areaRetail uses 1.0 per 180 square feet of floor area where

the total floor area per use or occupant is lessthan 2,000 square feet; 1.0 per 200 squarefeet of floor area where the total floor areaper use or occupant is 2,000 square feet orgreater

Appliance and furniture stores 1.0 per 300 square feet of floor area plus 1.0per 500 square feet of accessory storage area

Elementary and middle school 2.0 per classroom plus 1.0 per every 6 seatsin an assembly hal

Secondary school 3.5 per classroom plus 1.0 per every 6 seatsin an assembly hall

Social halls, clubs, lodges, and places ofpublic assembly

1.0 per 2 seats

Warehouses and storage uses 1.0 per 1,000 square feet of floor areaException: (1)The continuation of any lawfully nonconforming use (2)Any storagearea in a basement or attic permittedResidential Parking Regulations for VehiclesPermitted weight: (1)7000 pounds-any lot;(2)7000 pounds<weight<10000pounds-garage or a driveway in a side or rear yard;(3)5000 pounds<weight<8000pounds-wholly enclosed garagePermitted maximized size: (1)length-20 feet;(2)width-8 feet;(3)height-8 feetProhibited vehicle: trucks, tractors, trailers, semitrailers, tow trucks and busesSpecial vehicle: Recreational vehicles, trailer coaches, campers and boats shall bestored in a garage or in a rear yard at least 15 feet from any lot line and substantiallyscreened from view from all adjacent lot lines and the street line.Prohibited parking location: (1)in the side or front yards of driveway;(2)on a cornerlot property which obstructs, impairs or obscures vision of motor vehicle traffic at anintersection.

Market SegmentOpen space(a green open space with

movable seats for people to rest and

entertain)

Office (a small office building with a

healthy enviornment surrounding)

Young/old local residents/ office workers

Eating establishment(a restaurant close

to residential and working area with

visually attractive environment nearby)

Final Concept Plan

1”=80’

Architectural and Building Elevations

Metuchen(negative) Newark(positive)

Retail

Office

Residenti

al

Open

Space

ZoningLand Use Area (sf) Percentage (%)

Residential 41,500 18.72%

Office 20,000 9.02%

Retail 11,600 5.23%

Open space 35,600 16.6%

Parking 89,832 40.01%

Sidewalk 23,100 10.42%

Total 221,632 100%

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ZoningBuilding Area(square feet) Height(feet/per story) Density(FAR) Parking requirement Parking area(plus

entrance anddriving isles)

Building 1Retail Use

9,600 15 0.23 48 parking spaces(1 per 200 sf) 18,432 sf

Building 2Office Use

20,000 10 0.1 80 parking spaces (1 per 250 sf) 29,700 sf

Building 3Mix-use(retail&residenti

al)

16,125 10 0.23 85 (1.85 per 1 dwelling unit)plus 10 parking spaces (1 per

200 sf)

41,700 sf

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