A two-story 7-Eleven?
Maybe not.
GK&A Architects
The chain pitched two stories for a convenience store at Pine and Morris streets for aesthetic reasons, to please Morristown planning officials, according to the project’s development team.
But after pushback from the planning board on Wednesday, it’s back to the drawing board.
“7-Eleven does not need the office space” proposed for the second floor, project attorney Jason Tuvel conceded at the virtual meeting. “We can make it appear as a two-story building, but not have a second story.”
Tuvel and his experts will return, via Zoom, with revised plans to another special meeting, on March 2, 2021.
It’s a relocation project: A 7-Eleven in a strip mall across Morris Street must be demolished to make way for the M Station office redevelopment.
The new iteration would replace an Exxon station at 47 Pine St. Plans had called for a 4,000-square-foot 7-Eleven on the ground floor, with another 2,600 square feet of offices above.
No tenant was envisioned for the upstairs, which store personnel would have used as an office, Tuvel said. This “extremely atypical” 7-Eleven design was hatched with town Planner Phil Abramson because “we thought that might be well received” visually, testified project engineer Jeffrey Martell
The idea, Abramson explained, was an “urban street wall” for Morris Street, creating a “more defined presence…rather than single-story strip mall-type buildings.”
But planning board members questioned the office use, and the look.
What if 7-Eleven changed its mind and leased the offices? How might that affect parking and traffic, asked Joe Kane and board Chairman Joe Stanley.
The bland design could set a bad precedent for future development on Morris Street, added Mayor Tim Dougherty.
“It’s a basic brick building,” he said, challenging the applicant to come up with “the best 7-Eleven in New Jersey.” Dougherty favors a one-story structure. He cited Morristown’s CVS pharmacy, built with a factory/warehouse motif, as an example of innovative design.
Board member Susan Glover felt two stories could work, “if done right.”
“It’s sort of a crossroads as to how to proceed,” Abramson acknowledged.
Earlier in the meeting, which included testimony from project architect Oliver Young, the board heard 7-Eleven’s plans for new sidewalks and landscaping with shrubs and a tree.
The store would front Morris Street, where trucks would make deliveries. Eighteen parking spaces would be in the rear, on Pine Street, a largely residential street. The design layout was influenced by a 1923 deed, which mandates 15-foot setbacks for Pine Street buildings.
Environmental cleanup is the responsibility of the gas station’s owner, who also must continue monitoring five underground test wells for contamination, said Martell, the project engineer.
LOL, more proof that zoning and planning in this town is just a crapshoot unless you’re “connected”.
Name me anything built in this town in the last decade or so that isn’t a “a basic brick building” as Lord Dougherty described this proposed building.
Also nice process that applicants need a pre-meeting for some ring-kissing.
The “Best 7-11 in NJ” would be a Sheetz, actually.
Lastly, what is up with NJ towns/cities clearing gas stations away? So weird to have to drive out of town to fill up.
RickFnDalton, well, not any pharmacy that I have ever seen. Check out YouTube for Taiwan 7-11s. They’re awesome!
Jeff-so what you are basically describing is our modern day pharmacy?
Not so long ago, a 2 story Dunkin Donuts was built a block away. The result is a “basic brick building”.
Interesting argument that it sets a bad precedent for future development when there is no respect for any sort of precedent when it comes to development in town (see previous mention of DD, which would seem to set a precedent for this project). It seems like every project decision is based on the personal design preferences of those on the Board with no references to conforming to any sort of overall development plan or pre-determined standards for the neighborhood.
It’s surprising that this is even a news story.
As a side note, when we think of hot food at 7-11 we think of a week-old greasy hot dog turning forlornly on the hotdog heating machine. It is a sad sight indeed. Come with me to Taiwan, where there is a 7-11 every three blocks. They are the center of life there. You renew your driver’s license, pay bills, pay traffic tickets, etc. They are clean and have everything. Great hot food is everywhere, and you can throw together a great meal.
The best 7-11 in NY wouldn’t be as good as the worst one in Taiwan.
Crickets on this project. The environmental consulting company representing the Exxon landowner unleashed the unending wrath of the DEP on me suggesting that contamination migrated down Morris St to cause an immediate environmental concern. I am now mired in legal and consultant expenses. There has been no potential source of dry cleaning chemical (perchloroethylene) for many years on the property and recent soil samples do not indicate any dangerous levels of contaminants at the site. That is unsatisfactory to the DEP, however, and continued investigation is ongoing at very significant cost and disruption. The complex is home to 8 retail tenants that have struggled/survived through the pandemic at a significant loss to tenants/landlord. No reduction in property taxes while I am surrounded by numerous PILOT projects. Destined for total financial doom and sadly nothing will change for the betterment of Morristown or the World.
As a resident of Morris Street, I’m excited to see all of these projects! Our street links Washington’s Headquarters with the Green and it’s sad to see how ugly, run-down, or straight empty many of the buildings and lots are. I would love to know what’s happening with the Live/Work building that was approved for next to Melser’s! That lot has sat untouched for years!
@ Faith
O no – not another new building in Morristown!! The horror. The old gas station is so much better to look at.
It’s a relocation project: A 7-Eleven in a strip mall across Morris Street must be demolished to make way for the M Station office redevelopment. It’s pretty well know that Doughrty, the current mayor, and the town planner, Phil Abtamson, meet with all upcoming applicants to review their plans before they are presented to the Planning Board. So what happened in this case? Seems the town planner Phil Abramson and current mayor Dougherty didn’t agree at this meeting?? According to planner Abramson, The “extremely atypical” 7-Eleven design was hatched because “WE thought that might be well received” visually, The idea, Abramson explained, was an “urban street wall” for Morris Street, creating a “more defined presence…rather than single-story strip mall-type buildings.” And yet Dougherty, the current mayor said.” The bland design could set a bad precedent for future development on Morris Street. It’s a basic brick building,” he said, challenging the applicant to come up with “the best 7-Eleven in New Jersey.” The best 7-Eleven in NJ? Does he even know what he is talking about? Dougherty, the current Mayor, favors a one-story structure. Thank goodness for the Planning Board members as they question and struggle to make sense of yet another new building in the works for Morristown.
Would you rather keep a derelict gas station there instead ???
Nice 18 wheelers parked in the lane of travel on Morris st. That will help traffic in the area. Awful idea, awful location.