By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Shrewsbury – The Planning Board reviewed a site plan for a new office building and garage to be located at 5 and 9 Centech Blvd. at their December 3 meeting. A public hearing was also convened with no public comments. The Board spent roughly 20 minutes considering the project before continuing it to their Jan. 7, 2021 meeting.
Undaunted by the coronavirus pandemic, the project was brought forth by property owner ME Realty, LLC of Shrewsbury. John Grenier from J.M Grenier Associates, Inc., the principal designer, appeared on behalf of the project. He provided a brief overview of the site plan that encompasses approximately two acres on the south side of Centech Boulevard near the intersection of Route 20 and abuts the Shrewsbury landfill.
“The proposed commercial building is a 12,600 square foot building that will be a ‘for lease’ for a potential of multiple tenants,” he remarked. “The building is laid out so that it will have available office space along the frontage on Centech Boulevard and have for tenants’ available overhead doors and one loading dock on the rear easterly side of the building.”
The lot is zoned limited industrial and the proposal meets all zoning requirements, with 29 parking spaces, according to Grenier.
Steven Boulay, the Board chair, asked Grenier about signage directing traffic through the property. Grenier replied that this depends on the tenants, and whether there is one or multiple, because there may not be a large volume of tractor trailers going through the parking lot.
Grenier also explained that a retaining wall, while not a part of the original site plan, will be designed to manage topographical grading.
“Given the last few projects that have had retaining walls with issues…I think it would make sense to have them designed and be a part of the site plan review and I think that conservation would probably be interested in that wall,” Boulay stated.
