VENTNOR – The Planning Board Monday, Nov. 26 unanimously approved all the necessary variances needed for a Santucci’s Square Pizza restaurant to open at the site of the former Arrow Hardware store in Ventnor’s central business district.
Ventnor Worldwide, LLC, led by Blake Barabuscio, who grew up in Ventnor, was granted C variances for side and rear setback requirements, lot coverage and parking. It also received a use variance and preliminary and final site plan approvals to rehabilitate the building at 6413-6417 Ventnor Ave. Arthur Ponzio provided engineering and Peter Weiss was the architect.
Barabuscio’s attorney Brian Callaghan said the establishment will be more than a pizza parlor.
“It will be a full-service restaurant and bar that serves real food,” Callaghan said. “It will be a nice place to have some good Italian food along with a beer or a drink.”
“We are very excited,” Barabuscio said. “Ventnor couldn’t have been more welcoming. We’re going to have to move fast but shooting for summer 2019.”
The most controversial issue to overcome was the lack of parking. Ventnor ordinances would have required 113 parking spots for the 277-seat restaurant. Ventnor Worldwide will have no on-site parking. It will eliminate the three parking spots at the front of the store, which will create three parking spots on the street.
“There was a lot of give and take, but the only real concern was parking,” said Commissioner Tim Kriebel who supported the application. “There really are no solutions. Downtown areas always have parking problems, but they agreed to discuss a shared parking arrangement with other local businesses and churches.”
Callaghan said that other than the Dunkin’ site, there are no other properties in the area than can be used for parking.
“It’s all built out,” he said.
Kriebel said the Board of Commissioners would review parking ordinances for that block, which could include metered parking spots with early morning loading zones for the other restaurants in the neighborhood.
The ground level part of the recessed area that formerly housed three parking spots will provide some “green space” in the center of the business district and include bicycle racks and a water feature. A seasonal seating area and bar will be located on the second level.
“It’s more than just a deck,” Callaghan said. “It will have three walls and a roof structure that will provide additional seating during the season.”
Callaghan said the restaurant would be open from 10 a.m. to midnight.
“With the city’s regulations for liquor licenses, because it abuts a residential area, they will have to close by midnight,” he said.
The ground floor will include the main seating area and kitchen along with a 500-square-foot commercial space that can be leased by another business.
Barabuscio will have to return to the Planning Board early next year to obtain approvals for two apartments that will be located on the second and third floors of the adjacent building.
Kriebel said the 8,700-square-foot restaurant would promote walking and biking in the area, and create about 30 jobs.
“It raises all ships,” Kriebel said. “It brings people to the downtown and creates more activity. It’s exactly the type of investment we hoped for when we approved the liquor licenses.”
Kriebel said the development would benefit residential real estate values as well.
“It’s becoming a vibrant downtown where you can walk to all amenities,” he said. “When people come in summer, they want to park their cars and leave them parked. We’re just taking people back to the old ways of doing things before there were malls with huge parking lots.”
The application for Ventnor Square Theater will be reviewed at the Planning Board’s next meeting, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12.
