Developer puts brakes on project

Planners think economy is the cause; hopeful for better times ahead, By Mark J. Yablonsky FRANKLIN — A developer who had won approval for a multi-faceted project that included a restaurant, a diner, a retail building and another unspecified building has put a stop to his project — temporarily. New York-based developer Harry Grant had planned the large commercial project for a tract along the Route 23 corridor. He’d been granted preliminary approval last year from the planners. But later, he sought to alter the plans. Last week, he took his amended project off the table. Planners approved a request from his attorney to withdrew the amended project from consideration. Franklin’s planning board assented to the request “without prejudice,” meaning it can legally be re-opened again in the future. From big to bigger Since Grant’s initial application, he had begun to change his project, more than doubling it in size. Those plans, however, had not been approved. In OK’ing the withdrawal, planners note that the developer is free to act upon his initial proposal — which had been approved — but cannot revise the amended plan without planning board approval. The project — Franklin Village, LLC — included four buildings that total more than 38,000 square feet. There was to have been a 21,600-sq.-ft. retail building, a 3,000-sq.-ft. restaurant, a 5,400-sq.-ft. diner and also a 3,200-sq.-ft. building. That version had been approved by the planning board on June 16, 2008. Grant’s attorney did not specify why his client wanted the second application withdrawn, but it is believed that the weak economic climate is behind that decision. “I believe when market conditions improve, we’ll see them again,” said Jim Kilduff, the borough’s director of planning and community development.