Breaking Ground On West Side Lofts

After a couple of delays and a time when developers and officials weren't sure it would ever come to fruition, ground was officially broken on the West Side Lofts luxury mixed-use, live-work-play project in Red Bank.

The project, conceived by Metrovation and Woodmont Properties, was initially approved by the borough in 2006 and nearly scrapped in 2008, due to the downturn in the economy.

With the development's 213-space parking garage complete, Monday was the hallmark start of constructing the project's 20,000-square-feet of retail space and 92 one- and two-bedroom apartments, condos and a Triumph Brewing Company brew pub, which is slated for completion at the end of 2014. 

"It's just great that the Triumph Brewing Company will be right here next to the (Two River) theater," philanthropist and theater owner Bob Rechnitz joked. "This way, if the show is no good, you can leave, walk across the way and have yourself a beer."

The groundbreaking ceremony was a unique one — shovel-free. There was one photo-op setting with Red Bank Mayor Pat Menna revving up a construction site truck, flanked by officials.

Then there was another impromptu moment (OK, maybe they were corralled a little for fun).

With Menna noting it was a happy sort of birthday for the heart of the project's official start, which he said happened to coincide Rechnitz's "49th," he and Rechnitz took a moment to do some hands-on exploratory post-groundbreaking of their own — climbing back into the construction site truck. 

They forgot that Touch-a-Truck Day was Saturday. So, the pleasure if hopping on board was all theirs. 

Great sports, those two! Or, were they up to something?

Officials, politicians, attorneys from area towns and project principals joined together in celebration of moving forward with the long-awaited West Side Lofts that Mayor Menna said will be "great for Red Bank."

Check out the entire photo gallery of the day (above).

Patch will feature a video clip of the day. Stay tuned.