Out of Town Competitors Back Red Bank Hotel Suit

A Red Bank resident's lawsuit aimed at halting a proposed Hampton Inn and Suites from being built in the borough is being financially backed by the owners of a Doubletree Hotel in Tinton Falls, and other area hotels, it was revealed at Thursday night's zoning board meeting.

In the interest of avoiding potential board conflicts, attorney Ron Gasiorowski said brothers Doran and Carey Tajfel, principals of Tinton Falls Lodging Company, are providing the sole financing of the lawsuit. Though Gasiorowski declined to identify the name of the hotel, saying only that it was a competitor in the area, meeting minutes from a Tinton Falls zoning boarding identify Doran Tajfel as the owner of a Doubletree Hotel located at 700 Hope Rd. in Tinton Falls, the same address listed for the Tinton Falls Lodging Company.

Hotels Unlimited, of which the brothers are named as co-presidents, operates 10 hotels in Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties, as well as Doubletree in West Palm Beach, Fl.

The met to discuss the prohibiting the construction of a building more than 50 feet tall between Navesink River and Rector Place. The proposed 76-room Hampton Inn, which will be located at a 1.04-acre plot at the base of the Route 35 bridge entering Middletown, is more than 80 feet tall spread over six stories. The ordinance was discussed for three hours before the board halted the testimony, pushing the issue to its March 15th meeting.

Stephen Mitchell, the face of the hotel suit, objected to the project because of its size and scope, saying it was too large for the proposed site. Broad in his original objections, the suit facing the borough and its planning board is much more specific namely in that it challenges the saying that instead the matter should be before the zoning board.

Though the zoning board has been called on to interpret an ordinance restricting height, the site plan remains before the planning board.

The lawsuit funding issue first arose last fall when Martin McGann, the attorney representing the developer, asked for Gasiorowski to reveal who was funding the suit. .

Following Thursday's meeting, McGann declined to say what impact the revelation would have on the proceedings, other than that: "I think it's appropriate that it's out there now."

In previous interactions with Red Bank's planning board, Gasiorowski declined to identify the financial backers, even going as far to say their privacy was a matter he'd likely take to court to defend. Following Thursday's meeting and disclosure, Gasiorowski would not elaborate on his decision to disclose the names of the backers, other than that it was done to avoid issues of conflict that might arise.

Though it's unclear what, if any, impact the association of competitors with the lawsuit will have, members of the borough's planning board have mentioned that they were interested in knowing who was really behind the suit.