Bon Jovi: Soul Kitchen gets the Green Light in Red Bank

Good news for the JBJ Soul Foundation, the borough of Red Bank approved the application.

Bon Jovi foundation gets OK to build community restaurant in Red Bank

Jon Bon Jovi

Written by

LARRY HIGGS

RED BANK — Rocker Jon Bon Jovi got the green light Monday night on plans by his charitable foundation to build a community restaurant on the site of an auto repair shop on Monmouth Street, which could be open as early as July.

The borough planning board unanimously approved the application to convert a former auto shop in the rear of a 7,424-square-foot lot on Monmouth Street between Bridge and Shrewsbury avenues.

Plans call for tearing down a one-story house in the front of the lot for a four-space parking lot and using the back yard for outdoor seating. The former auto shop would house the four-table restaurant and kitchen and seat about 30 people.

Attorney Philp San Filippo, representing the JB Soul Foundation said that with Monday's approval, the community restaurant could be open as soon as the July Fourth weekend.

"The building permit can be issued this week and they'll get started right away, the bulk of it its interior renovation'' said San Filippo, who donated his services. "We'd be happy to open by July 4th.''

The foundation would operate it like a restaurant, where people would have a menu of healthy dishes and have a selection of items and have the option to pay cash or volunteer time with the foundation or another charity to pay for the meal.

The board approved plans to only have four parking spaces on site, less than what is required with the condition that if the restaurant is ever sold, that applicant would return to the board. Any neighborhood issues with parking would also send the issue back to the board.

But most of the clients wouldn't drive to the restaurant, San Filippo said, which was its experience when the foundation ran a similar operation at Lunch Break and St. Anthony's Church last year.

"Most came by bike or walked,'' he said.

Board member Dan Mancuso, who grew up in the neighborhood, praised the application.

"I can't say how happy I am to see this use rehabilitate the area. I grew up playing in the back yard. It's very nice to see such a good use,'' Mancuso said.

Plans were filed late last month by the Philadelphia-based Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, which did some piloting of the low- or no-cost meals concept late last year at St. Anthony's.

"Any improvement to the site will be an improvement,'' said Mayor Pasquale "Pat'' Menna.