Closter Plaza

Closter, NJ

This community shopping center was in decline with one anchor store and multiple smaller areas vacant for many years. Bowman worked with the owner and project architect to completely rehabilitate this 200,000 sq. ft. retail center. The primary site planning issues focused on enhancing the pedestrian environment and improving the vehicular circulation and parking systems. To achieve this goal Bowman relocated the main drive aisle at the center of the site, creating a more inviting pedestrian space with variously sized plaza areas along the storefronts with shade trees, planting beds and amenities. The team also revamped the parking lots, eliminating the angled parking arrangement and replacing it with a 90° arrangement, dividing the area into various precincts to provide better pedestrian and vehicular access. Designs reconfigured access driveways to better control traffic in and out of the center as well as circulation within the parking areas and created new access on the east of the center, connecting Homans Avenue and the main parking lot. Finally, a traffic study was performed which included existing traffic volumes and operational analyses at 16 intersections serving or adjacent to the shopping center. These intersections were analyzed and adjustments were made to account for current vacancies and then again for the proposed development program. Bowman also provided the site design, surveying, and local, county and state permitting for the project.