Somerset County · Franklin Twp Township · #23-02677
Block 512, Lot 12.01
Franklin Twp Township, NJ · 8,770 sq ft non-residential, institutional
About this project
New building in Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ, for lecture halls, art galleries or churches, about 8,770 sq ft, with a reported construction cost of $2.69 million.
Official description: Lecture halls, Art Galleries, Churches, etc.; reported construction cost $2,690,000
- Plan type
- Building permit (new construction)
- Land use
- Lecture halls, Art Galleries, Churches, etc.
- Status
- Permit
Filing history
- 2024-01-23 · #23-02677 · Building permit (new construction) · 8,770 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
County records show a filing for a new institutional building on Block 512, Lot 12.01 in Franklin Township. It would be about 8,770 square feet and would be used for a lecture hall, art gallery or church-type use. The reported construction cost is $2.69 million.
A township Zoning Board of Adjustment agenda from 2019 lists the same lot, at 216 Weston Road, for a proposed one-story house of worship. That earlier version was about 4,998 square feet with 80 parking spaces. It needed a use variance, which is special permission for a use the zoning does not normally allow. The 2024 county filing lists a larger building, so the plans may have been revised or resubmitted.
No news coverage, opposition or final approval for the 8,770 sq ft version was found. What is on the site now could not be confirmed.
What it could mean nearby
- The earlier 2019 proposal included 80 parking spaces, which suggests the use would draw gatherings and some traffic on Weston Road at certain times.
- A building of this size would be a small institutional use, with few permanent jobs expected.
Where it stands
The latest county filing was in January 2024. No decision on the larger building was found online. An institutional use like this usually needs board review of the site plan and any variances, followed by a written resolution and then construction permits.
- Jan 2024 Latest county planning filing for an 8,770 sq ft institutional building
- 2019 Township Zoning Board of Adjustment agenda lists a smaller house-of-worship application for the same lot
Want to weigh in? The Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment would likely hear any use variance request, and its public hearings allow residents to comment. Hearing notices are posted on the township website.
Around the web
- Zoning Board of Adjustment agendaFranklin Township, NJLists a 2019 application for a house of worship with parking at 216 Weston Road, Block 512, Lot 12.01.
Planning terms explained
- Use variance
- Permission from a zoning board to use land in a way the zoning rules do not normally allow.
- Site plan
- A detailed drawing showing the building, parking, access and drainage on a property, reviewed by the township.
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
- A local board that decides on variances and exceptions to zoning rules.
- Institutional use
- A use such as a house of worship, school or cultural facility rather than housing or retail.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $3.1M
- ~43 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~21 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
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