One of the more prominent towns along the Jersey Shore is welcoming its second new construction project in the last month as work has begun to transform a former coffee shop in Long Branch into a modern development.
Holmdel-based Inspired by Somerset Development recently broke ground on a mixed-use multifamily development at the site of the former Inkwell Coffee House on Second Street, which closed last year.
Situated on the road’s corner with New Court, the three-story, 22-unit development will feature a mix of one- and two-bedroom market-rate apartments with private balconies just one block from Ocean Avenue.
Designed by Minno Wasko, the development will essentially replace the coffee house with 800 square feet of street-level retail and an indoor parking garage with electric vehicle charging stations. The development will additionally feature a private roof deck for residents.
“We recognize this site’s storied history as a local landmark for Long Branch,” said Ralph Zucker, CEO and Founder of Inspired by Somerset Development. “We are excited to begin construction on this new building, which will help meet the significant demand for high-quality housing in the area while fitting seamlessly into the existing fabric of Long Branch’s West End and adding a new sense of vibrancy to this already dynamic area.”
Inspired acquired the property after being approached by Inkwell Coffee House’s longtime owner Anthony Esposito following their closure in May 2022. Long Branch’s Planning Board approved the development back in December last year, and construction of the new mixed-use building is expected to be complete by the summer of 2024.
The development is the second notable project in Long Branch to break ground over the last month, as Prime City recently started work on Sica Lofts, a separate 31-unit mixed-use project slated to rise along Third Avenue.
