By Sunayana Prabhu
HOLMDEL – The legendary Holmdel Horn is now owned by the township and will soon be a 35-acre public park, bringing to an end the months-long battle over development of the site and the future of the historic antenna. The park will be named for the township’s longtime resident and Nobel-winning physicist Dr. Robert Wilson.
Wilson, along with research partner Dr. Arno Penzias, discovered irrefutable evidence of the Big Bang theory origin of the universe with the aid of the Horn Antenna that will now stay perched upon Crawford Hill for posterity.
At the Jan. 23 committee meeting, Holmdel Mayor Rocco Impreveduto announced that the township filed a declaration of taking – declaring that the property is being taken by and for the use of the municipality – in New Jersey Superior Court.
The announcement was bittersweet, coming just a day after Penzias died at the age of 90 in San Francisco.
“Holmdel and the scientific community owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Penzias. Our condolences go out to his family and all those touched by his brilliance,” said Impreveduto, acknowledging the legacy of both the physicists who will be commemorated in the park, expected to open in March.
The township introduced an ordinance formally establishing Dr. Robert Wilson Park, comprised of the Horn Antenna and its surrounding property, successfully acquired from the property’s previous owner, Crawford Hill Holding LLC (CHH).
“This historic purchase will ensure, now and forever, people of all ages will be able to stand atop the highest point in Monmouth County, dream of the never-ending cosmos and reach for the stars,” said Impreveduto.
Wilson expressed his gratitude to the township for dedicating the park in his name. He said he was “very pleased” with the process of securing the Horn Antenna and “glad that it worked out, that everyone’s happy.”
Emphasizing the global impact of the Horn, Wilson said he received an email from a girl in rural Brazil who made a special trip to New Jersey to see the antenna after learning about the work he and Penzias did during a summer program in Massachusetts.
Negotiations for the property began nearly two years ago. The Holmdel Horn Antenna has been situated on Crawford Hill on a 43-acre site at 791 Holmdel Road since the 1960s. The site, previously owned by Bell Laboratories, Lucent, Alcatel and Nokia, was sold in 2021 to Crawford Hill Holdings LLC. CHH continues to retain ownership of an adjacent lot, the current site of a vacant Nokia laboratory. That building on Holmdel Road is the subject of a request for a blight study under the Redevelopment Act; the future of the site is yet to be determined, awaiting planning board reviews and a redevelopment plan.
In December, the township acquired the site, including lots 6 and 6.1 and an access easement to lot 7, for a net sale price of $4.75 million. The transaction involved a purchase price of $5.5 million, with CHH donating $750,000 back to the township for improvements to Crawford Hill. The money will be used to preserve the Horn Antenna, repave access roads and complete potential improvements such as a visitor center.
The township estimated costs of $1.68 million for the construction of the proposed park. This is only a preliminary project budget that identifies a number of components, including repaving the existing access road and parking facilities; demolition of obsolete structures; construction of an education center, restrooms and support facility; signage, security, fencing; and other improvements needed to make the site suitable for public use.
To kickstart Phase 1 of the development, a public hearing was held during the Tuesday meeting. The township is applying for an additional $700,000 in grant money from the New Jersey Green Acres, program as well as a loan to cover the costs.
“Technically, we are requesting both a grant as well as a loan” from the state program, explained township administrator Jay Delaney. The township will match the grant amount.
During public comments on the concept plan, Holmdel resident Ralph Blumenthal said, “Protection for the horn needs to be included in the initial phase of this project.” He also noted that there needs to be a clear indication of parking in the plan.
Sarbmeet Kanwal, a physics instructor at Brookdale Community College, suggested the visitor center should include “two very important stories about the Horn Antenna.” Kanwal suggested that the first story could be a human story of how the discovery took place and the second story could be about the evolution of the cosmos, which Kanwal said, “Was revealed as a result of the discovery that was made at the horn antenna. That in itself is very exciting and a story that’s still evolving.”
He also had several innovative design suggestions about the center and the inclusion of classrooms.
Some residents were of the opinion that the 2,000 square feet dedicated to the education center in the preliminary plan is too less and needs more space. From having an observation deck to hiking trails, residents seemed excited to offer their opinions on options for the park that will be part of the ongoing process of its development.
The article originally appeared in the January 25 – January 31, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
