By Chris Rotolo and Laura Kolnoski
OCEANPORT – Following an outcry from borough officials over the scope of its plans, New Jersey City University is scaling back its proposal for a satellite campus at the former Fort Monmouth.
Instead of constructing a residence hall, academic lab, visual arts center, performing arts center and athletic center and a parking garage, NJCU says it will only seek to build a one-story academic facility, and parking lot on the 27-acre Squier Hall parcel and an adjacent complex on Sherrill Ave, as originally proposed in September.
Borough officials remain wary the larger plan by developer KKF University Enterprises, LLC, may resurface in the future. They are concerned their borough can adequately provide emergency services and security services, or absorb the potential traffic.
Because the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) has the authority to approve the project, the governing body would like to enter into a redevelopment agreement with the developer and cut FMERA from the development process.
“My concern is that at some point, down the road, the development group can resubmit the same amended plan and FMERA can try to get it passed again,” said Borough Councilman and Planning/Zoning Board member Robert Proto. “We would be in the same situation we are now.”
NJCU Chief of Staff Guillermo de Veyga said the pullback was the result of a late February meeting between the university, the development group and members of the Oceanport Borough Council.
KKF put its Phase 1 plan – the construction of the facility building, performing arts center and parking lot called Amendment #13 – in writing to FMERA on Dec. 12.
“We have no interest in doing (Phase 2 and 3) right now,” said de Veyga. “The university has no vision to immediately put these massive structures in. Our enrollment doesn’t merit anything beyond Phase 1 right now.”
With undergraduate enrollment at approximately 7,000 students, de Veyga said that it could be five years before the school needs to revisit the site plan.
“Once we see how enrollment goes (at Fort Monmouth), we can sit down again with everyone and revisit the plan. But it’s difficult to know what we’ll need because we don’t know what that demand looks like,” de Veyga added.
FMERA Executive Director Bruce Steadman said that, though NJCU has agreed to alter the amendment, Amendment #13 has not been withdrawn.
“Based on discussions Oceanport and NJCU had regarding future elements, NJCU has agreed to make some changes and reduce the scope of the project to some extent. That doesn’t mean the amendment has been withdrawn or eradicated, but it will probably be amended,” Steadman said.
FMERA has received 44 pages of public comments concerning Amendment #13, said Steadman. The organization’s staff will be reviewing submissions in coming weeks.
Steadman said the FMERA board will vote on the scope of the work at Squier Hall in April. The board is due to meet April 17 at 7 p.m. at 502 Brewer Ave. in Oceanport.
Oceanport Borough Councilman Joe Irace said the meeting with NJCU was a positive one, and that he agrees with the administration’s vision to enhance the school’s footprint if the student body’s growth determines it.
“(Amendment #13) is a plan for years down the road. It’s all based on potential growth. Instead of jamming it all into one plan and hamstringing us, take FMERA out of the equation and five or 10 years from now, come to our planning board and work with us. This should be an Oceanport/NJCU decision,” Irace said.
During its March 12 meeting, the Oceanport Planning Board approved NJCU’s site plan application for a single academic facility and adjacent parking lot.
This story originally appeared in the March 14-20 print edition of The Two River Times.
