FMERA Inks Redevelopment and Sales Agreements for Development of Fort

Paving the way for more redevelopment on the Fort in 2017, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority entered into three Purchase and Sale and Redevelopment Agreements (PSARAs) and one Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) in 2016. The Authority also issued four Requests for Offers to Purchase (RFOTPs) this year.

“As we continue to look for ways to bring jobs back to the region, we remain committed to making Fort Monmouth a place where area residents want to spend their free time,” Executive Director Bruce Steadman said. “The sales and redevelopment agreements signed this year support that vision.”

AP Development Partners entered into a PSARA with FMERA in December for the approximately 4.2-acre Dance Hall parcel in Oceanport. The property contains the 16,000-square-foot former recreation building, better known as the Dance Hall, Van Kirk Park and associated parking areas. AP Development plans to redevelop the property for commercial and retail uses, including entertainment and restaurants. Specifically, AP Development has indicated that potential users of the facility include a restaurant/café, microbrewery, and coffee roaster. Under the PSARA, Van Kirk Park will be retained as open space, and entertainment events will be hosted in the park throughout the year.

In February, FMERA signed a PSARA with Kiely Realty Group, LLC (Kiely) for the sale and renovation of the Pistol Range and the Fire & Police Training Area as well as the adjacent Satellite Road Parcel in Tinton Falls. Kiely will redevelop the property in two phases, with development of the existing indoor firearms range into a for-profit commercial firearms range coming first. The range will offer a shooting and educational experience to the public, government entities and private membership. Kiely plans to build an approximately 10,000-square-foot addition onto the existing structure, expanding the educational and training areas of the range. Kiely plans to create a minimum of 25 full- and part-time jobs at the property, plus eighty temporary positions. For Phase 2, Kiely will lease the adjacent 5,000-square-foot structure located in the southwest part of the property to K. Moorea, LLC, doing business as Traffic Plan. Traffic Plan, which provides traffic safety solutions to utility companies, municipalities, and private contractors throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, intends to relocate five management and sixty employees to the Fort and expects to add an additional 40 new jobs to the leased site.

FMERA entered into agreements to sell two properties to Monmouth County, which will support community use of the Fort’s amenities. FMERA negotiated a PSA for the 6.5-acre teen center and adjacent swimming pool parcel to the Monmouth County Parks Systems. In addition, the County negotiated a PSARA for the F-3 parcel in Tinton Falls. The approximately 3.5-acre property contains the 1,335-square-foot former Shopette Building and Gas Station, as well as the accompanying paved and parking areas. Monmouth County’s proposal includes expanding the parking facilities to accommodate the adjacent Recreation Center property, adding additional storage facilities to support events, create a dedicated maintenance facility to service the area, and restoring wetlands on-site with an elevated boardwalk to allow for an outdoor classroom. As part of its recreation efforts, Monmouth County has operated the Fort Monmouth Recreation Center since August 2014. Together, the teen center, pool and F-3 parcel projects are expected to result in the creation of 38 full-time, part-time, and seasonal jobs at Fort Monmouth.

Development opportunities put out to bid by FMERA spanned all three host municipalities – Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls.

Eatontown

Suneagles Golf Course and Megill Housing area – Located along Tinton Avenue, the 171-acre parcel includes historic Gibbs Hall, Joe’s Sports Bar/19th Hole, and the 21 buildings that make up the Megill Housing Area. The property also contains an in-ground swimming pool, tennis courts, maintenance facility and pro-shop. An RFOTP issued in October called for the reuse of the Golf Course and construction of a hotel/conference center, or for an alternate use which includes the reuse of the Golf Course and up to 75 residential units within the 10-acre former Megill Housing area.

Eatontown Barracks  –  The Eatontown Barracks RFOTP, which included the adjacent Soldiers Park, sought proposals for the redevelopment of six former Barracks (Buildings 1102 through 1107) into a cultural center that promotes the arts. Issued in July, the RFOTP calls for Soldiers Park to be deed-restricted open space and notes that potential purchasers and any subsequent owners must maintain the two existing monuments on the property.

Oceanport

Squier Hall Complex – An approximately 31-acre parcel of land containing eight buildings, the Squier Hall Complex is included in the Oceanport High-Tech and Green Industry Campus Development District. This district provides an opportunity to leverage existing high-tech facilities for the needs of a skilled area work force. Redevelopment opportunities made available through the Squier Hall Complex RFOTP, which was issued in April, include educational and office space use.

Tinton Falls

Charles Wood Fire Station – The four-acre Charles Wood Fire Station property contains the approximately 10,070-square-foot former Charles Wood Fire Station on approximately 2.3 acres of land, plus the adjacent 1.7-acre vacant land parcel to the east of the Fire Station across Heliport Drive. Through an RFOTP issued in May, FMERA sought proposals to redevelop the site for civic/institutional or commercial/retail uses.