Investment Continues at Fort Monmouth, the 1,200-acre BRAC Site in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Fort Monmouth, NJ – March 13, 2018 Over the past seven years, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) has worked closely with the boroughs of Tinton Falls, Eatontown, and Oceanport to meet the needs of each community — introducing new amenities, retaining highly-skilled jobs, and working towards a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environment. With the support of local leadership, FMERA is advancing its goal of revitalizing and reactivating nearly 1,200 acres.

To date, nearly two-thirds of the Fort is sold, under contract, or in negotiations. This includes 13 properties sold, for total sales of $29,490,518; and additional property valued at $78,667,182 under contract or in negotiations, for a total of $108,157,700.

FMERA anticipates tremendous growth and success in the largest section of the Fort, housed in Oceanport. In addition to the sale of a 13-acre parcel for Oceanport’s new Municipal Complex, six additional properties have been sold in Oceanport:

The former Patterson Army Hospital, renovated, owned and now occupied by AcuteCare;
Officer Housing – 117 units, sold to RPM Development – currently under renovation
The Main Post Chapel, sold to Triumphant Life Church – renovated and occupied
Russel Hall, the former Garrison Headquarters, renovated, owned and occupied by TetherView
The Fitness Center, sold to Fort Partners Group LLC
A three-acre property sold to the County that will provide emergency services to the homeless.

“Oceanport has been, and continues to be, an important partner in the redevelopment of the Fort,” said FMERA Executive Director Bruce Steadman. “The Department of Public Works has provided incredible support during our major infrastructure projects and our collaborative efforts have allowed us make essential upgrades that will benefit the community. We’re excited that Oceanport has selected Fort Monmouth as the permanent home for its new Municipal Complex, including its town hall, community center, and police department.”

FMERA is preparing to close on two additional properties in Oceanport and is in negotiations for the sale of six additional properties, featuring educational, retail, hospitality, office, and residential uses. The Authority plans to issue Requests for Offers to Purchase for six or more Oceanport parcels in 2018.

The FMERA Board approved a purchase and sale & redevelopment agreement (PSARA) with Commvault Systems, Inc. for the Charles Wood Fire Station in Tinton Falls at its meeting on February 21, 2018. Commvault proposes to adaptively reuse the Fire Station as corporate office space which may include swing space for Commvault’s existing corporate campus and recreation uses on the open space on the property. Commvault also has the option to improve the Property with additional square footage to accommodate additional office space, contingent on- site constraints including but not limited to floodplain and stream encroachment restrictions, and subject to the Fort’s Reuse Plan and Land Use Rules, as amended.

“Attracting leading tech companies to the Fort is a key component of our master plan,” said FMERA Vice-Chairman Robert J. Lucky. “Commvault’s initial decision to relocate to Fort Monmouth and stay in New Jersey has been an asset to our redevelopment efforts. We look forward to the next phase of Commvault’s expansion.”

Updates on Future Request for Offers to Purchase

Fort Monmouth Bowling Center RFOTP Planned for Spring: At its February meeting, the FMERA Board approved the issuance of a Request for Offers to Purchase (RFOTP) for the former Fort Monmouth Bowling Center located at the corner of Saltzman and Wilson Avenues in Eatontown. The Bowling Center, also known as Building 689, is an approximately 17,600-square-foot, 20-lane bowling alley. Potential purchasers have expressed interest to FMERA staff in acquiring and renovating the property, and in potentially expanding it for recreation, entertainment and related uses.

According to FMERA Senior Marketing & Development Officer Sarah Giberson, “The redevelopment of the Bowling Center will be a vital part of the live-work-play community developing at Fort Monmouth. We’re eager to add to the Fort’s growing list of amenities.”

The RFOTP will give the option of proposing to purchase the improvements and ground lease the land, rather than purchasing both the land and the improvements.

Warehouse District Expanded Prior to Issuance of RFOTP: FMERA anticipates the issuance of RFOTPs for the Warehouse District in the half of 2018. The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization (FMERA) Board closed out a successful 2017 by authorizing the issuance of Requests for Offers to Purchase (RFOTPs) in December for three abutting parcels in the Oceanport Reuse Area: The Commissary and PX; the Warehouse District; and the Post Office Area. The Board also authorized staff to offer the 1000 Parking Area, an approximately six-acre tract, for off-street parking as an optional sub-parcel available to parties bidding on the Commissary and PX and/or the Warehouse District.

Two former barracks buildings adjacent to the Warehouse District, previously envisioned for supportive housing for the homeless, will now be made available for commercial, active recreation or office/research and development use as a part of the Warehouse District parcel. Given their proximity to the Warehouse District, adding Buildings 912 & 913 to the Warehouse District will allow the parcel’s eastern boundary to extend to Murphy Drive, enabling bidders to better access and utilize the larger parcel. It will also avoid FMERA’s retention of an otherwise unbuildable parcel located between the Warehouse District and the future site of Monmouth County’s Emergency Homeless Shelter.

Buildings 912 & 913 were initially intended for reuse by the Affordable Housing Alliance for operation by HABcore, a not-for-profit organization that provides permanent housing to homeless families, veterans and others in need. However, the buildings were deemed not readily adaptable for HABcore’s needs. The Affordable Housing Alliance, HABcore and FMERA will jointly seek to identify another mutually-acceptable location within the Oceanport Reuse Area.

Several other RFOTPs will be released throughout the year including the approximately 50-acre McAfee Complex in Oceanport. The McAfee Center building is one of the newest buildings remaining on Fort Monmouth and is suitable for reuse as a research & development or technology facility.