BRICK – After years of lawsuits, design changes and other delays, construction has begun on a long-awaited sports complex on what is commonly referred to as “the former Foodtown site,” on Route 70 behind Aldi.
“I know there have been some questions on why it’s taking so long,” said Mayor Lisa Crate. “The township does not own that property…one of the things that held the [sports dome] up a little bit was the NJDEP who required CAFRA permits, they had to have the county engineer come out and do things to ensure road safety, but at this point, everything seems to be moving forward.”
CAFRA stands for Coastal Area Facility Review Act, and it governs development near bodies of water. It’s overseen by the State Department of Environmental Protection.
The only involvement the township has with the project is going out for the inspections and permits for everything that is being done, the mayor added.
In 2003, the township purchased the 11-acre parcel for $6.1 million to prevent the development of a home improvement warehouse store there.
In 2009, former Mayor Stephen Acropolis and the council signed a redevelopment agreement for a hotel and banquet hall to be built on the property.
A sports complex is taking shape on the Route 70 property that used to be a Foodtown. (Photo by Judy Smestad-Nunn)
Shortly afterwards, the redeveloper said they had been advised that a hotel was not economically feasible and proposed a new plan that included 192 condominiums and 19,000 feet of retail space with 72 apartments above the stores.
In 2014, Mayor John Ducey terminated the agreement because the governing body did not want housing on the site, which led to a lawsuit and halted the progress.
In 2017, a new agreement was reached whereby the property would be split in half and two separate entities, which paid $2.5 million each, would develop the properties.
The front of the property is Aldi, which opened in 2022 (additional retail is also planned), and the rear of the property will be a sports complex, Mayor Crate said.
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