TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Board of Commissioners are moving forward with plans to purchase a building owned by the Toms River School District for $15.4 million, saying the deal offers significant savings compared to new construction and will help meet the county’s long-term space needs.
A public hearing on the ordinance to allocate $20.5 million from the county’s Capital Improvement Fund – which includes the building acquisition and other potential real estate purchases on or near Hooper Avenue – is scheduled for April 16.
Ocean County Administrator Michael Fiure said the building located at 1144 Hooper Avenue contains approximately 94,000 square feet of usable office space. An additional 4,000 square feet of the building is dedicated to an entryway and atrium that can’t be used for office space. The purchase price converts to approximately $164 per square foot.
“That’s far less than the $350 per square foot we’d pay to build something new,” Fiure said. “That’s why we thought buying a building is better than building a new one.”
Toms River School officials have indicated they put the property up for sale to balance their budget, which has faced extensive shortfalls due to state aid reductions. Originally purchased in 1997 for $6.275 million, a district-commissioned appraisal placed the building’s current value at $16 million.
Commissioner Rob Arace speaks to Krista Whittaker, a South River resident who disagrees with the county’s proposed purchase. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
The three-story building, constructed in 1986, is currently shared by the school district’s administration, its Early Learning Center, and various external tenants. County officials intend to allow the district to remain until 2026, after which the entire building will be repurposed for county offices.
The purchase is part of a broader plan to address space limitations across county departments. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Offices are spread throughout the county and would operate more efficiently in one central location. A proposal previously under consideration for new construction could have cost taxpayers $130 million for new offices for the county law enforcement agency.
Fiure said county officials are also contemplating another use for the new office building purchase. It could be converted to a new Hall of Records facility to house the Board of Elections, County Clerk, and Tax Board.
“Our Board of Elections is in a flood-prone basement. The Tax Board doesn’t have a hearing room of its own, and the County Clerk is still in the oldest part of the courthouse,” Fiure said. “It would be cheaper to knock down the West Wing and rebuild it than it would be to renovate it.”
But not everyone agrees with the county’s intentions. Krista Whittaker, a South Toms River resident who previously ran for the Toms River Board of Education, criticized the purchase during a recent Commissioners meeting.
“I’m from Toms River and obviously the budget is a concern, especially for our schools,” she said. “But you (Ocean County Commissioners) also represent Jackson, who is on their second school closure, and Lakewood, who is potentially closing three schools this upcoming school year, and here you’re not bailing them out, but you’re bailing Toms River out with taxpayer dollars.”
Whittaker added that she didn’t want to pay additional county taxes – especially for a building she didn’t feel was needed.
Four of five commissioners were at the early April meeting with Virginia “Ginny” Haines on vacation. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Ocean County Commissioner Director Jack Kelly flatly denied that it was the board’s intention to bail out the Toms River School District. He added that Whittaker could have her opinion that the county did not need extra space.
Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione defended the plan, noting it was a far cry from a prior proposal to spend $130 million on a new complex for the sheriff’s office.
“It’s not bailing out,” Bacchione said. “The school property is on Hooper. It’s adjacent to our other buildings, and that’s the only reason.”
“Unfortunately, I wish we could bail out all the schools. Governor Murphy has put us in this position targeting Ocean County,” added Bacchione, a former Berkeley Board of Education member. “I would love to bail out every school we possibly could, but we just can’t afford that for the taxpayers.”
Commissioner Robert Arace emphasized the financial prudence of the purchase, noting the significantly reduced cost per square foot compared to new construction. He also addressed the long-term strategic benefits.
“We actually did move forward with this as a prudent way to save taxpayer dollars to continue serving in the highest quality,” Arace continued. “And that, by no means, was it to bail out any particular school district.”
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