BRICK, New Jersey.After a ceremonial groundbreaking at the location of the former Foodtown property last week, work on the long-awaited SportsDome in Brick Township has begun. The project officially began with an event attended by Councilwomen Melissa Travers and Heather deJong, as well as Mayor Lisa Crate.
The SportsDome was built with private funding and is intended to provide a variety of leisure facilities for locals of all ages. The township originally purchased the site on which the building is being constructed more than 22 years ago in order to stop the construction of a major home improvement store.
At the ceremony, Mayor Crate declared that this long-awaited project was finally getting underway. After the township decided to buy the land decades ago, a protracted process of redevelopment plans and discussions ensued.
In a redevelopment deal, a previous administration suggested a mix of residential and retail space. But in the end, the Township Council and the current administration changed that plan since they didn’t want housing on the property.
Rather, a new arrangement was made that divided the parcel into two pieces, one for retail development and the other for the SportsDome’s construction, and put the property back on the tax rolls.
In contrast to previous plans, Mayor Crate stressed that the finished complex will not have a residential component. In order to better reflect the township’s long-term goals for the property, the plan was modified to give priority to commercial and recreational uses.
After the Foodtown grocery closed, the property off Route 70 had been abandoned for years. Over several township administrations, there had been public discussion and changing ideas regarding its rehabilitation.
Although a precise launch date has not yet been disclosed, the SportsDome is anticipated to accommodate a range of indoor sports and leisure activities once it is finished.
The Township Council pointed out that, unlike residential housing, which might have put more strain on nearby schools and services, the SportsDome and the retail complex that surrounds it will bring in local tax money.
The facility, which township officials believe marks a long-term investment in the community’s recreational infrastructure, will be completed by crews over the course of the upcoming months.
