In the 1980s, Dorothy Power served on the Middlesex County Board of Freeholders with the late David B. Crabiel and got to know him very well over the years.
“He had a huge interest in so many things that had to do with Middlesex County,” Power said. “Things like the people that made up this area, the environment. You name it and he had a keen interest in it.”
So when the time came to replace West Hall, which was built in 1941 as part of the Raritan Arsenal — the site of Middlesex County College — one name came to mind.
“He took such pride in the college and supported its growth and development. He was such an influential figure in the history of both the college and the county. As a friend and colleague, I am so proud that we are able to honor him and his contributions,” Power said. “It’s a real tribute to him.”
On Oct. 9, many who knew the longtime county freeholder and former Milltown mayor, who died on Dec. 1 at age 78, came to Middlesex County College for the groundbreaking for David B. Crabiel Hall. The new building, which is expected to be completed by January 2011, will be 36,000 square feet and will house 13 classrooms, four state-of-the-art computer labs, a culinary demonstration kitchen and a conference center. The building will be completed in accordance with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) “green” building rating system, which provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. In addition, rainwater will be collected for use in watering the landscaping.
Middlesex County Freeholder Ronald Rios, who served with Crabiel for a brief period of time, mentioned that Crabiel had “a passion for serving the people of Middlesex County.”
“Everybody was on board with naming the building after David Crabiel,” Rios said. “He provided opportunities for so many people, and I’m happy that this honor was bestowed upon him. The facility is going to be great, just like he was.”
Donald Drost Jr., executive director of facilities management at the college, said that Crabiel Hall will be similar in size to some of the other newer buildings that have been built during his 21 years with the college, and the first to be built since 2000.
“Crabiel Hall will be two stories,” Drost said. “This has been a while in the making, and to know that the construction phase of the project is going to start, people are really excited around here.”