County, state police lease fort properties

FEMA interim housing for storm victims stalls sale of golf course, banquet hall

BY NICOLE ANTONUCCI
Staff Writer

The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) has approved subleases for the county homeless shelter, the fort teen center and pool, the former provost marshal’s office and the Suneagles Golf Course.

Monmouth County will lease approximately 1.5 acres in the Oceanport reuse area of the Main Post to be used as the new location of the county homeless shelter. The county is also leasing the teen center and pool, and the New Jersey State Police will lease the marshal’s office.

The site of the new homeless shelter includes two former U.S. Army barracks, buildings 410 and 418, associated parking spaces and open space.

According to Bruce Steadman, executive director of FMERA, the homeless shelter was formerly located in buildings 417 and 421, but had to be relocated after superstorm Sandy.

“There was about 30 inches of water in the buildings, which caused electrical issues,” Steadman said, adding that the buildings will be torn down. “Rather than reinvest in buildings that are going to get torn down, we moved them to two other buildings and they will be there for a couple of years before we move them to a permanent home.”

FMERA will sublease the property to the county in as-is, where-is condition for a term of one year, with an option for a sixmonth extension.

Steadman said the property is suitable for lease, but there may be areas of mold and the buildings may contain lead-based paint, which the county will remediate if necessary. “The county has toured the buildings and is fully comfortable with them. If they have to do some work, they are prepared to do that,” Steadman said.

Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry, who is a member of the FMERA board, said the homeless shelter would house approximately 30 individuals.

“The county has been operating this shelter for a fair amount of years,” she said.

“Those who were displaced as a result of the flooding are being housed at [a temporary location] and will be returning when it’s available to them.”

Steadman estimated that the buildings would be ready for occupancy within 45 days. Monmouth County will also lease the teen center and swimming pool on an interim basis until environmental assessments are completed and transfer of the property to the county is finalized.

The facilities, which are located on a 6.5-acre parcel in the Tinton Falls sector of the fort’s Charles Wood area, are appraised at an estimated $2 million and will be conveyed to the county for in-kind services including $502,645 in infrastructure improvements to roadways and utilities at the former fort.

The former Fort Monmouth youth center is approximately 19,636 square feet and is fully equipped with an indoor basketball court with bleachers, commercial kitchen, lounge areas, computer rooms and more.

The outdoor swimming pool, which is located adjacent to the teen center, includes a large open area with a picnic area and gazebo.

The county will use the property as a public recreational facility to be managed by the Monmouth County Park System, with the pool operating on a seasonal basis while the teen center will be used yearround.

“The park system is very excited about the opportunities that this acquisition will offer to county residents,” Andrew Spears, superintendent of recreation for the Monmouth County Park System, said in a previous interview.

“We feel that it’s a great complement to the other facilities that the park system operates.”

FMERA members also approved an 18- month extension to the lease with the Army for Suneagles Golf Course and the associated banquet/restaurant facilities, formerly Gibbs Hall, and awarded a contract to Atlantic Golf Management to manage the property.

According to Steadman, the board extended the lease until the Megill Commons area of the golf course can be included. The former Army housing is currently being used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to house residents displaced by the superstorm.

Originally, the property was supposed to be offered for sale by Jan. 1, Steadman said, but the sale was delayed because of the storm.

“The value of the golf course is the 10 acres where the homes are,” Steadman said.

“Since the Army has to maximize the value of the property, they don’t want to sell the golf course and not sell the 10 acres that is within it.”

Prior to voting on the award of the contract, the resolution was amended after Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon raised concerns that the contract with the golf operator didn’t have a definitive deadline.

The resolution stated that the “operator would be engaged for a term of 18 months, which may be extended on a month-bymonth basis.”

Mahon said this would allow residents to stay at the interim housing for an indefinite period, rather than be moved to permanent locations.

“The wildcard with this transaction is that it is connected to FEMA using the housing on an interim basis, and that window is unknown at some point,” Mahon said.

Members of the board agreed and approved an amended resolution with a contract of up to 18 months and a maximum of six one-month extensions.

Finally, members of FMERA approved a lease for the former provost marshal’s office to the New Jersey State Police.

The property includes the former military police station and canine building, and associated parking areas on approximately 2.4 acres in the Oceanport area of the Main Post.

The NJSP currently occupies the property in connection with its patrols of Fort Monmouth and will sublease the property in as-is, where-is condition.

“I for one would like to extend our appreciation for having the New Jersey State Police onsite,” Chairman James Gorman said. “Their services are excellent and we value them very highly.”