There has been talk recently that there maybe a commercial buyer interested in purchasing the controversial AVAYA site and redeveloping the property into something other than a high density housing project which would consist of 342 units.
In order to deflect residents anger away from the proposed housing project at AVAYA, members of the Township Committee have been floating rumors and innuendo to Lincroft citizens groups like SONIC and the Lincroft Village Green Association about a potential commercial buyer of the property, but they have been mum on details and wont elaborate.
Earlier today I was forwarded an email that I thought would be of interest to some in Lincroft. The email (posted below minus contact information, I can forward if interested) details a plan that would have the Monmouth Girls Academy purchasing the property and turning it into an all girls school similar to that of Christian Brothers Academy, which is also located in Lincroft:
Hi all,
You may have heard the facts by now but here is a summary for the proposed school:
- Yes - they ARE serious about this!! The feasibility study is being funded by local parents who seem quite determined to make this happen.
- The school would be accredited by the Middle States Association and Colleges.
- The school will be somewhere in Lincroft - they have already checked out the Avaya property.
- Tuition would be comparable to CBA - currently $13,000. Academics and curriculum would be comparable to CBA.
- Like CBA - the school would NOT be a part of the Diocese of Trenton.
- Target enrollment would be 500-600 girls.
- Target freshman class - Sept 2013 a bit aggressive but they are hopeful:)!
- They currently have a Steering Committee in place with various local Educators and professionals.
- They also have a Founders Committee in place to raise funds if the study has a positive outcome.
- Meitler Consultants hopes to complete the study by October 2011.
- This is the first Phase in the process.
Also - please forward to anyone you think would be interested. I did not use any group e-mail lists so as to not abuse the system.
On the surface, I don't think this is a viable plan. There is just too much involved to make this happen and at a cost that would easily exceed millions of dollars. First off the building is very large and sits on partial wetlands building an active campus for students would seem almost impossible at that site. But stranger things have happened.
We'll just have to see how it plays out.
17 comments:
Does the Monmouth Girls Academy even exist? Or is this someone thinking, "Hey, let's start our own high priced girl's school" for the sole purpose of keeping the Avaya housing proposal from happening? If it's the latter, it's a terribly transparent "Hail Mary" pass that makes the locals look ridiculous.
anon: 1:22. Not sure which locals you are referring to.
There has always been talk and a desire to build an all girls high school from the Diocese in Trenton.
Since there would be no tax revenue from this project, I doubt the Township would want it. I doubt the owner of Four Ponds would make the profit from selling although he might get a tax break.
The locals don't have any influence in such a project, you give them way too much credit. Although building this would be more positive than adding 16% more residences to Lincroft.
Your "Hail Mary" comment makes you look ridiculous.
This would be better than a high density housing project. I wouldn't believe anything from the township. Hey Hail Mary pass if you check the contact list two of the people are from Rumson so they don't happen to be from Lincroft. Plus why would locals want to divert attention this is something that that township would want to do and Four Ponds/Torcon so that their upsurd housing project can make them a buck. They built an office building made a ton of money now can't find a tenant so let's redevelop. They should eat there loss till they find a tenant. My house is losing me money can I knock it down and put up a gas station to fuel all these new cars.
The group looking to build this is very serious indeed. A couple of notes:
(1) Even though it will not be part of the Diocese, they do have the "endorsement" of the Bishop & Diocese. (CBA is not a diocan school either).
(2) They already have a religious order of women (sisters / nuns) who have said they would administer the school.
aNON
Would they have roasting pits on the campus for special events?
Roasting pits for what????
aNON,
I don't doubt their intentions, I just think the cost will be extremely prohibitive. It would cost tens of millions of dollars to purchase the site and renovate the building.
I don't think it would be cost effective and I don't think the Township would want to lose such a ratable. I am sure the school would be tax exempted and as such Middletown would lose a lot of tax dollars.
Let's hope for the sake of the Village of Lincroft that they pray for a miracle.
With the settlement from Bamm Hollow they're looking at over a 25% increase in residents.
Roads, sewers, elementary schools, emergency responders simply can not support that. It's crazy just thinking about it.
Why couldn't Bamm Hollow absorb some of the COAH requirements so that the Avaya site wouldn't have to be so dense?
They wanted to be included in the COAH plan 5 years ago and were denied. That was before they ended up going to court and threatened to build 1200 homes.
5 years later and millions in legal fees they got what they wanted in the first place.
I think the township got very poor legal advice.
Yes the township did get poor legal advice, but more importantly, they got the advice they WANTED to hear. That is the inevitable result of living in an echo chamber where any dissenting opinion is dismissed and marginalized.
Bamm Hollow was never going to build any COAH housing it doesn't even fit the COAH guidelines. AVAYA owners want it to be dense since that is how they make the most money.
anon 8:09 Well said. No one is watching the hen house.
In the past ten or so years,has there ever been any concern for the people of this township ? Anybody anywhere ?
Don't think so as the republicans in this township have been solely about politics for far too long and now we even have the influx of the carpetbaggers now serving on the TC,the BOE.the Planning Board and God knows where else on the many boards in this town
There are three primary concerns of this bunch,power,control and money and little else.
About time the residents woke up because they are expected to pay the tab and live with the consequences for this crap !
anon: 9:53 There are no COAH requirements. The TC stated that at the last public meeting. Bamm Hollow was denied their request because the Planning Board would not rezone the property. That lead to a Builder's Remedy law suit.
That's why the TC had to go to Avaya.
They boxed themselves into a corner.
anon 8:09 Well said. There are no checks and balances in this town.
It's all controlled by the Republicans whose agenda is money and control. It surely is not about doing what's right for the people.
anon 9:53 Bamm Hollow was never going to build the 1200 homes, but they did want to be included in the township's COAH plan.
There are no COAH requirements as to where a development should be built. COAH requires for every 7 homes built one should be affordable housing. The Planning Board under Judith Stanley denied BH the rezoning. I would like to know why.
In the end BH got what they wanted minus COAH. That costs us a lot of money in legal fees.
Judith Stanley only cared about her own agenda. If you didn't like her agenda ,her attitude was so what ,move ! Just another ruthless politician to whom ethics often times meant nothing. This town has plenty of them !!!
To be totally honest, anything is better than the horrendous company Avaya. They make some of the lowest quality IP Telephony products available, so as long as they're not in the area, I'm happy. I have to deal with their crappy products day in and day out, and what a nightmare they are. From their products to their service, that company needs something to happen to them where they are no longer in the IP Telephony business. At the very least, so I don't have to deal with them anymore.
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