Morris Township hopes to transform a vacant school property owned by the state into a long-sought community center for youth and senior programs.
Legislation allowing the sale of the 7.8-acre property on Jean Street awaits signature by Gov. Phil Murphy after clearing the Senate by unanimous vote on Monday. State Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, sponsored the bill. New Jersey law requires legislation for any land sales by the state in excess of $500,000.
The Assembly cleared the bill without opposition over the summer. The land and the 11,800-square-foot building is appraised at $580,000.
“I am confident that the governor will sign the bill,” Bucco said. “This is a win-win for the state, the township and the community.”
The former Regional Day School, run by the Department of Children and Families for students with severe disabilities, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state later designated the building, which includes classrooms and a cafeteria, as surplus property.
Mayor Mark Gyorfy said township officials have been working since the beginning of the year to acquire the property from the state and prevent it from going to public auction.
“This is a big deal,” Gyorfy said. “With this bill’s passage, Morris Township will save hundreds of thousands of dollars when purchasing the school that we can instead allocate toward renovations.”
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Once the acquisition is completed, township officials will begin working with federal, state and local partners to obtain funding for a full renovation of the existing building and grounds.
“Maintaining vacant state-owned property often ties up state resources and can be an eyesore for local communities,” Bucco said. “I am thankful for my colleagues in the Senate for passing this legislation, which is an important step towards helping Morris Township revitalize these neglected resources for its community.”
The state has owned the land since 1937 and the school was built sometime in the 1960s, according to Morris Township Administrator Tim Quinn.
William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com Twitter: @wwesthoven
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris Township will buy vacant school from state. Here’s why
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