Edison BOE Plans To Buy $9M Property to Combat Overcrowding, Blocks 250-Unit Development

EDISON, NJ – The Edison Board of Education has approved a resolution to purchase 9.5 acres of land at 430 Talmadge Road for $9 million as part of their strategy to combat overcrowding in the district.

The Board plans to utilize the property for athletic fields or other educational purposes, according to the resolution. The acquisition also prevents the site from being developed into a 250-unit apartment complex, which school officials argued would have worsened existing overcrowding issues.

Superintendent Edward Aldarelli revealed that the Board has been eyeing this property for more than five years. He explained that the resolution's language was deliberately kept broad to maintain flexibility during negotiations and accommodate potential land-use or environmental restrictions.

"It can be utilized for a number of different things - from sports fields to bus depot to schools to anything that we kind of look forward in our long range facilities plan and approved by the Board of Education," Aldarelli said. "I think it will not only assist with our overcrowding issue, but the modernization as well."

In 2021, the Board commissioned architectural renderings for a potential school on the property that could accommodate approximately 750 students, demonstrating the site's educational potential.

Board President Jerry Shi emphasized the economic rationale behind the purchase, noting that acquiring the land made more financial sense than spending $10 million to build new school facilities to serve additional students who would have moved into the proposed residential development.

"There are not a lot of land in Edison that we can use, and do a lot of things down the road," Shi said. "So, there are a lot of good ideas from the board members. And we'll be reaching out to the community for what is the best use of that property."

The Board plans to engage with the community to determine the optimal use of the newly acquired property, ensuring that development aligns with both district needs and community input.

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