Middletown Prepares To Buy 17 More Acres Around River Plaza Elementary

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — At their meeting Monday night, the Middletown Township Committee introduced an ordinance that will allow the Township to purchase 17 acres next to and behind River Plaza Elementary School.

It's actually two different pieces of property (together adding up to 17 acres) and the land abuts the Navesink River. The two pieces of property are owned by members of the Stavola family, the owners of a well-known Monmouth County construction business (which they actually just sold this summer for $1.2 billion in an all-cash deal).

Middletown plans to buy the two properties from the Stavolas for $2.1 million.

The deal has not gone through yet. The Township Committee first introduced the ordinance to make the purchase Monday, and there will be a public hearing on this scheduled for Oct. 21.

Middletown has been talking to the Stavolas about buying the two lots of land for about a year now, Mayor Tony Perry told Patch Thursday.

The purchase, should it go through, is not the first piece of land the Township purchased in the area: The Township also owns the Koleda property, which is four acres just north of River Plaza Elementary.

Why is Middletown buying all this land around River Plaza Elementary?

The plan is to one day possibly build a new walking path there, so kids and parents can safely walk to River Plaza, Perry said Thursday.

Middletown is exploring building such a walkway, but it is in the very early stages, said the mayor. Many River Plaza families have complained for years that the route they take to school along Hubbard Avenue is not safe.

"The whole idea is to give River Plaza school pedestrians and residents of River Plaza overall a safer route along Hubbard Avenue," said Perry.

The $2.1 million to buy the land will come out of Middletown's Open Space Trust Fund, which are Middletown tax dollars used to preserve open space. Middletown will then apply to the state to receive Green Acres funding, which Middletown hopes the state of NJ will reimburse the Township for 50 percent of the $2.1 million.

Should the purchase go through, all 17 of these acres will remain as wetlands, woods and permanent open space, said Perry. Because the purchase was made using the Township's Open Space Trust Fund tax dollars, it would actually be illegal for any development to be built there.

Since 1998, Middletown Twp. has acquired and preserved 275 acres of land with money from its Open Space Trust Fund.

Middletown is also currently in the process of buying land on Red Hill Road, West Nut Swamp Road and an additional 23 acres off Chapel Hill Road. Middletown can also use the trust fund money to enhance recreational facilities in town, such as resurfacing basketball courts across town and creating the new skate park at Kunkel Park. The money has also been used to preserve historic landmarks such as the Conover Beacon in Leonardo and the Murray Farmhouse and Barn at Poricy Park.

Here's the press release on this land purchase from Middletown Township.