Sale Of Vacant School In Morris Township Authorized By NJ Senate

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ — A community center will soon be a reality in Morris Township.

The New Jersey Senate enacted legislation this week, backed by Anthony M. Bucco, authorizing the Department of Treasury to sell state-owned property to Morris Township, where the property is located.

The 7.8 acres of the former Department of Children and Families Regional School located at the end of Jean St. will be converted into a long-awaited community center.

“Morris Township is taking a major step towards building a community center for residents of all ages to enjoy for decades,” said Mayor Mark Gyorfy. “I am grateful for the strong partnership we have with Senator Bucco and for his tireless efforts to pass this legislation. With this bill’s passage, Morris Township will save hundreds of thousands of dollars when purchasing the old Jean St. school from the state."

The school for disabled children, which has been vacant since the pandemic, is located at the end of Jean St., near the township's soccer grounds and Frelinghuysen Middle School. The value of the property was appraised at $580,000.

According to the town, for years, Morris Township residents have been advocating for a dedicated facility to house recreational and extracurricular programming for the community’s children, families and seniors.

Officials said that they have been working since the beginning of the year with the township committee to acquire the Jean St. property through direct sale from the state, preventing it from going to auction on the public market.

With the completion of this acquisition, the township will begin collaborating with federal, state, and local partners to acquire funds for a thorough renovation of the existing building and grounds.

According to the mayor, the secluded location of the building provides plenty of space for residents to enjoy the future facility and offers ample parking.

Gyorfy indicated that the township committee will introduce a bond law to fund the purchase, which is expected to take place in the following months. He stated that the governing body would continue to engage with federal and state partners to explore funding sources that will allow the township to begin rebuilding this former schoolhouse in the future.

"Through hard work and our strong partnership with local officials, we were able to save Morris Township hundreds of thousands of dollars on the purchase of this land. 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,” Bucco said.