In a preview of the draft redevelopment concept plan for the 1,100 acre Fort Monmouth Army base, an Associated Press report states that high-tech research would continue to be an integral part of the base when it transitions to private development, with an anticipated $1 billion private investment in new housing, retail and recreational opportunities. The plan was presented to reporters at a meeting on March 18. It is scheduled to be unveiled at a public meeting at Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls on Wednesday, March 19.
According to the AP report:
As expected, the plan combines different uses. In general, heavy commercial uses would be closest to the Garden State Parkway, at the western edge of the fort. A combination of retail and housing is envisioned by the fort’s arched brick gates along bustling Route 35. A small hotel and spa is proposed at the eastern edge along the Shrewsbury River.
In between would be nearly 1,500 homes and apartments, with 25 percent of them set aside for low- and moderate-income residents, along with shopping and dining centers, offices and labs. All would be connected by about six miles of bike paths and walkways allowing for car-free commuting and living.
The fort’s 18-hole golf course would remain, but under a private developer who could build a 150-room hotel and conference center, according to the preliminary plan.
A public comment period will follow this presentation, with the draft plan to be finalized by June. Following the comment period, it will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in September. Following plan approval, the Army will market the plan to developers, according to the AP report.
While implementation is years away as the base is phased out and the plan percolates though multiple layers of local, regional, state and federal agency review, it will be interesting to see how the final product, years from now, compares to the plan presented on Wednesday.
For the full article, click here.
For the Asbury Park Press article entitled “Fort Could Go Green,” click here.
