Politics & Government

Group Promoting Foodtown Site Redevelopment Plan to Host Meeting

Group has proposed mixed-use development of the site

Friends of Forge Pond, the grassroots group that is trying to put forth a plan to redevelop the former Route 70 Foodtown site, announced this week that it would host a meeting at the Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library next month.

The future of the former Foodtown site is currently in limbo as the township's redevelopment plan calls for a full-service hotel to be built there, but the chosen redeveloper says such a business is not viable and has proposed 192 condominiums and 75 rental units, plus retail space.

Since the redeveloper, M&M Realty Partners, made the proposal last year, the township council has not acted to change the redevelopment agreement or cut ties with M&M. The site has been used as a state Department of Environmental Protection debris management site since Superstorm Sandy struck.

"Winter may be on our minds, but Friends of Forge Pond will provide a concise presentation of 'Smart Growth Initiatives,' with a focus on the former Foodtown Site in Brick Township," the group announced this week.

The presentation will be made March 19 at the Brick library branch, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Last week, John Zingis, one of the founders of Friends of Forge Pond, told Patch that he has not heard back from township officials on the plan proposed by his group for a mixed-use development including a smaller hotel and a community center, and overall redevelopment of the site seems "dead in the water."

Business Administrator Scott Pezarras said recent that the Friends proposal has not been reviewed by either the township council or the township's administration, though they will be "having discussions on that in the near future."


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