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The New Jersey Training School for Boys on Spotswood Gravel Hill Road is expected to remain open and operational exclusively for Juvenile Justice Commission youth for at least four to five more years. Monroe officials have been steadily working with Senator Greenstein and Assemblymen DeAngelo and Benson, to ensure the entire property surrounding the facility is preserved as open space and/or farmland in perpetuity.
That effort has taken a huge step forward, as the state Department of Treasury – acting on behalf of the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission – has agreed to transfer 92 acres of land (on the East Side of Spotswood Englishtown Road), by the old Monroe Township police station, to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres program.
The state program, launched in 1961, has already protected more than 1.5 million acres of land in New Jersey from development, including parcels throughout Monroe.
Mayor Stephen Dalina expressed his appreciation to the 14th district state legislators – Sen. Linda Greenstein and Assembly members Dan Benson and Wayne DeAngelo – who worked with decision makers within the state Department of Environmental Protection to prioritize this project.
“Our ongoing effort to preserve this parcel has reached a pivotal moment with this key milestone from the state,” Mayor Dalina said. “We can now confirm the land will move to green acres and be protected for all time. Meanwhile, we can estimate the secure detention facility will remain operational for at least four to five more years, with the sole purpose of serving the approximately 90 juveniles through the state’s justice system.”
About five years ago, Monroe learned the state was planning to close the New Jersey Training School in the future and will design three smaller facilities in other towns, prompting township leaders to meet with state officials and repeatedly call for the 92 acres to become Green Acres. The bucolic 92 acres sit on the eastern side of Spotswood Englishtown Road, now comprising woods, farm fields and sits behind the former site of Monroe’s police headquarters. The township demolished the station last year, anticipating its designation for open space.
“Monroe is fortunate to have remaining parcels of undeveloped land, and we are systematically doing all we can to claim these acres as permanent natural spaces,” Mayor Dalina said. “This desirable, 92-acre parcel, not owned by the Township, could have been claimed by real estate developers, but we are pleased to have the Green Acres support to ensure it will be saved. This is a great moment in our efforts to preserve Monroe’s history as a farming community.”
“As we move to accomplish our goal of preserving 50% of our land, we need to move as fast as we can,” the mayor said. “There are many competing interests for available properties, including state court ordered affordable housing. We continue to work closely with Middlesex County and the state to ensure adequate open space preservation funds are directed to Monroe. This is another great example.”
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