TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick has turned down an urban infrastructure grant that would have laid the foundation to turn the downtown village area into a bustling urbanized city.
The move comes just weeks after the mayor canceled a large apartment building complex after the developer failed to meet its contractual deadlines. That grant would have facilitated the construction of road infrastructure necessary for thousands of new apartments.
“We’re not interested in investing in the infrastructure for their urban development plan,” Rodrick said. We are not building a city downtown.”
Rodrick said thanks but no thanks, and canceled the plan enacted under former Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill.
The mayor has long criticized a plan that allows Downtown Toms River Redevelopment Plan that allows for buildings up to 12 stories tall and would have allowed for almost every open space and parking lot in the downtown village to be redeveloped as a high-density residential apartment or condominium complex.
Toms River’s redevelopment plan called for nearly 20 high density apartment buiildings to occupy nearly every open space in Downtown Toms River. The photos below are from the 2019 Redevelopment Plan approved by former Mayor Maurice Hill.
According to Rodrick, the federal grant was the first step in preparing to accommodate the influx of high-density development in the downtown area.
Rodrick has been publicly vocal against the redevelopment plan since its inception.
He indicated that he would begin working with the township council on a new vision for downtown Toms River that does not include high-density developments or 12-story apartment towers.
