Old Daycare Will Become Long Branch's New Municipal Court, And More

LONG BRANCH, NJ — At their Wednesday night meeting, the Council introduced an ordinance that transfers ownership of almost four acres of land and buildings near Monmouth Medical Center to the city of Long Branch.

This four-acre site is where Long Branch Mayor John Pallone plans to build the new municipal court, plus a brand-new "Long Branch Health and Communications Center" for residents who do not have a computer at home.

Not all are happy with this deal: Families At Long Branch's Ronald McDonald House Upset At City Takeover

Long Branch would be the first city or town in the state to have such a center. Pallone said the idea to open such a center occurred to him during the pandemic, when he realized so many Long Branch residents did not have access to a computer to work from home, or see a doctor remotely.

The land transfer is not finalized: This was only introduced as a first ordinance Wednesday night.

A second reading has not been heard and the City Council has not yet approved this land transfer. Once the property is transferred to the city, architectural design proposals will be executed and Long Branch will take over the property January 1.

Where the new Long Branch municipal court will be located:

The properties that will be taken over by the city are located on the corners of Third and Bath avenues. One of the buildings is Ronald McDonald House.

RWJBarnabas said Ronald McDonald House is mostly used for administrative offices. However, some families receiving medical care in the area — although not necessarily at Monmouth Medical Center — still do stay there. In the future, those families will either be relocated to an on-site family care area located inside Monmouth Medical Center, complete with sleeping and family rooms, bathrooms with showers, and kitchen and laundry facilities. Or they will be relocated to the New Brunswick Ronald McDonald House, located next to Robert Wood Johnson University and Saint Peter’s University hospitals. Read more: Families At Long Branch's Ronald McDonald House Upset At City Takeover

Long Branch will also be taking over the former Kindercare daycare building and the abandoned Auxiliary Hall that fronts on Bath Avenue, plus some vacant apartments.

The Kindercare building will become the new municipal court and the Ronald McDonald House will be turned into the new health/tech center.

Nothing will be torn down; the city will convert the existing buildings.

Long Branch creating a new health + tech center for residents who don't have computers:

Long Branch will ultimately relocate all its health services to the new campus, including its Health Department, vaccine clinics and rabies program. The Long Branch Library will also transfer some of its computer and social services programs to the Health and Technology Center.

Pallone said it was necessary to create a Health and Technology Center after the COVID pandemic, in case a pandemic occurs again in the future and that residents need a centralized city building for health and wellness.

"The plan is to provide expanded health and wellness programs for our residents such as physical fitness, healthy eating and cooking," said Pallone. "We will utilize the outside areas for recreational activities such as a walking path and gardening."

"The telecommunications portion addresses the digital divide in Long Branch highlighted by the pandemic," said Council President Rose Widdis. "Many residents lack access or training to use a computer, which is so important for virtual work and educational opportunities. This training center will bridge the digital divide for telehealth and telework purposes."

The plan is to install computers at the new Health and Technology Center so Long Branch residents who don't have a computer can get access to a computer.

Monmouth Medical Center is donating these four acres to city:

RWJBarnabas is donating these four acres to the city, said Pallone.

Long Branch is not paying to buy these four acres or the buildings on them.

(RWJBarnabas is the parent company that owns Monmouth Medical Center.)

Pallone also said the costs to renovate the buildings will not be borne by local property taxes. Instead, the money to renovate and complete the new municipal court will come from federal funds Long Branch was given in the American Rescue Plan.

To build the new Health and Technology Center, Long Branch state Senator Vin Gopal (D) secured $2 million and Congressman Frank Pallone (D) matched it with an additional $2 million from the federal government.

(Congressman Pallone and Long Branch Mayor John Pallone are brothers; they are both Democrats.)

"The city will not incur any costs for acquiring the land and buildings for our new campus," said Mayor Pallone. "Monmouth Medical Center has gifted the property for the projects. The city will actually save money from the rental costs it pays to maintain the municipal court at the Garfield Grant building on Broadway, which it does not own."