More Info. On The Avenel Street School 4/5 Project

AVENEL, NJ — Third Ward Councilman Cory Spillar gave Patch more details about the Avenel Street School 4/5 expansion that just started this week:

"What they are ultimately going to do is tear down the existing School 4 and build an entirely new School 4," he explained. "They are building a new addition at School 5. Then, they are going to build a new breezeway and connect the new School 4 to the new addition at 5."

It's a big project, one that will take two years to complete. Shovels just hit the ground this past Wednesday morning, in a groundbreaking ceremony attended by the Woodbridge school board, residents of the Avenel community, school superintendent Massimino and Mayor John McCormac.

The new School 4 will have a new gymnasium, a new cafeteria, media center, administrative offices and 10 new classrooms.

The entire project will be finished by September 2026, said Spillar. School 4/5 will remain open the entire time construction will be done, and kids will remain in classrooms.

"It's really amazing, when you consider no other town in New Jersey is doing new school construction these days," said Spillar. "No town is building new schools like Woodbridge is. And the cost to taxpayers is zero."

The renovations will cost the district approximately $32 million. Massimino and Mayor John McCormac said multiple times no additional money will be requested from taxpayers. The district already took out an $87.7 million bond for this, and other Woodbridge school projects.

Spillar, the Avenel/Port Reading councilman, himself went to the original School 4/5. The small, one-story elementary school building has not been updated in 100 years.

(Spillar is also the Avenel Fire Official.)

The new School 4/5 will also have a new interior courtyard and a new playground.

"What's great is all the kids in Woodbridge can benefit from this new school," Spillar said. "Kids from Colonia can use the new gym, kids district-wide can use the new auditorium. It's really a fantastic project."

On this topic:

Avenel Street School 4/5 Expansion Starts Wednesday (Aug. 2024)

Due To Inflation Costs, Woodbridge Not Building New Avenel Elementary (Sept. 2022)

Avenel Elementary/School 4/5 Renovations Approved By Woodbridge Voters (March 2023)