TOMS RIVER, NJ – For years. Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill has publicly dodged the question about whether or not the twin tower apartment complex to be built downtown is indeed a ten-story building. In the past, Hill had tried to say it was only six stories of apartments plus two parking levels. Hill and his political allies routinely criticized Shore News Network for ’embellishing’ the height of the building, but this week on Shore Time with Vin and Dave on 105.7 The Hawk, we heard Hill finally confess.
“Yes. It’s a 10-story building,” Hill said. “I was concerned about that. I’ll be quite frank, and then I went online and did a Google Earth shot of Asbury Park, Red Bank, and Belmar. Belmar has a 10-story marina tower that sits across from their downtown marine. Asbury Park has a 14-story building right across from the convention center and the Berkeley Carteret Hotel, which is eight stories. In Red Bank, right next to the Molly Pitcher, you have two twelve-story apartment complexes.”
Hill said in order for Toms River’s downtown redevelopment project to work; he must go higher.
“To do downtown redevelopment, you need people living down there, to support the businesses,” Hill said. “And I see, though it’s ten stories, the DEP said they would like us to go up. They designed it, and it went to 10 stories.”
The mayor then circled back to his prior talking points.
“It’s not all apartments. You have six stories of apartments,” Hill said. “Some it’s parking, some of its retail. It looks like it’s a nice project on paper.”
Hill said the first phase of the larger redevelopment project would be coming before the Toms River planning board in the near future. Hill says the entire project will be three phases. He’s hoping the post office downtown will exit the area to make way for more hi-rise apartment complexes or townhouses. Hill said there are two other locations being eyed for future higher-density development downtown.
“We have a couple of loose ends we have to tie up,” Hill said. “I’m optimistic that it’s going to work out. We’ve been talking about it for 40 years, so let’s do it.”