Mo Hill allies could revive halted downtown tower project in Toms River GOP primary fight
TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A June 10 Republican primary in Toms River is shaping up as a referendum on a stalled downtown redevelopment project, with council candidates aligned with former Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill campaigning to bring back a controversial 10-story apartment plan halted last year.
Councilmen James Quinlisk and David Ciccozzi (who championed the initial 10-story downtown towers) joined by running mates Robert Bianchini and Clinton Bradley, have launched a campaign apparently promoting a pro-development agenda that echoes Hill’s administration.
Their slate could shift control of the council, potentially reviving the twin tower project proposed by Capodagli Property Company, a project in which 70% of residents rejected.
But why? Who was to benefit from the project? Certainly not the residents of the township, or the Toms River School Board, which would have lost out on much needed revenue amid Phil Murphy’s extensive cuts to school funding.
The project came with a PILOT program, payment in lieu of taxes, that would have brought more students into the district, without paying taxes to educate them.
The proposed development, which included 285 apartments, retail space, a riverfront boardwalk, and an amphitheater, was scrapped in 2024 by current Mayor Daniel Rodrick, who campaigned against it.
The township later cited missed financing and environmental review deadlines in its decision to cancel the agreement, triggering a lawsuit from Capodagli.
Rodrick’s Republican allies—Council President Justin Lamb, Councilman William Byrne, and candidates Anthony Matarazzo and Harry Aber—are campaigning to maintain the current development freeze. They argue the project was out of scale and relied on a 30-year tax break that excluded local schools.
“The proposal was a giveaway to developers that would have burdened taxpayers and the school system,” Rodrick said during a recent council meeting.
Hill team courts support amid legal battle
The Hill-backed slate made a coordinated appearance two weeks ago signals that the project still has life.
The developer’s lawsuit against the township continues in Superior Court, with Capodagli seeking judicial enforcement of the original redevelopment agreement. Legal filings show the company is requesting discovery involving township communications, including those with media outlets.
The company just can’t come to terms with reality. The only people who championed the project were former Mayor Mo Hill, his political team, wealthy downtown developers, and Capodaglia.
Rodrick’s administration maintains that the township acted within its rights in ending the project due to contractual breaches. A township-commissioned poll previously found nearly 70% of participating residents opposed the development.
Control of council may decide project’s fate
If the Hill team prevails in the June primary, they could tilt the balance of the council in favor of reengaging with Capodagli, potentially allowing the twin tower project to move forward despite the current litigation.
Phil Brilliant, a former Hill appointee to the Toms River MUA Commission and vocal critic of Rodrick, has also backed the Hill-aligned candidates. Brilliant could lose his commission seat if Rodrick-aligned candidates maintain control of the council.
Voters will ultimately determine whether Toms River’s downtown becomes a site of vertical growth or continues with a low-rise, preservation-focused trajectory. The outcome of the primary will have long-term implications for development policy in Ocean County’s largest municipality.