Ocean county social services continues to be vacant taxpayer funded $63 million money pit

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A long-promised Ocean County Social Services complex remains unfinished nearly three years after its scheduled completion date, as the Ocean County Commissioners move to extend a shared services agreement allowing social services staff to continue operating out of aging temporary offices.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2021, marking the end of social services’ lease in their old facility.

Commissioners have not explained why the project is being delayed or why it is costing more than expected. The $47 million project has become a $56 million money pit. The county paid $7 million to buy the land from Jay Grunin, making it a $ 63 million project with faulty windows, leaky roofs, and no tenants.

Photo: ocean county social services continues to be vacant taxpayer funded $63 million money pit

According to a recent article in Brick Shorebeat, the aging existing complex cost taxpayers dearly: “The county currently pays $2 million to lease both the buildings and land, and spent more than $4 million in total to keep up the complex.”

The Board of Commissioners will vote today on a resolution extending the agreement with the Ocean County Board of Social Services to share facilities at 1027 Hooper Avenue through September 30, with the option to renew on a monthly basis. The extension comes amid ongoing delays and budget concerns surrounding the new facility — first announced with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 3, 2021 — that was originally slated for completion in fall 2022.

The three-story, 121,000-square-foot building was projected to cost $39.5 million and consolidate multiple departments currently spread across outdated buildings. The complex was promoted as a major step toward modernization and long-term cost savings. However, construction delays and escalating costs have kept staff in temporary quarters and slowed the planned demolition of old structures on the Hooper Avenue site.

Key Points

Ocean County Social Services building is over three years behind schedule and over budget
Commissioners will vote today to extend temporary occupancy agreement through September
Original completion date was fall 2022 with a $39.5 million budget

At the groundbreaking, officials emphasized the need to replace the deteriorating structures and estimated an annual $3 million savings by eliminating lease payments.

Now, the lease payments continue, and the building sits vacant for another year.

The building was designed to house more than 400 employees and serve as the central location for over 50 critical public programs, including SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, and homeless services.

“This building will serve as a centerpiece for the programs that help our residents who are going through difficult times,” said Commissioner Gary Quinn during the groundbreaking ceremony in 2021.

Four years later, the building sits vacant.

The project is being managed by Epic Management Inc., with design and site coordination handled by Mott MacDonald, French & Parrello Associates, and T&M Associates.

Today’s vote to extend the occupancy agreement is the latest in a string of delays that now leaves the future of the facility — and the timeline for moving in — unclear. Meanwhile, there has been no indication of additional funding to cover unanticipated construction costs or to address service gaps stemming from the delay.

The county has yet to provide a new completion date for the stalled complex.

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