Toms river residents say downtown needs a lift, but not 10-story apartment towers

Toms River residents say Downtown needs a lift, but not 10-story apartment towers

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1 min read
April 18, 2023

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Most Toms River residents believe the downtown village area needs a facelift, but few believe 10-story apartment towers are the solution.

A recent online poll conducted by Shore News Network reveals that residents of Toms River favor the redevelopment of the downtown village district. However, they are opposed to the construction of two massive 10-story apartment buildings. The poll indicates that the majority of residents would prefer to see more restaurants, bars, and other commercial activities to promote tourism and attract visitors to the area.

The current Toms River mayor supports bulk construction and high-density housing to increase the number of residents in the area, hoping that businesses will follow. His opponent in the upcoming June primary election, Councilman Daniel Rodrick, believes in a more scaled-down vision that focuses on businesses and attractions to draw visitors to the downtown area.

Rodrick is against the construction of high-rise buildings and high-density apartments as they may cause traffic congestion and deter outside visitors from spending a night in the area.

The online poll shows that only 23% of respondents want the village to remain untouched, while 15.7% favor the current administration’s plan to build bigger and higher in the downtown area. On the other hand, 61% support a redevelopment plan that prioritizes businesses and attractions rather than massive apartment buildings.

The mayor recently declared that “going vertical” was an inevitable side-effect of his plan to redevelop the downtown area.

However, Rodrick believes the waterfront could be the centerpiece of a bustling restaurant scene with shops and other attractions to draw visitors from the region.

He is also concerned that building high-rise apartments will cause traffic congestion and deter outside visitors from spending a night in the area. Rodrick also raised concerns over a PILOT program for a planned 10-story twin tower project that will deprive the Toms River School District of much-needed tax revenue in the future.

This article corrects a previous version that had incorrect figures.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

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