Middlesex County unveils designs to transform its college into regional destination

EDISON – With the final architectural designs now completed, Middlesex County is gearing up for groundbreakings this fall for three structures on the Middlesex College campus that are part of the county's Community, Innovation, and Opportunity Strategic Investment (CIO) Plan.

The plan, first announced in November 2022, is aimed at making the Middlesex College campus off Woodbridge Avenue in Edison a regional destination for academics, athletics and cultural arts.

On Tuesday during a news conference on Middlesex College's North Lawn, Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios announced designs have been completed for the Multipurpose Community Venue, the Student Center and the new Middlesex County Magnet School, all part of the CIO's first phase. Future projects include a workplace development and conference center, new community park and athletic complex.

"This is a major milestone," Rios said. "Now that the designs are in place this means we will be going out to bid for construction. We anticipate a groundbreaking this year to start building our collective vision."

Rios said the Multipurpose Community Venue will have space for baseball, soccer, lacrosse, concerts, festivals and will house 3,500 seats for baseball and soccer. He said the venue will be built to Big Ten, NCAA and Minor League Baseball certifications and FIFA certifications for soccer. The venue, which will be built along the Woodbridge Avenue side of the campus, will have eight boxes, food and beverages.

The new two-story, state-of-the-art 30,000-square-foot Student Center will feature a meeting and study spaces, a game room, and a restaurant, Rios said, adding the school's culinary arts program will expand with two new labs in the facility, which will double the capacity of the program.

Previously county officials have said amenities at the student center will include a sports bar with indoor and outdoor seating.

The new 78,550-square-foot Middlesex County Magnet School will offer new majors and educational opportunities for students.

Jorge Diaz, Middlesex County Magnet School superintendent, said the high school is expected to initially serve about 200 students and will have the ability to expand, and will offer five new academic pathways including sustainable energy technology; sustainable construction and environmental technology; global logistics, robotics and drone technology; information communication and cyber security technology; and biotechnology and plant science.

"Our students will have the opportunity to explore these cutting-edge industries in a state-of-the-art facility located in an atmosphere that embraces the future and encourages them to fulfill their potential," Diaz said.

Middlesex College President Mark McCormick said he's looking forward to the construction of the projects.

"Working closely with Middlesex County and the construction team, college administration will seek to minimize disruption to day-to-day campus operations and is committed to regular communication with the college community regarding this construction phase," he said.

The magnet school was designed by SSP Architects in Somerville while both the community venue and the student center were designed by AECOM Architects, based in New York and New Jersey.

Rios said the county is able to make the investment in part due to 23 consecutive years of a AAA bond rating, in addition to critical state and federal funding.

"For our residents this means that no debt will be incurred or borrowed to bring this vision to life," Rios said.

With the announcement of the designs for the CIO Plan, the county is now poised to go out to bid for the three facilities: the Multipurpose Community Venue; the Student Center; the new Middlesex County Magnet School; and the Destination Athletic Complex. A breakdown of the budget is not available, to avoid predisposing bid submissions. However, the estimated budget for Phase One of the CIO Plan is approximately $350 million, according to a Middlesex County official.

Last year Middlesex County officials said the $70 million multipurpose "field of dreams" on the Edison campus would be used for some Rutgers baseball team home games and financed with county, state and federal funds and completed in 2026. Last fall the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners increased bonding for the CIO project to $200 million.

Rios said the plan isn't merely an aspiration or a hope, it's a reality and it will be a game-changer in the county's economy, and quality of life, including improving the lives of students, faculty and staff that work and attend the college.

John Pulomena, Middlesex County administrator, said the county is extremely excited about what's to come to the campus.

"We know that these transformations will have positive impacts and change the course of Middlesex County forever," Pulomena said.

But not everyone shares those sentiments. Nearby the news conference two people stood with signs protesting the project.

Metuchen resident Elisabeth Oliu said she recently retired from the college after more than 30 years, where she worked as a reference librarian, said she's disturbed by the secrecy involving the CIO. She said no one on campus knew about it when the announcement was made in November 2022.

"So many trees are going to be destroyed. The traffic is already a nightmare, so this is going to increase traffic. They are putting in a 1,000-space parking lot here and 1,500-spot parking lot in Thomas Edison Park. There is no feasibility study for any of this. There is flooding already on campus and having impermeable surfaces is going to make the flooding even worse," said Oliu.

More: 'Too many unanswered questions' in Middlesex college expansion plan: environmentalist

She said the $200 million bond could have been used to test permeable surfaces, green roofs, and solar panels on campus to help mitigate climate change.

"I feel sorry for the poor neighbors; they probably have no idea what's coming," she said, adding the people who use the park have not been able to use it for a year. "It's profit making at its worse in a nonprofit college."

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Middlesex NJ unveils designs to transform college into regional hub