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Preserving the Legacy of 2000-2003
Plans for our new Town Hall |
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Front Elevation as proposed by the architect. This will be the
ceremonial entrance.
(Slide your mouse over this picture for the side elevation. That is the view from the parking lot (west side) and
would be the normal business entrance.) |
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In 2000, the Township Committee negotiated the purchase the former GPU (JCP&L) Training
Center in Gillette for use as a Municipal Complex. The building was emptied
by GPU when they moved their Training Center to Allentown. We closed on the property in July, 2000.
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View to the Southeast. Valley Road is in
the foreground. Mouseover for a larger image. |
The property is on the south side of Valley Road, and consists of 14 acres and
a building which is 4 times the size of the existing Town Hall (see the bottom of this page).
The site is immediately west of the new Riverside Recreation Park.
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This drawing is oriented with south at the top.
Valley Road runs across the bottom. |
On August 22, 2001 , the architects, RBA Group,
presented an updated proposal for the renovations to the Township Committee and the public.
The drawings at the right and at the top of this page are from that presentation.
Highlights of the proposal include:
- Square off the front of the building to improve the interior space utilization
- Add a brick veneer, two porticos with columns and historic lighting fixtures,
cupolas and additional architectural details to convert the building's appearance
to "Federal" style
- A Township Committee Chamber/Courtroom with 150 seats
- Two additional conference rooms
- A thoughtful layout of public corridors
- Separate public transaction counters for the Town Clerk, the Tax Collector, the Construction Department
and the Court Administrator
- Reasonable office space for every township employee, and adequate records storage space
- Separate offices for the Municipal Judge, the Prosecutor and Public Defender,
reasonably located with respect to the Courtroom
- An office for the Historical Society
- An employee lunchroom
- And - at the rear - a large atrium. This room will serve as an informal community gathering center and
as a display gallery for the town's historical pictures, maps and artifacts. If a new Library is built
behind Town Hall, then the atrium would serve as the connecting space between the two buildings.
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This drawing is oriented with south at the top.
Valley Road runs across the bottom. |
On August 22, 2001 , the landscape architects, T&M Associates,
presented their revised proposal for the exterior site plan and landscaping to the Township Committee and the public.
This plan shows the new Library, for the first time. The drawing at the left is from that presentation.
Highlights of the proposal include:
- Relocate the existing driveway to line up with the Morristown Road intersection, where a
traffic light will be installed.
- About 200 parking spaces to support the Town Hall, the Library and users of Riverside Park.
- A driveway connection to the First Aid Squad property to the west, so they can use the traffic light entrance
on Valley Road.
- A network of paths will connect the parking lots to Riverside Park.
- To see how the entire complex will fit together, see the combined site plan on the
Riverside Park page.
The full size drawings from both presentations are on the bulletin board at Town Hall and residents are
encouraged to inspect them.
There's still a lot to do. The Township Committee and the Planning Board must review and
approve these proposals, arrange financing and have detail plans prepared.
Because of the proximity to the river, and the existence of wetlands and endangered species,
the site plans have been reviewed by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the
Morris County Soil Conservation District.
Then the work must be put out to bid, and finally construction will begin.
Of course, the furniture and records at the old Town Hall must be packed and moved.
The goal is to move in the Spring of 2002.
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| Mouseover for a larger image. |
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The existing Town Hall in Millington was built about 1850 as a schoolhouse,
and is on the Register of Historic Places. It has been continuously occupied by the Township
government since 1871. Residents interested in preserving the heritage
are invited to discuss potential future uses for the building with any member of the
Township Committee or the Historic Preservation
Advisory Committee.
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