After nearly a decade of vacancy and six years after the Township’s previous Mayor and Council purchased it, the former Foodtown store in Brick Township is coming down.

Earlier this week, the redevelopment firm that is in negotiations with the Township began the demolition process of the vacant building.  Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis anticipates the building to be down within the next few weeks.

“This has been a long time coming, but I am proud to announce that the Foodtown building is in its final days.  Crews are in the building preparing it for its demolition,” says Mayor Acropolis.  “We have worked with the redeveloper to expedite the demolition process so that the site can be prepared for its next life.”

The Township purchased the site in 2003 for approximately $6.2 million to stop the construction of a home warehouse store.  Since then, the building has been dormant and has become severely dilapidated.  Upon taking office in November 2007, Mayor Acropolis made selling the property for redevelopment a top priority.

“In four years, nothing was done on the site and no plan for its future was developed by the previous administration.  The property is too valuable to our ratable base for it to sit there and generate absolutely nothing for the taxpayers who paid for the site,” said Mayor Acropolis.

Mayor Acropolis and the Township Council worked with the redeveloper to get the demolition process started.

“The Township was prepared to take down the building and charge those costs to the redeveloper,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “Thankfully, they are being good partners and agree that the building needs to come down before someone gets hurt.  They are going to handle the demolition at no cost to our taxpayers.”

“The building is an obstacle to progress that has to be removed,” said Council President Joseph Sangiovanni.  “We are thrilled that taxpayers will no longer have to look at the building as a reminder of the inaction that has plagued the site for too long.”

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