The dome that shall no longer be a dome is not yet under construction, but behind the scenes, the bulk of the work to obtain permits and meet conditions of planning board approval have been underway, officials said.
For the last eight months, there has been no construction at the site following a decision made by the planning board to allow the developer to eliminate the “dome” portion of what was then to be called the “Brick Superdome” indoor sports complex. At the meeting, which occurred in August 2023, the board agreed to a request from the developer, Peter Tasca, for the removal of the dome, or “bubble” portion of the project the meet fire code compliance, officials said.
A rendering of the updated appearance of the sports complex proposed for the former Foodtown parcel, Brick, N.J., Aug. 2023. (Credit: Planning Document)
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The future site of a proposed sports dome in Brick Township, April 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Rumors of financial difficulties and new owners of the site have dominated rumors on some social media groups, but a review of Ocean County property records by Shorebeat shows no change in ownership, nor any interests in the property being removed or changed in any way.
In Sept. 2023, a lien was placed on one of the lots that make up the property by M&M At Route 70 LLC, the development company owned by developer Jack Morris, claiming that the sports dome owners were responsible for $353,242 in “aggregate development expenses” related to the site, and all had been paid except $46,781 – the recorded amount of the lien. The lien has never been discharged, however according to township officials, the small dispute between commercial neighbors was not stopping the site from being developed.
Joanne Bergin, the township administrator, said no construction had begun on the site since the project reached administrative code compliance only in late February, despite receiving board approval months earlier.
“They recently met the conditions of the resolution of approval of their revised site plan,” said Bergin. “They are [now] free to submit permits.”
The site – a former Foodtown and Bradley’s department store location that has been under township ownership for more than 20 years – is legally complex in terms of jurisdiction and permitting. It is within the state’s CAFRA (Coastal Areas Facilities Review Act) zone, requiring exhaustive environmental permitting, it abuts Forge Pond, part of the Metedeconk River that provides drinking water for Brick and surrounding communities, and the entire shopping center fronts Route 70, a state highway that also brings state Department of Transportation jurisdiction into the picture.
The future site of a proposed sports dome in Brick Township, April 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
The future site of a proposed sports dome in Brick Township, April 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
The engineering and materials behind the project also had to be re-started since the “bubble” or “dome” portion of the center was removed due to potential safety issues.
Most “bubbles,” like the long-standing “Bennett Bubble” on Hooper Avenue in Toms River and other privately-owned sports facilities across the state, exist as their own structures. The Brick Superdome bubble, however, was to be tacitly connected to traditionally-constructed buildings, which caused complications.
“In other places, a bubble standing alone acts as its own fire suppression system since if the bubble falls, the oxygen is pushed out, and that extinguishes the fire,” said Township Planner Tara Paxton at the time. “With this project, since there are buildings located so closely nearby, that could not work. You would have to put sprinklers in the bubble, which you just can’t do.”
The planning board ultimately voted unanimously to allow the construction of the complex to move forward with a plan to build the site consisting of a traditionally-constructed single building that will house all of its functions. Both the developers and township officials praised the new plan, saying it would improve the aesthetic look of the site in addition to bringing it within code compliance.
The future site of a proposed sports dome in Brick Township, April 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
The last land use activity on the property, according to county records, was a Jan. 2023 transfer from one limited liability company to another. On the same date, the property received $11,000,000 in financing from Lakeland Bank.
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