BARNEGAT – Local officials watched as an excavator’s claw took its first bite out of Barnegat’s old municipal building on June 12, signaling not just the start of demolition – but the end of a chapter in township history.
While the structure’s takedown is part of the second phase of Barnegat’s new municipal complex project, the brown-paneled building has a story of its own – one that predates Barnegat’s very name.
Long before it housed police officers, clerks, and township officials, the building began life in 1973 as a sales and information center for a housing development known as The Timbers. At the time, the township wasn’t even called Barnegat – it was still Union Township, a name that officially changed on January 1, 1977.
According to property records, the township acquired the land from DCA of New Jersey Inc. in May 1978 for $134,500. At the time, both the police department and government offices were headquartered at 700 West Bay Avenue – now the home of VFW Post 10092.
Former Mayor John Novak, who played a key role in pushing forward the new complex, said the building’s transition from real estate hub to municipal home likely happened by convenience more than design.
“The developer decided it would cost more to cart the sales office away than to just give it to the township,” said Novak. “So that’s exactly what they did.”
That tract, known as “The Timbers, Section Eleven,” had been previously transferred from the Mayer Corporation in 1975. Developer Henry D. Mayer had deep roots in building homes throughout Southern Ocean County and had joined forces with the Development Corporation of America in 1969. By early 1974, advertisements for The Timbers promoted homes starting at $24,990, financed at 7.41 percent, with visits directed to the very building that would eventually serve as town hall.
That patch of land became more than just an address. By June 1978, Barnegat celebrated its second-ever Founders Day in the field next to the newly donated structure.
New Building, New Chapter
After multiple delays, false starts, and contractor issues, Barnegat opened its brand-new municipal complex to the public on January 22, 2025. The long-awaited building was originally projected to open in mid-2022 but fell behind by nearly two-and-a-half years due to contractor disputes. The township was forced to take legal action against Frankoski Construction Company, which had secured the original $12.96 million contract.
By late 2023, project management shifted to Vertex, which stepped in to supervise completion while keeping Frankoski as the contractor – and holding them to their original bid. Township Administrator Martin Lisella said that despite a few necessary change orders, the cost stayed close to budget.
“If we had to rebid today, we’d be looking at $18 to $20 million,” Lisella said.
What Comes Next
The old town hall’s demolition is being handled by Winzinger Company, under the direction of the Command Company, the site contractor. Work is expected to take around three weeks.
“We had a bit of a delay after permits that involved shutting off the electricity,” said Lisella. “You’d think it was as easy as flipping a switch. It’s not.”
Once the building is cleared, the site will transform into a landscaped municipal hub centered around the new town hall. A redesigned parking lot will include landscaped islands, pedestrian walkways, and accessible parking. Plans also call for tree-lined paths, decorative stonework, and irrigation systems to maintain the greenery.
The 9/11 monument, which stood near the old structure, will remain in its current location as a solemn and permanent tribute.
As part of the next construction phase, underground stormwater systems will be installed using the reinforced concrete pipes already staged near the site. That will be followed by soil stabilization, sprinklers, curbs, sidewalks, and paving.
Deputy Mayor Al Bille praised the efforts of those who helped push the project to completion.
“We have to give a lot of credit to Donna Manno,” Bille said. “She was instrumental in moving this forward – along with Marty (Lisella) and John Novak.”
Novak also confirmed that plans are in place to update the Recreation Center’s exterior to match the new building’s modern aesthetic to preserve continuity in design.
Saving Pieces Of The Past
Before the wrecking crews began, Manno took time to preserve a few mementos from inside the building, including signage and historic photographs. However, Novak remembered one more item he wanted to rescue: a large map of Barnegat Township that hung in the old courtroom and meeting room.
That map, Novak recalled, played a unique role in a moment of community unity during a massive fire in 2007.
“Mayor Al (Cirulli) was in charge back then,” Novak said. “The fire was raging and winds were fierce. All the town’s pastors and priests came together for a prayer meeting on a Sunday afternoon. We laid hands on that map and consecrated Barnegat as God’s town.”
As he tells it, the winds shifted later that night, rain came, and the fire was pushed back over already scorched ground.
“I truly believe that prayer saved Barnegat,” Novak said.
Now, as dust rises and the last walls of the old municipal building come down, Barnegat turns the page to a new era – rooted in history but built for the future.
