TOMS RIVER – An addition to the OceanFirst bank on Hooper Avenue might be one of the tallest buildings in Toms River once complete.
The existing bank building will remain. It will be joined by an addition that will be seven stories tall, reaching 98 feet, according to planner David Roberts. However, he noted that the seventh floor will be for mechanical operations, not office space. The total square footage would be 79,405. It will include a cafeteria and gymnasium for employees.
Jill Hewitt, director of investor relations and corporate communications for OceanFirst, said that the timeline for construction of the building has not yet been set.
OceanFirst has been at that location since 1996. “The company’s grown quite a bit since then,” she said. They need physical space to keep up with the company’s growth.
The company purchased an office building in Red Bank a few years ago. This building will continue to be used, as well as the building currently at the Toms River location, Hewitt said.
This building might be one of the largest buildings in town. Community Medical Center might also be close to that height. In 2017, there was rezoning to allow 20 percent of buildings in a certain section of downtown Toms River to be up to seven stories, and 10 percent of them to be up to ten stories high. Zoning regulations were also amended last year to allow office buildings in certain areas of Hooper Avenue to reach a maximum height of 98 feet and seven stories, Roberts said.
