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Woodbridge NJ Unveils Redevelopment Plan for Closed Catholic School

WOODBRIDGE – A Union County-based organization that provides day programs for adults with disabilities may become the new tenant of a former religious school now owned by the city.

Recently, the City Council filed an ordinance authorizing the lease of municipal property at 267 E. Smith St., known as the former school building of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, to Our House Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Murray Hill, which spans parts of Berkeley Heights and New Providence, to operate the program.

A public hearing and final vote on the ordinance are scheduled for the July 23 council meeting.

If approved, the program is expected to be operational at the Woodbridge location later this year. Our House already has a similar program at a recreation facility in Woodbridge in the Port Reading area.

The city is seeking to enter into a five-year lease for the property, with one five-year renewal option, after determining that leasing the property to Our House “will be of benefit to numerous residents of the Woodbridge community,” according to a public notice.

The plan calls for Our House to pay $1,500 per month, totaling $18,000 per year to rent the property.

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Our House’s mission is to “provide healthy, stimulating and inclusive environments for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through community housing, employment services, innovative day programs, social opportunities and related support services designed to help them reach their full potential and lead meaningful and productive lives,” according to its website.

Mayor John McCormac said Our House already rents space to host a year-round day program for adults with disabilities at the Cypress Recreation Center in the Port Reading neighborhood.

McCormac said clients are picked up and dropped off at the center, where they learn life and work skills, go to recreation sites for bowling, miniature golf and swimming, and go to work sites to find jobs.

“It’s a great facility and we’re so happy with it that we wanted to find another place where they could offer this to more families,” McCormac said, adding that the program has a waiting list of potential new clients.

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He explained that the congregation purchased everything on the Mount Carmel church site, except the church, from the Diocese of Metuchen many years ago. The property included a former school building that had been closed for many years, which the congregation renovated into a facility for Our House. A parsonage on the site that was in poor condition has been demolished, and a community building on the site has yet to be evaluated.

“Our focus was on opening Our House,” McCormac said. “We had the vision to do this many years ago.”

The mayor said there is a “good atmosphere” among the leaders of Ons Huis. He saw a good atmosphere when he visited the institutions with them and saw how they deal with their clients, which can be a challenge.

“When kids get too old to go to school, they need a place where they can continue to get that attention, otherwise they can regress. When you’re 21 and you’re used to being in a school environment and all of a sudden you’re not, you can regress and forget all the skills you’ve learned,” the mayor said, adding that the program gives parents and family members the opportunity to help their loved ones continue learning in a school-like environment.

McCormac said it has not yet been decided whether the city will host a third Our House program after seeing how successful the second location is.

“If they fill it within six months, we would certainly consider it, but if it takes longer or they don’t fill it, then we won’t do it,” McCormac said.

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Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. For unlimited access, subscribe or activate your digital account today.