For the people that don't click links Jets show off Florham Park plan Site to include 120,000-square-foot facility, 4 other football fields BY NAVID IQBAL DAILY RECORD Story Chat Post Comment Read Comments FLORHAM PARK -- The public got their first look at the headquarters and practice facility that the New York Jets plan to build at the former Exxon site. Shovels may begin digging as soon as February, officials from Florham Park and the professional football team said at Tuesday night's borough council meeting. The Jets want to build a 120,000-square-foot facility on a total of 26 acres. An indoor, regulation-sized football field will be enclosed in a 95-foot-tall structure -- enough breathing room for punters to get air, said Matthew Higgins, a senior vice president for the team. Adjacent to the facility will be four outdoor regulation-sized football fields, three grass and one with artificial turf. The hour-long presentation was attended by representatives from the NFL franchise and the heads of the Gale Co. and the Rock-Florham Development Co., who want to develop other parts of the site. Located off Park Avenue, the site used to be a research facility and headquarters of the Exxon Mobil Corp. While a small crowd of curious members of the public sat in for the hearing, a larger crowd is expected at a Sept. 12 planning board meeting where all the parties who are seeking to develop the 400-plus-acre Exxon site -- including K. Hovnanian who wants to build age-restricted housing -- will present an official "concept review" of their plans. That meeting is set to take place at the Ridgedale Middle School auditorium. A concept review before a far-reaching ordinance related to the site can be enacted to allow the construction of the facility, hotel, offices, age-restricted housing and open space. The sale of the property to the developers won't be finalized until the ordinance is adopted. A draft ordinance was introduced in March but was revised to the point where a new one was needed. Officials discussed tweaking it further Tuesday night. Councilman Fred Boy proposed the possibility of hastening the acquisition of open space at the Exxon site, which Florham Park could use to build their own recreational facilities. But actually building such recreational space may have to wait until the site is given the green light by local and state officials. 'Dire need' "We are in dire need of recreational facilities," Boy said. "For 10 years, people have been talking about the Exxon property for recreational facilities. Now it looks like we're going to wait for another year before we have anything." The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority plans to purchase the Jets' 26-acre tract for $20 million. The NJSEA agreed to buy space for the Jets' new headquarters when the team agreed to share a new football stadium at the Meadowlands with the New York Giants. Higgins said that development of the new stadium is proceeding on track. The new Jets' headquarters was designed by David Childs, the architect of the Freedom Tower. Higgins said Childs had a "vision" that accommodated the football team's need to make everything within the facility conducive to helping the team win games. "This is our home," Higgins added. "We want the building to be representative of who the Jets are and representative of this historic site. We think it's going give Florham Park a site they'll be proud of." Mayor Frank D. Tinari agreed. "It's going to be a beautiful design that the borough will be proud to host," he said
I have to say NJ has alot of land that could use some redeveloping. Besides all the old refinery's and abadoned yards, there's just a ton of swampland.
Slagan7. NJ has "swampland," but not to the degree you assign. It may interest you to know that NJ has a fascinating array of topography that ranges from mountain ranges (the Appalachians) to swampland (the Meadowlands) to cliffs along the Hudson (Englewood cliffs) to pine forests (The Pine Barrens) and to some of the most spectacular beaches and bay areas in the country (Long Beach Island, etc.). NJ beaches, for example, have been rated (in 2005) in the "top 20" beaches in the entire country, including Hawaii and Californication, for cleanliness, quality of sand and swimming conditions! Guys from Long Island who go on an occasional jaunt to Jets games in the Meadowlands and observe the surroundings naturally get an impression of NJ that is myopic. You pass through NJ via Staten Island; an overcrowded, overpopulated nightmare of NYC commuters (if you ask me), to the Goethals Bridge, where you enter New Jersey past the Bayway refineries and onto the NJ Turnpike, viewing Elizabeth Port and downtown Newark on your left. You enter what used to be the Secaucus area that used to stink to high heaven until they got rid of the slaughterhouses. In short, the only part of Jersey you ever get to see is the worst part. It would be like judging NY state by the litter I see along the Belt Parkway or visiting Brooklyn and declaring that indicative of all of NY state. The Jets are going to have a class act up here in Florham Park. It's a nice, wooded area and there are still unspoiled, original parcels nearby. Exxon used the property for corporate offices, not refinery locations. The Jets are going to have a very nice showplace out here in NJ, and believe me, it is far enough away from the "swamplands" that we don't need to be bothered with the ragweed pollen and the roar of the 18-wheelers in the background. We'll leave that for the Giants' offices and training facilities, poor, stupid bastards that they are.
Then what is atlantic city built on? What's nearly the whole eastern coast of New jersey? Swamp. Your right though, I am from Long Island, But I've done a ton of work in NJ. You can tell me all you want about NJ, but I've been there. I know what it is. Just like every where, you have your nice spots, and you have your crap spots. I'm just saying that to use a great deal of land such as they are proposing, is generally of something that needs to be redeveloped, or in case of NJ, swamp land that has yet to be developed. If your going to argue that NJ isn't developed, well then your silly. BTW, Florida has nice beaches too, and is a swamp land.
The Jets have played in New Jersey since 1984. All you LIers need to get over it already. I don't hear Giant fans bitching because the team practices in Albany and plays in NJ.
It's funny, everyone in this post telling NYers to "get over" the fact that the team will soon be entirely based in NJ, is from NJ themselves.
Funny my 1st house bought in 69 is still standing & with people living in it & is located on the Jersey Coast.
I am going to miss Hofstra. For me it was part of my youth, riding my bike to see the NYJ. I can still recall getting Joe Namath's autograph and taking pictures. In those days you could get alot closer to the players as they came and went to practice field. In between the morning and afternoon session we could sneak into the Hofstra Union as the players ate their lunch! The area around Hofstra has changed over the years, so I kinda understand why the owner wants something new.
I wonder if the Jets or the NFL as a whole will get any love in the Short Hills Mall which is right down Rt 24 once the move is final. I am sure there will be a lot of player sightings at the mall.
