Kevin E. Ciak, NJSBA president, announced the official purchase of land in Central New Jersey as the future home of the Association’s new headquarters and first-ever conference center.

NJSBA closed on the sale Tuesday, Nov. 7 for $1.6 million, the purchase price authorized by the Association’s Board of Directors in May 2006.

The 10-acre vacant property is located in the Horizon Office Center in Hamilton Township, Mercer County.  It is a short distance from Exits 3 and 5 off I-195, and about 3 miles from New Jersey Turnpike Exit 7A.

Funding for land purchase and construction will come from a capital reserve account authorized by the Board of Directors in September 2005 and built through “sound, efficient financial practices,” Ciak said.

“The board’s discussion has focused on completing the new headquarters without relying on changes in the dues structure,” he added.

What’s Next? A Construction Review Committee, appointed by Ciak, anticipates that NJSBA will break ground for the project in mid-2008, with construction completed 12 months later. 

Consisting of nine local school board members, the committee is chaired by Raymond Wiss, a member of the Northern Valley Regional Board of Education in Bergen County.  The Board of Directors has authorized the committee to approve building design, contracts and cost estimates.  The committee will report regularly to the board.

Field Offices On Friday, Nov. 17, the Board of Directors is scheduled to make a decision about the future of the Association’s three field service offices in light of the new headquarters.

“It is the Association’s intention that direct services to school boards will grow and not be diminished in any way,” Ciak pointed out.

Conference Center Although designs for the new facility have not yet been drafted, the Association intends to have a training center built with enough capacity to host nearly every NJSBA program and meeting that must now take place at conference centers and hotels. The training center also is expected to provide NJSBA with revenue through rentals to outside organizations.

Renovate vs. Build Last March, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase of land following months of research by an 8-member ad hoc Facilities Committee, which examined the capacity and structural conditions of NJSBA’s Trenton headquarters and its three field locations.

The facilities committee determined that necessary renovations to keep the Trenton headquarters in operation would not be a cost-effective use of the Association’s funds. Furthermore, the existing building could not meet NJSBA’s future membership service needs.

Visit NJSBA's Web site  for a detailed explanation of the Association's decision to build a new facility.