Bloomfield BOE Responds To Mayor’s Update On 209 Franklin Street

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Putting the building at 209 Franklin Street to good use may not be as simple as it sounds, according to Bloomfield school officials.

On Monday – a few hours ahead of a town-sponsored virtual “information session” – the Bloomfield Board of Education issued a statement about the municipally owned property (read it below).

The township purchased the former Essex County vocational high school property known as Bloomfield Tech in December 2023 for $10 million. Read more about the history of the property and the purchase via this explainer from The Jersey Bee.

Since then, many Bloomfield residents have been asking what the town plans to do with the property at 209 Franklin Street.

Mayor Jenny Mundell gave an update on the situation earlier this week on social media. She wrote:

“On March 6, I brought BOE President Dudley and Vice President Morse, alongside Bloomfield Public School District, New Jersey superintendent, Sal Goncalves, on a tour of the property at 209 Franklin Street (commonly known as “the Votech”) to give them a chance to explore if the BOE might put the property to use (all or in part). We also offered them use of space to park busses and another chance to take equipment or supplies from the building (we offered the latter early last year as well), all without cost to the district. The Township of Bloomfield purchased this property, with full council approval, in 2024 with the intention of preserving open space, creating opportunities for recreation, keeping it out of the hands of a developer, and some flood mitigation. These goals haven’t changed.”

BLOOMFIELD SCHOOL BOARD RESPONDS

The Bloomfield Board of Education issued its own update on Monday, saying that “the property is not currently safe or suitable for educational use.”

According to Bloomfield Board of Education President Kasey Dudley:

“On March 6, leadership from the Board of Education joined Mayor Mundell, the Town Administrator, and Town Counsel for a walkthrough of 209 Franklin Street (commonly referred to as “VoTech”). We thank the Mayor and Township officials for the opportunity to assess the site collaboratively. The visit was informational only – not a commitment or decision – and was not intended to bypass formal public input or stakeholder approval. To date, the Township has not made any formal offers for the Board to take ownership or utilize the entire property. Past conversations have only explored partial use and were paused once financial concerns emerged, including uncertainty around the availability of federal or state renovation funding, potential district costs, and implications for taxpayers.”

Dudley continued:

“Although photos were taken during the March 6 walkthrough, they were taken without the Board's prior knowledge or consent. Their subsequent public release without the knowledge of all parties may have possibly created misleading impressions about both the purpose of the visit and the condition of the property. Unfortunately, the images were later shared publicly in a way that misrepresents the purpose of the visit and the condition of the property. This was the first time the current Board leadership toured the building.”

Dudley added:

“Based on our observations, the property is not currently safe or suitable for educational use. There are serious concerns, including visible deterioration and the potential presence of asbestos. Substantial investment would be required to make the building habitable. We thank the Mayor for clarifying that items currently in the building may be repurposed by the District, rather than discarded. We also appreciate the Mayor's recent verbal indication that the property may be used for bus parking, and we look forward to receiving a formal offer outlining this arrangement. Additionally, Superintendent Goncalves proposed that the Berkeley community be allowed to use the space for parking during snow days. This suggestion reflects a shared commitment to finding practical, low-cost solutions that benefit residents. This idea was presented as a way to positively impact the community without financial burden and help alleviate issues with traffic and bus routing. The Board looks forward to the Township’s response to these suggestions as well.”

“The Board and administration share the Township, belief that transparency and honesty are paramount as the community see. to understand the planning process for this property,” Dudley concluded. “We look forward to working with Township officials to ensure the community is accurately informed as discussions about the future of 209 Franklin Street continue.”

MARCH 31 PUBLIC MEETING

Watch a video of the March 31 public information session about 209 Franklin Street below, or view it online here.

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