Final Hearing on Mosque in Bridgewater Scheduled For Dec. 21

Bridgewater, NJ -- Al Falah is one step closer to beginning construction on the first Islamic mosque in Bridgewater.

A final hearing on the project is set for Dec. 21 in front of Bridgewater Township council.

As part of a settlement agreement that stemmed from litigation between Al Falah and the township, Bridgewater council unanimously voted on Dec. 3 on the first reading of the ordinance to give Al Falah a piece of property, which sits along Route 202/206.

The 10.75 acre Al Falah property was given in exchange for the 1475 Mountain Top Road property, formally the Redwood Inn site.

Al Falah brought the suit against Bridgewater in April 2011 to compel the township to build a mosque and Islamic community center.

On Dec. 2, 2014, both parties came to an agreement which included a swap of the two properties and a $5 million payment from the Township’s insurance carrier for alleged damages, costs and attorney fees in exchange for Al Falah’s dropping the lawsuit.

Al Falah plans to use settlement money to help finance construction of the mosque.

The exchange is happening a year after the settlement because Al Falah requested it not occur until all approvals necessary to construct a mosque on the new property were obtained.

The planning board had already approved the location for Al Falah earlier this fall.

“The next step for us was to swap the former Redwood Inn site for the site on Route 202/206,” said James Naples, Bridgewater Township Administrator. “It’s a complete land swap because both lands have equal value.”

A final hearing on the ordinance to swap properties will be heard and voted on at the Dec. 21 meeting. Once that is finalized, Al Falah will move forward on the project.

Construction is expected to start on the Al Falah project in the Spring, said Omar Mohammedi, Al Falah Center Board Member.

“We are very happy,” said Mohammedi. “We waited five years. It’s a long time that shouldn’t have happened.

“Patient people get the rewards,” Mohammedi continued. “We are happy to resolve this issue with the township.”