Metuchen Buys Last Missing Piece For Arts District. Here's What It Means For Forum Theatre

METUCHEN, NJ — The borough reached a significant milestone in its long-planned Arts District at Monday night's Council meeting, acquiring the final parcels needed to develop the Forum Theatre and The Spot! as a single, unified project.

The Council voted to move forward with purchasing a small parcel owned by University Radiology — the last piece of land separating the two sites. The acquisition will be funded through a Middlesex County Arts District grant awarded to the borough in 2019, Mayor Jonathan M. Busch said in a statement Tuesday.

The borough also now holds the adjacent former gas station property, which is currently undergoing environmental remediation. Cleanup costs are also covered under the same 2019 grant.

With the full block assembled, Busch said the project can now move forward in a way that wasn't previously possible.

"For the first time, we're no longer dealing with separate parcels or phased concepts," he said. "We're bringing this space together intentionally to support a cohesive vision for the Forum Theatre and The Spot! as the centerpiece of an eventual Metuchen Arts District."

The broader plan, presented to the public earlier this year, calls for reconstructing the 1928-era Forum Theatre — currently in significant disrepair — into a roughly 21,000-square-foot flexible performance space at an estimated cost of $30 million. The Spot!, planned for the former gas station site, would feature food and beverage venues, gallery and studio spaces, and makerspaces at the downtown gateway.

Busch said Monday's vote builds directly on a decision made earlier this year to move both projects forward together.

"This moment builds on the decision we shared earlier this year to move forward with both projects together, including a restaurant, arts, and creative space that will complement the Forum and help support it long term," he said.

In May 2025, the Council unanimously adopted an ordinance establishing an amended redevelopment plan for the expanded arts district. The following month, the borough applied to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for tax credits through the Cultural and Arts Facilities Expansion (CAFE) Program to help fund the theater's restoration.

For Busch, the latest development represents a turning point for what he has long described as a community-defining project.

"This project has always been about more than bringing the Forum Theatre back to life," he said. "It's about creating a place in our downtown where people gather, create, and connect."

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com