County Breaks Ground On Hillsborough's APEX Complex

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Officials broke ground on the APEX Sports & Events Complex in Hillsborough on Thursday. In addition a land exchange authorized by the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders resulted in another 19-plus acres added to the county’s farmland preservation program.

The year-round sports facility will be located next to Mountain View Park and is anticipated to open in the spring of 2019.

The Board of Freeholders authorized the sale of 40 acres of land next to Mountain View Park to developer and township resident Gregg Wilke. In exchange for the 40-acre tract, the county will receive a 19.5-acre parcel of farmland on Hillsborough Road, valued at $379,900, plus roughly $1.3 million.

“Somerset County was thrilled to bring the Mountain View Park facility to fruition,” said Freeholder Mark Caliguire, parks and agriculture liaison. “We know that having APEX right next door will provide a combined second-to-none sports environment. This is also a win for our farmland preservation program.”

Apex Sports & Events will offer outdoor artificial turf fields as well as an indoor sports complex. Inside there will be full-size synthetic turf fields which will allow for regulation play in all long-field sports such as soccer, lacrosse, and football.

There will also be a hardwood court area for sports such as basketball, volleyball and futsal; a team-training area consisting of various sports performance amenities including batting cages/pitching tunnels; a rock climbing area and a play climb area; mezzanine viewing area; a cafe and concessions area; multi-purpose rooms; team rooms; and other supporting spaces.

The Somerset County Improvement Authority purchased the 369-acre former Belle Mead General Services Administration property in April 2009. Mountain View Park, completed in April 2017, is located on the majority of the GSA tract and maintained by the county Park Commission. The remaining acreage, immediately adjacent to the park, will host the APEX sports complex.

The Hillsborough Road property will be offered at public auction as permanently preserved farmland. To date, Somerset County has preserved more than 8,300 acres of farmland through its Agriculture Development Program.

(Image by Ed Pagliarini: Freeholder Director Patrick Scaglione and Freeholder Mark Caliguire join Hillsborough and company officials in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new APEX Sports & Events Complex next to Mountain View Park.)

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