How Long Branch's New Health & Wellness Center Will Look

LONG BRANCH, NJ — Here are renderings of how the city of Long Branch says its new Health, Wellness and Technology Center will look.

These are the buildings that used to house the Ronald McDonald House, as well as the grounds, at the corner of Bath and Third avenues. The properties were donated to the city of Long Branch by Monmouth Medical Center in 2021.

A new park is also coming to the corner of Bath and Third: The new park will have many amenities, including pickleball courts, a tot lot playground, outside fitness area and walking paths. There will also be a kiosk that can be used in warmer weather as an outdoor café.

Long Branch originally planned to move the municipal court and other city offices to the property. However, now that the city acquired the former Santander Bank building on Uptown Broadway, the municipal court and city offices will be moved there instead. (Long Branch Buys Santander Bank Building, Will Make It New Town Court, July 2023)

Prior: City Takeover Of Long Branch Ronald McDonald House Upsets Families (Oct. 2022)

The Health and Wellness Center will consist of three floors, all open to the public. The lower level will be a fitness center — a new town gym for Long Branch residents — and will have treadmills and fitness equipment, as well as yoga and dance space. The main floor will have a commercial-sized kitchen, where the city plans to hold cooking classes in addition to nutrition education programs.

The third floor will have offices for health and wellness services. There will also be a community room on the third floor, with a Gilded Age parlor room with a fireplace and paneling, in an effort to preserve as much local history as possible. The new center will give a nod to historic Long Branch, with a large porch, grand staircase and decorative tower.

The Technology Center will be next door. It is currently being used as Long Branch's temporary library, while the main library on Broadway is being restored and expanded. The Technology Center building consists of two floors, which have already been renovated. It will house state-of-the-art computers and workspaces where residents can come to seek employment and educational opportunities.

The idea is to bridge the digital divide that often plagues seniors and residents with limited language or other technological skills.

"Our goal here is to make a Health, Wellness and Technology Complex that will provide all sorts of resources for residents, but also just a fun spot to be,” Mayor Pallone said.

And of the new park:

“We are proud to bring another park to Long Branch that will include new courts and a new playground. This is going to be one of the largest parks we have made in Long Branch, and is the fourth one in just a couple of years."