Funding Increased For New Mendham Township Police Station

MENDHAM, NJ — The Mendham Township Police Department is getting closer to finishing its brand-new facility, with the township mayor and council approving additional funding for the project.

The new station, which will be located at 4 West Main Street, is part of a larger renovation project that will also include the Town Hall, municipal offices and a library.

J.R. Contracting and Environmental Consulting, the project's contractor, has been tasked with constructing the new police station on the land, which previously housed a split-level converted house.

During the July 25 Township Committee meeting, members of the council approved an amendment to the previous contract with J.R. Contracting & Environmental Consulting, Inc. for an additional $113,007.99.

The increase in funds is due to the need for site improvements for the operation and function of the new police department building, which include the construction of a sidewalk from the driveway to the police entrance, a side door concrete pad, a sidewalk retaining wall, a driveway for the Sallyport and light and pole along the sidewalk.

Due to the extension of the substantial completion date, a separate contract increase of $8,000 was also discussed at the council meeting. According to township documents, the project was delayed due to significant delays in receiving needed materials for the building, such as HVAC, windows, doors, and the elevator.

The new police department building's parking lot will be accessible from the municipal building parking lot, where police vehicles – as well as officers' personal vehicles – will be parked, as part of maintaining "the historic fabric of the Brookside Historic neighborhood," Township Mayor Sarah Neibart said.

Other authorized improvements in the renovation project include a major renovation of the nearly century-old Town Hall, which houses municipal offices and the library and requires a new roof, windows, boiler, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The renovation project has been in the works since August 2021, when the Township Committee approved a resolution authorizing J.R. Contracting and Environmental Consulting Inc., a Wayne-based contractor, to construct a new police station.

J.R. Contracting and Environmental Consulting Inc. was chosen from among eight competing contracting firms.

The initial projection showed construction for the new police station being finalized by the end of the summer. However, the substantial completion date has been pushed back, according to the township.