Rutgers To Build First Free-Standing Cancer Hospital In NJ

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Wednesday, Middlesex County announced it is pledging $25 million so the Rutgers Cancer Institute can open the first free-standing cancer treatment center in the state of New Jersey. The Rutgers Cancer Institute is part of RWJBarnabas Health.

The building will be called the Cancer Pavilion and in total it is a $750 million project. Once completed, it will be a 12-story structure, soaring over the New Brunswick skyline, and will be visible from miles around. Construction is scheduled to start in the fall of 2020.

Its construction will allow for the consolidation of key cancer services into a single location, including chemotherapy and radiation.

Rutgers medical students will work there, of course, but for the first time ever, Middlesex County Community College nursing and radiography students will also get hands-on experience at the Cancer Pavilion.

Taxpayer funding is being provided by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health, New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO) and the city of New Brunswick.

Middlesex County is able to borrow money to finance the Cancer Pavilion due to its strong AAA bond rating, said Freeholder Director Ronald Rios. Middlesex County has achieved this by reducing its overall debt by 35 percent, or a staggering $250 million over the last five years, while increasing its retained surplus position to $80 million.

“The Cancer Pavilion will be a model for cancer care delivery on the East Coast, bringing together the three mission areas of academic medicine — research, education, and patient care — all under one roof,” said Barry Ostrowsky, president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health. “Today’s exciting announcement is further evidence of the tremendous value being provided to area residents through the broader partnership between Middlesex County and RWJBarnabas Health.”