Toms River Files Eminent Domain Lawsuit For Boatworks Property

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River has filed a lawsuit to move forward with plans to acquire the former Boatworks property by eminent domain.

The lawsuit was filed March 3 in Superior Court in Ocean County and would pay $1,880,000, the amount Toms River has planned to pay for the site at 1 Robbins Parkway since it began negotiating to buy it in 2024.

The Township Council approved the eminent domain filing at its Dec. 10 meeting though not unaninmously, as concerns were raised from the start about the amount the town had offered to pay for the property, which has an assessed value of $800,000 as of 2025, according to tax records.

The council had approved the purchase of the property in July 2024 by a 5-2 vote, bonding for $2 million to pay for it.

The move to eminent domain was the result of issues with liens filed against the owners of the property that have tied up the closing of the purchase for months.

The filing also includes a provision that the township can seek reimbursement for any remediation of contamination at the property or cleanup of anything discovered after it takes possession of the property.

Court records show the owners of the property — the CAM Trust, and its principal trustee, Debra Y. Mercatanti — have multiple filings against them involving unpaid loans, though not all of them apply to the former boat works property.

The eminent domain filing cites a mortgage lien, tax liens and a construction lien that was filed in March 2025 by A.B. Kurre Contracting, which handled the demolition of the building.

Mayor Daniel Rodrick pushed for the purchase of the property to convert it to recreational use along the Toms River, which would expand riverbank access next to what exists at Huddy Park.