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Jackson Paves The Way For hospital-Like health Care Facility
By Keith Hagarty
An all-in-one approach to health and medical services may soon be coming to Jackson.
The project, known as "Meridian Health Village at Jackson Township," was recently granted preliminary approval from the township zoning board of adjustment. Plans call for a 150,000-square-foot multi-care health facility providing outpatient medical, health and a wellness center on 11.3 acres at the intersection of Bennetts Mills and South Cooks Bridge roads.
"Jackson is a great place to live and raise a family, which is why it has experienced such rapid growth recently, however, the available health care services in the area has not kept pace with this growth," says Sal Inciardi, senior vice president of business development for Meridian Health. "Once the approval process is completed, the Meridian Health Village would instantly offer a powerful combination of quality physicians and specialty and wellness services all in a single, community-based destination."
Meridian Health includes Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune, Ocean Medical Center in Brick and Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.
At a cost of approximately $40 million, the three-story building will be designed as a community destination for medical and surgical specialist services, wellness and fitness.
The new three-story facility will have a Y-shaped design to provide a residential feel, and will offer a wide-mix of health care services for the rapidly growing areas of Jackson Township and surrounding communities.
Zoning Board Chairman Barry Calogero believes the facility will be a welcome addition to the town.
"I think it's going to be fantastic," he said. "It's 150,000 square feet of clean commercial (tax ratable). It's great."
While not all the services and amenities have been confirmed as of yet, the alloutpatient facility is touted by Meridian Health as the first of its kind, with services possibly including a licensed ambulatory surgery center, imaging center for MRI, CT, mammography, chest or peripheral xrays and ultrasound. In addition, the center is expected to have a laboratory to review specimens taken right on site.
Other components include a food court available for patients or family members, a conference center made available to community groups, as well as a medical spa, a fitness wellness center, a swimming pool with full locker room facilities, a pharmacy and a home care office to offer coordination of services in home.
With the nearest large scale medical facilities miles away at either Paul Kimball Medical Center, in Lakewood, or CentraState Medical Center, in Freehold, having medical service close to home could be a huge benefit to the community, said Calogero.
"Not only is it a clean ratable, but it's going to be a service to the town," he said. "I've been living in the town for 13 years, and when I first moved, my son had an accident on his bike and broke his arm, so I had to rush him down to Kimball or would've had to gone to Freehold, so now we'd only have to go right down the block."
In addition, with the senior population ever rising in Jackson, the facility would provide a convenient alternative.
"It'll help them tremendously that they can drive within a mile or two to a medical facility that can solve all their needs," said Calogero. "It's a great opportunity."
As one of the largest applications ever going before the township zoning board of adjustment, a special five-hour meeting was held on October 15 to discuss the plans exclusively.
"We got it all done in one meeting," said Calogero. "They presented it in a very effi cient manner, and because we weren't sidetracked with several other applications (on the night's agenda), usually seven, eight or nine a night, we were able to come up with a good approval."
Once built, the facility would employ about 200 people.
"We spoke with many Jackson Township residents in the development of this concept and the design of the building," says Inciardi. "Our vision was, and is, to create a healthy lifestyle focal point for residents: a place to go not just when someone may be sick, but when they are feeling well."
Calogero agrees.
"It was very good," he said of the application. "It was really one of the times that as a zoning board member where you can say that you really did something for the town."
If all goes as planned, construction on Meridian Health Village would get underway in May 2009 on a 15-month roll out plan, with an anticipated opening in the summer of 2010.
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