OLD BRIDGE – The township on Wednesday unveiled its progress to preserve an historic apple orchard farm.

The 21.5-acre Cottrell Farm, located at the intersection of Cottrell Road and Route 516, is set to become a passive recreation park.

Visitors toured the first floor of the newly renovated Cottrell Farm House building and got a chance to stroll down the first section of a walking path at the site.

The township held a groundbreaking at the site in July 2020, which marked the beginning of the first phase of the Cottrell Farm Park rehabilitation project.

"I'm so thrilled to see this coming to fruition," said Township Council President Mary Sohor. "It's going to be a jewel for our community. There's just so much history here. It will be something that all the generations to come can visit and enjoy. It's beautiful. They're going to keep restoring it and use it for passive recreation for everyone. When you look around, it’s amazing. You would never think you're on [Route] 516. This is definitely a positive. People are going to love coming here."

Mayor Owen Henry said the vision of bringing the site back to its glory began so long ago that the township wanted to give the public a chance to see what's been accomplished at the site.

"We're so fortunate that the stars aligned," he said.

Earlier:'This will be one of our unique jewels': Old Bridge begins preservation of Cottrell Farm

Old Bridge Director of Community Development and Engineer Nicole Shapiro said the township wanted to give a feel of what the park is today and what it will look like this time next year.

Shapiro said the total preliminary cost of the multi-phase project is estimated to be $6.25 million, noting that the estimate was done in 2018 and does not include current supply chain issues and inflation costs.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program awarded the project $2.1 million in grants, she said.

"We are actively applying for additional grant opportunities to continue with improvements to the park," Shapiro said. "Current expenditures total approximately $3.2 million to date."

The township will need more money to finish the project, "but I'm confident we're going to get this done," Henry said.

Shapiro estimated the entire project would be completed in 2025, although the township is hoping it will be sooner.

"Once the park is made safe with restrooms and lights, we're hoping to open at least the walking trails," the mayor said.

Phase I building site improvements were completed, which included the exterior of the red barn, the CMU garage, the stone garage and exterior and interior renovations of the farmhouse building, Shapiro said, as well as parking, driveway and grand plaza upgrades.

"We still have landscaping to do," she said, adding it will be done in late summer or early fall.

The park also will have a splash pad, a playground area and a prefabricated restroom building, which is part of Phase II of the project, she said.

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Shapiro expects the township will advertise for bids for those projects in late summer and is looking to award in late September.

"We're hoping construction will begin in the fall," she said. "While we're doing the construction, EI Associates is finishing the internal of the stone garage, the CMU garage and the red barn and the internal and exterior of the pool cottage, which will be used as a maintenance building."

The project also includes plans for a park pavilion, amphitheater, picnic grove, garden and trails.

The existing apple orchard will be preserved and maintained, according to township officials.

According to the township, in the early 2000s, Herbert Cottrell Jr. had given right of first refusal to the township to purchase the Cottrell Farm property, but the township was unable to secure the funds necessary to obtain it.

In 2005, Cottrell sold the property to a developer for $4.75 million, with plans for a high-density, multi-family development and commercial space.

The application included the historic preservation of just the buildings on the site, the mayor said.

In 2010, the township teamed with Middlesex County and purchased the property for about $9.6 million, with the township contributing almost $1.8 million and additional contributions made by Green Acres and NY/NJ Baykeeper.  

In 2017, the township entered into a Conservation Management Agreement with Middlesex County for 10 years, in which the township accepted responsibility for security, liability, management and enforcement of the Green Acres restrictions and enforcement of Middlesex County park rules and regulations not inconsistent with the deed restrictions at no cost to the county.

Madison-Old Bridge Township Historical Society President Richard Pucciarelli said he’s excited about the project.

"It's going to be a very big jewel in the town," he said. "It helps the residents of the town reconnect the history of Madison Township with the history of the Cottrell family. I'm excited we were finally able to get money from the county to do an historical preservation. It shows the county is behind this project. Historical Societies in New Jersey are constantly fighting to preserve historic properties in their towns. It's a difficult job."

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.