On Oct. 15, the Township of Montgomery broke ground on the DMR-designed new municipal center, designed to reflect the history and identity of Montgomery Township residents while addressing its current and future civic needs. It will be the new home for municipal offices, the police department, council chambers and a branch of the Somerset County Library System.
DMR’s plans for the 62,500 square foot municipal center were created after a unique collaborative approach that included input from more than 200 residents in addition to Montgomery Township and Somerset County officials, and embrace a contemporary style with spaces for community artwork and items of historical and cultural importance.
“It is exciting for the entire Montgomery community to begin construction on a new municipal center and library that will serve our community for generations to come,” said Montgomery Mayor Sadaf Jaffer, speaking on behalf of the Twp. Committee. “I am so thankful to all the elected officials, professionals, and community members who worked on this project and ensured that it will be a beautiful representation of our diverse history and community.”
The new facility will offer seamless transitions between the interior and exterior through aesthetic touches such as the utilization of the same wood materials for columns supporting the exterior colonnade inside the library, glass wall dividers where appropriate to allow for transparency and emphasize connection, and stone floors and counters inside that reflect the zinc cladding used on the building’s façade.
“It is refreshing to work with a group of elected and civic leaders who take such pride in their community, and we’ve enjoyed creatively interpreting their functional and aesthetic needs,” said Pradeep Kapoor, AIA. “It continues to be an honor to work with The Somerset County Improvement Authority and Montgomery Township.”
The entire building is ADA accessible and will be built to LEED standards with a roof that allows for the future installation of solar panels. The grounds of the 45-acre complex will preserve the view from Rt. 206 with multiple green spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy, out-of-doors meeting places, a rain garden and an outdoor event space. Additionally, the parking lot will feature multiple EV charging.
“This project shows how well local and county government can work together, providing state of the art municipal offices and innovative library services that will benefit the community for decades,” said Freeholder Melonie Marano, who serves as a liaison to both the Somerset County Improvement Authority (SCIA) and Somerset County Library System. “This is truly a joint effort, with Somerset County Improvement authority financing helping build a municipal complex for Montgomery businesses and families that will house a library for residents here and in surrounding communities to enjoy.”
