City Breaks Ground on $105.1 Million Health and Wellness Plaza

Robert Wood Johnson, DEVCO, and the Fresh Grocer are promising the city a modern and thorough health pavilion in October 2012 with the opening of the Health and Wellness Plaza, located at Joyce Kilmer Ave. and Paterson Street.

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, New Brunswick dignitaries broke ground on the project, which is already in its demolition phase.

Operated and staffed by by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the 62,000 square foot Wellness Center will house three pools, a gymnasium, fitness screenings, personal trainers, community health programs, and physical therapy, said Stephen K. Jones, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital CEO and president.

Memberships for New Brunswick residents will be around $30 a month, said Mayor James Cahill, under the idea that the Center will be accessible for both city residents and commuters.

A plan is also being developed for the city school district to use the center pools for swim instruction for students, as well as for a swim team at New Brunswick High School.

Despite oppressive heat, a crowd gathered near the active construction site to hear from representatives from the city, the Fresh Grocer, and from New Brunswick Development Corporation, or DEVCO.

Fresh Grocer catered a full spread of refreshments, while health and fitness staff from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital's other Health and Wellness Centers performed free blood pressure screenings, measured overall flexibility and balance, and gave high-energy aerobic demonstrations.

Robert Wood Johnson already operates three Health and Wellness Centers, in Hamilton, Scotch Plains and Old Bridge. A fourth is being finalized in Carteret, and New Brunswick will make five, Jones said.

Thousands of residents of have been served by those existing facilities, he said.

The supermarket will offer more than just groceries, and will feature an expanded produce section, two cafes, a sushi bar, brick-oven pizza, a catering service, coffee, smoothie and gelato bars, fresh seafood and full-service bakery and meat departments, said Grant McLoughlin, executive vice president for the Fresh Grocer.

The grocery chain operates several stores in the metro Philadelphia area, and prides itself on providing fresh food to urban areas, McLoughlin said.

"This project created 350 construction jobs and will bring about 370 permanent jobs. It will bring to downtown New Brunswick a high quality supermarket in the form of Fresh Grocer, something that has not been done in decades,'' said Christopher D. Rafaro, director of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The Fresh Grocer will bring about 200 jobs, and the Wellness Center another 120 full and part-time jobs, said Peter Haigney, spokesperson for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

The adjoining parking deck will contain 1,275 spots, and will be connected via a pedestrian bridge to the New Brunswick train station platform, for easy commuter access, according to a release from the city.