Pemberton Twp., (May 27, 2009) - New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) and Pemberton Township Board of Education officials broke ground today for a new Early Childhood Center, the first school project to be funded through the program’s new $3.9 billion allocation.

Legislation signed by Governor Jon S. Corzine in July 2008 authorizes $2.9 billion in construction for SDA (formerly Abbott) Districts. The SDA manages and fully funds projects in these Districts. The legislation also authorized $1 billion for projects in Regular Operating Districts. These projects, managed by the local district, receive funding of at least 40 percent of eligible project costs, with the remaining share coming from local communities, contingent on budget or voter approval.

"This is a significant day for Pemberton Township and the school construction program," said Kris Kolluri, CEO of the SDA. "This school symbolizes what the Governor intended when he signed legislation in July 2008 authorizing $3.9 billion in new funding, giving Pemberton’s preschool and kindergarten children the safe, modern facility that they need and truly deserve."

Today's groundbreaking celebrates the beginning of construction on the first new school in Pemberton since the state school construction program's inception. It will also be Pemberton's first facility dedicated solely to early childhood education. The 88,170-square-foot one-story ECC will accommodate 640 students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. This $30 million project will create or save approximately 260 jobs over the duration of construction.

Superintendent Michael R. Gorman, Ed. D, stated, "Dedicated to meeting the learning needs of the children of Pemberton Township, we break ground for the Pemberton Township Early Childhood Center; after all, it is never too early to start learning."

The ECC will have 23 pre-kindergarten classrooms, including one for special education, and 13 kindergarten classrooms. It also will have a combination cafeteria/auditorium, a kitchen, a staff development center and administrative space, a playground and parking area. The school is scheduled to open in January 2011.

The new structure will be built on an 18-acre portion of a 63-acre former farmland site off Arneys Mount Road. Under an agreement between the SDA and the State Agriculture Board, 45 acres of the site will be left undeveloped. This space will be used for educational farming activities, as approved by the Pemberton Township Board of Education.

Martell Construction Co. Inc. and Tamburro Brothers Construction Co. Inc. are general contractors. The Design Collaborative is providing design services. The construction manager is Hill International Inc.

The competition for the general-construction contract on the Pemberton ECC project illustrates the critical economic role that the state school construction program plays. The contract for the work drew bids from 14 firms, which is without precedent for the SDA for a project of this scope.

Overall, the SDA has completed 604 projects in SDA Districts: 46 new schools; 41 extensive additions, renovations and/or rehabilitations; three demonstration projects and more than 500 other projects.

The SDA has 19 active construction projects in SDA Districts and three active Demonstration Projects that incorporate community features and are coordinated with wider economic development.

The school construction program is central to the state's effort to mitigate the effects of the national recession. For 2009, the SDA has accelerated projects to advance Governor Corzine’s Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan to spur the economy and generate jobs. The SDA plans to begin preliminary or full construction of 27 projects in 2009, with job creation expected to accelerate in the latter half of the year as more projects break ground. Overall, the SDA will invest $1.3 billion in 27 Capital Plan projects in 2009. Over the life of these projects, the SDA expects to create or save approximately 11,000 jobs.