OT: Rutgers/NB/RWJMS Announce "HELIX" Complex in Downtown NB

[RU848789]

This is a pretty big deal for RU, the RU-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Brunswick. HELIX stands for NJ Health and Life Sciences Exchange. First of three buildings starts going up this spring across from the train station. Finally starting to see the merger of RU and the Med School paying off (this was proposed several years ago, but was delayed by the pandemic).

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutger...aign=rutgerstoday&utm_content=Economic Impact

 

[e5fdny]

Excellent

 

[bigmatt718]

Heard the new RU Cancer Hospital should be completed sometime in 2024.

 

[letitrip2]

Good for New Brunswick!! Would have been a great location for a new 12,000 seat RAC. Fire Away.

 

[rurichdog]

Good for New Brunswick!! Would have been a great location for a new 12,000 seat RAC. Fire Away.

You misspelled "ice hockey arena"

 

[tico brown]

Great news

 

[kupuna133]

Good for New Brunswick!! Would have been a great location for a new 12,000 seat RAC. Fire Away.

Thank John Lynch for that one. Traded away a downtown New Brunswick arena for political points in Trenton. That worked out well for him.

 

[RUnTeX]

Nice job by DEVCO and RBHS to get this moving forward. Bringing the medical school closer to its clinical facilities such as RWJUH, new RCI, etc. should enhance things.

 

[RUTGERS95]

This is a pretty big deal for RU, the RU-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Brunswick. HELIX stands for NJ Health and Life Sciences Exchange. First of three buildings starts going up this spring across from the train station. Finally starting to see the merger of RU and the Med School paying off (this was proposed several years ago, but was delayed by the pandemic).

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-board-approves-research-and-medical-center?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rutgerstoday&utm_content=Economic Impact

huge!!!!!!

THIS matters

 

[RUTGERS95]

You misspelled "ice hockey arena"

while I agree to a point and I'd love to see them put an arena downtown near the train (bball, hockey etc)

 

[e5fdny]

You misspelled "ice hockey arena"

Thank John Lynch for that one. Traded away a downtown New Brunswick arena for political points in Trenton. That worked out well for him.

while I agree to a point and I'd love to see them put an arena downtown near the train (bball, hockey etc)

Let it be known by all those who read this thread I was NOT the first one to bring up hockey.✋

 

[RUTGERS95]

Let it be known by all those who read this thread I was NOT the first one to bring up hockey.✋

you misunderstand, I'm thrilled, I just want an arena too!

 

[e5fdny]

you misunderstand, I'm thrilled, I just want an arena too!

But I’m that guy.

Or have been accused of always being that guy. LOL

And there is always room on that bus or zamboni. Welcome aboard. 🙂

 

[devoted2ru]

I've been wondering for a while now what was going to be built on the section of land across from the train station where the former structures had been demolished. -Of course, It was clear that something was going to go up in that location, but this will be an outstanding addition for Rutgers, for New Brunswick, and for the entire state, for that matter. -Really excellent news!

 

[kupuna133]

Let it be known by all those who read this thread I was NOT the first one to bring up hockey.✋

I didn’t bring up hockey per se. 🤪. Brought up crooked politicians that traded away advancement for personal gain and a prison cell!

 

[RU848789]

Nice job by DEVCO and RBHS to get this moving forward. Bringing the medical school closer to its clinical facilities such as RWJUH, new RCI, etc. should enhance things.

A top medical school combining the best in clinical research, basic medical research, and application of the output from such research in a top-notch hospital setting, will pay dividends for Rutgers, NB, NJ, and NJ's citizens for decades to come. A shame it's taken this long, but the vision has always been promising.

 

[RUScrew85]

I didn’t bring up hockey per se. 🤪. Brought up crooked politicians that traded away advancement for personal gain and a prison cell!

Well he got a bridge out of it, no?

 

[kupuna133]

Well he got a bridge out of it, no?

That’s named after his dad. So no.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

A top medical school combining the best in clinical research, basic medical research, and application of the output from such research in a top-notch hospital setting, will pay dividends for Rutgers, NB, NJ, and NJ's citizens for decades to come. A shame it's taken this long, but the vision has always been promising.

But, the locals will continue to complain that Rutgers is a burden to the NJ taxpayers. Most NJ residents who have no connection to Rutgers fail to recognize how much they benefit from the school.

 

[RUScrew85]

That’s named after his dad. So no.

Bummer for him.

 

[RutgersDom]

You misspelled "ice hockey arena"

Hahaha

 

[RutgersDom]

Hahaha

Rangers Athletic Center?

 

[Scarlet Jerry]

I never understood the fascination with putting an arena in downtown New Brunswick. I like where the RAC is now - plenty of parking and very accessible. It’s not like we have a problem filling the place.

The medical/research complex is in a great location, near the hospital and J&J. Researchers can live in NYC and the surrounding region and hop a train to the labs, and the partnership with Princeton is a natural synergy. It also provides Princeton researchers with access to a medical research complex, something they don’t have on their campus. The whole project is a win/win for Rutgers, New Brunswick, and NJ. Now they just need to clean up and enhance the area along Easton Ave. to complement the new development.

Scarlet Jerry

 

[RU848789]

I never understood the fascination with putting an arena in downtown New Brunswick. I like where the RAC is now - plenty of parking and very accessible. It’s not like we have a problem filling the place.

The medical/research complex is in a great location, near the hospital and J&J. Researchers can live in NYC and the surrounding region and hop a train to the labs, and the partnership with Princeton is a natural synergy. It also provides Princeton researchers with access to a medical research complex, something they don’t have on their campus. The whole project is a win/win for Rutgers, New Brunswick, and NJ. Now they just need to clean up and enhance the area along Easton Ave. to complement the new development.

Scarlet Jerry

I've always loved the idea of an RU hoops arena in downtown NB, but only if it could be RAC-like and most of us fear that any new arena would be a poor, antiseptic, multisport arena (hence the hockey comments) and I'd rather have the RAC where it is than a crappy NB arena.

 

[e5fdny]

I didn’t bring up hockey per se. 🤪. Brought up crooked politicians that traded away advancement for personal gain and a prison cell!

I know. I just wanted someone (in this case Lynch) to blame.😉

Rangers Athletic Center?

Rutgers Ice Center, the RIC.🙂

I've always loved the idea of an RU hoops arena in downtown NB, but only if it could be RAC-like and most of us fear that any new arena would be a poor, antiseptic, multisport arena (hence the hockey comments) and I'd rather have the RAC where it is than a crappy NB arena.

Me too. It would be very hard to replicate in a multi-purpose set up.

 

[RU4Real]

Everybody talks about how great it would be to have a 14,000 sq/ft arena in downtown NB but the parking issues would be huge. You would need, realistically, another 7500 parking spaces to support it and that facility does not currently exist.

Not to mention the ingress/egress issues would be HUGE.

 

[RUPete]

Everybody talks about how great it would be to have a 14,000 sq/ft arena in downtown NB but the parking issues would be huge. You would need, realistically, another 7500 parking spaces to support it and that facility does not currently exist.

Not to mention the ingress/egress issues would be HUGE.

I'm not sure people who support that have done a daily commute in and out of NB during rush hour. I will say the commute hasn't been as nuts since the pandemic. People are definitely back, but the volumes (in my experience) are not as insane during peak rush hours.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

Everybody talks about how great it would be to have a 14,000 sq/ft arena in downtown NB but the parking issues would be huge. You would need, realistically, another 7500 parking spaces to support it and that facility does not currently exist.

Not to mention the ingress/egress issues would be HUGE.

Not to mention that they can create huge dead spaces on days when there are no events.

 

[Scarlet Craig]

You misspelled "ice hockey arena"

No offense but let's win like 10 Natties in sports we already have before starting a new super expensive one. :-)

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

As for an arena.. how about JnJ finally giving up some of that property on the other side of the tracks for an arena and parking? They have literally gotten everything they ever wanted otherwise. Time for them to step up.

 

[ScarletR97]

Thank John Lynch for that one. Traded away a downtown New Brunswick arena for political points in Trenton. That worked out well for him.

John Lynch Rutgers Oral History interview

 

[50 yd line RR]

Thank John Lynch for that one. Traded away a downtown New Brunswick arena for political points in Trenton. That worked out well for him.

In order for them to build the arena in New Brunswick they needed parking for 2,000 cars. That was what was required. Unless you had put the arena out on Jersey avenue (where Cahill proposed). You couldn’t find 2,000 parking spots downtown if your life depended on it.

 

[RUSK97]

As for an arena.. how about JnJ finally giving up some of that property on the other side of the tracks for an arena and parking? They have literally gotten everything they ever wanted otherwise. Time for them to step up.

What property is that?

 

[RU848789]

As for an arena.. how about JnJ finally giving up some of that property on the other side of the tracks for an arena and parking? They have literally gotten everything they ever wanted otherwise. Time for them to step up.

First off, it's not their responsibility to give up their land for something like this (surprised you'd even suggest such a thing) and second, there's not enough room for both an arena and a parking deck (maybe not even room for either, really) on their property north of the railroad tracks (where there's currently a surface lot).

 

[kupuna133]

In order for them to build the arena in New Brunswick they needed parking for 2,000 cars. That was what was required. Unless you had put the arena out on Jersey avenue (where Cahill proposed). You couldn’t find 2,000 parking spots downtown if your life depended on it.

Parking was an issue but that could have been easily solved. The story is much deeper than 2000 parking spots. That’s cover. Lynch did a lot of good for New Brunswick and he and his family have been rewarded handsomely. The reason the arena was not built was not because of parking. The arena was traded away. They had their choice of multiple sites in and around downtown. The sears site, jersey ave, 2-3sites downtown, along rt 18 near the old projects.

 

[RUTGERS95]

I know. I just wanted someone (in this case Lynch) to blame.😉

Rutgers Ice Center, the RIC.🙂

Me too. It would be very hard to replicate in a multi-purpose set up.

we need an ice center yes!!!!! I'm in your camp! Hell, our hometown has 2 only 5 minutes apart!!!!!

 

[RutHut]

Is it too late to change the design after Amazon's new headquarters in Arlington? Maybe if they put in a Helix waterslide they can get the State to pitch-in/bail-out. 😜

Seriously, good news.

 

[50 yd line RR]

To my knowledge Cahill wanted to put it on Jersey Ave and that was flat out rejected. (There was not much on Jersey Ave at the time).
Down along new street there was the parking issue.
I even heard there was a possibility right across from the train station. On top of store fronts(1st floor. Office space going up.
Black rock was all in until the crash.
Did John Lynch make a deal? Maybe. I had never heard that. But you’re right he did a lot for the city of New Brunswick. If he didn’t do what he did. NB could look more like Camden than what we have in NB today.

 

[50 yd line RR]

First off, it's not their responsibility to give up their land for something like this (surprised you'd even suggest such a thing) and second, there's not enough room for both an arena and a parking deck (maybe not even room for either, really) on their property north of the railroad tracks (where there's currently a surface lot).

The parking lot for Johnson Hall No way would that be big enough.

 

[kupuna133]

To my knowledge Cahill wanted to put it on Jersey Ave and that was flat out rejected. (There was not much on Jersey Ave at the time).
Down along new street there was the parking issue.
I even heard there was a possibility right across from the train station. On top of store fronts(1st floor. Office space going up.
Black rock was all in until the crash.
Did John Lynch make a deal? Maybe. I had never heard that. But you’re right he did a lot for the city of New Brunswick. If he didn’t do what he did. NB could look more like Camden than what we have in NB today.

Listen to the link posted above. It’s covered in the last 10-15 minutes of his oral history. There were high level discussions in the mid to late 90’s to early 2000’s. Regarding an arena along or over rt18. State wanted to build additional sports complexes. New Brunswick/Rutgers was the location of choice. Instead that money was diverted (many in the know say by Lynch) to multiple other projects for political favor. In that link he seems to get nervous when it is brought up and asks to discuss off the record. And blames it on Rutgers.