County-owned building in Lakewood being evaluated for future capital projects

Ocean County's satellite location in Lakewood offering social services and programs for seniors, is getting a closer look as officials evaluate all government-owned buildings to determine funding for future capital projects.

The Northern Ocean County Resource Center on 4th Street in Lakewood serves the most populous section of the county and is dealing with limited parking and long waiting lines, according to County Administrator Carl W. Block.

"Part of it I think is due to the location. We are now in the center of a busy town. The site is the most constrained," said Block. He compared the Lakewood location to the Ocean County Southern Service Center in Manahawkin, which has 165 parking spaces and a reserved overflow lot.

The Lakewood location has roughly 65 parking spaces, and according to Block, most of them are used by employees.

Securing addition parking in Lakewood or using other buildings in the Township for the Northern Resource Center are among possible options, noted Block.

"It may be that a different location within Lakewood might be a better fit, because then the people who aren't from Lakewood could get to it more easily," Block said.

The reassessment is only in the preliminary stages, so Block could not provide an estimate of how much it might cost to expand the location and/or parking. He said he hopes to provide the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders with the alternate options by the end of the year.