MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ--The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today the protection of 112 acres through a purchase from the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist in Mendham Township, New Jersey.
The $8.4 million purchase relieved the sisters of a large portion of land that they have owned for decades, but which had become more than they wanted to manage as the numbers in their order declined.
The land, which is located north of Mosley Road, will be now owned and managed by Mendham Township, the New Jersey Water Supply Authority, and Schiff Natural Lands Trust, which runs a nearby nature preserve. TPL negotiated the purchase and lined up eight funding sources to cover the cost.
The deal was two years in the making and involved a subdivision and a rezoning of the larger property, which includes the former Mosley Mansion, now home to Mount Saint John Convent and its seven Baptistine Sisters. At one time, there were as many as 30 sisters living at the convent and running services and programs including an orphanage, school, and retreat center. The Montgomery Academy, an educational institution teaching grades K-12, now leases the school space.
The Trust for Public Land worked closely with the township on the subdivision of the larger property and has worked with the sisters to identify private sector purchasers for the buildings. There are approximately 110,000 square feet of building space including the convent and school building. Originally known as the Mosley Mansion, built in 1906, the property was purchased at auction by the sisters in 1926. They added two wings to the building and ran many charitable outreaches from this base. The building and grounds continue to serve as a conference and retreat center for priests, sisters and other visitors.
Since the orphanage closed in 1937 and the school in 1992, the number of sisters living at the convent has drastically declined, making the sale of the property inevitable. The sisters had received multiple offers from developers, but agreed to sell to The Trust for Public Land at a competitive price with the agreement that the land will be preserved.
The purchase has long been a top protection priority for the Township of Mendham, which plans to make the existing athletic fields available to the public and offer access to the significant open space. The land is also at the headwaters of Gladstone Brook, which feeds the Raritan River, the drinking water source for millions of New Jersey residents.
Mendham Township has pursued an aggressive program of open space acquisition since the 1960s and is proud to have protected more than 1,500 acres of property. The goals of the town's open space preservation efforts include protecting groundwater aquifers, trout producing streams, woodlands, critical wildlife habitat, and historic sites as well as providing active and passive recreation opportunities.
Trust for Public Land
www.tpl.org/newjersey
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