Diocese of Metuchen weighs in on potential sale of Lincoln Annex School
The Diocese of Metuchen responded to the ongoing attempt to sell the Lincoln Annex School to use the land to build Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, according to a press release.
The land which the school occupies was sold to the New Brunswick Board of Education by St. Peter’s Catholic Church in 2013, according to The Daily Targum. The deed included a restriction stating the land “shall be used solely for public education or for public administrative offices for no less than 50 years.”
The diocese did not state in the release whether they would permit the sale to continue but said they are committed to helping community members access education.
“For decades, the diocese and parishes in the City of New Brunswick have maintained a special connection to the immigrant community and have worked closely with them to ensure equity in all aspects of life, including education,” the diocese said, according to the release.
The diocese said they learned from local media about the city’s plans to house the students in a warehouse while a replacement school is built, according to the release.
“We have heard, indirectly, of the New Brunswick Board of Education’s plans and have contacted the City of New Brunswick, and while we have not yet received any formal proposal or inquiries from them, we expect that we will have an opportunity to listen to them and learn more about their plans,” the diocese said, according to the release.
The diocese hopes to work with all groups involved in the situation, according to the release.
“We have deep respect for all people involved — immigrant families, the Board of Education, the school community, our pastors, the coalition (to defend Lincoln Annex School) and Mayor (James M.) Cahill — and are open to beginning the dialogue,” the diocese said, according to the release.
RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH) is currently in separate negotiations with the diocese of Metuchen to discuss a potential partnership between RWJBH and St. Peter’s University Hospital, which is owned by the diocese, according to a press release from December 2019.
