Almost a year to the date construction crews broke ground on it, the new Robbinsville Township municipal building has opened for business.
Located at 2298 Route 33 next to the Investors Bank building, the 15,000-square-foot facility houses the township’s administration, affordable housing, construction, finance, planning and zoning, and tax departments, as well as the recreation division, the clerk’s office and the township council chambers.
The township plans to officially unveil the $4.6M building in January, during the council’s annual reorganization meeting. But all municipal government services are already set up and available on Route 33; no departments remain at One Washington Boulevard, where the township leased space for a decade.
The move was a long time coming. The township planned the original transition date for the summer, but delays and missteps during construction pushed relocation back to mid-October. Three weeks later, municipal employees were still adjusting to the building, and boxes emblematic of a recent move were scattered in offices here and there.
Township officials view the next few weeks as “practice” before the start of 2017, and urge patience as they get up to speed. There are still some growing pains. The building includes an industrial kitchen—complete with professional hood, oven and stove—which had yet to be finished by mid-November. The signs labeling each department were smaller than officials expected, as was the font on them, so new, larger ones will be ordered.
A space allotted for one cubicle and desk in the administration department wound up being too small for a work space, so officials found room elsewhere to put the employee. In the vacant space, township business administrator Joy Tozzi put a table and chairs that weren’t being used by the planning and zoning department. Tozzi said the table has become a favorite spot for employees to huddle for quick, informal meetings. There are plenty of other examples of similar adjustments as the building evolves from an empty structure to a working office.
But, for the most part, a long, detailed planning process has paid off. Tozzi said she and township director of community and economic development Tim McGough worked closely to design and redesign the building and its interior space. Entering from either end, the building appears to be just one hallway. Both sides of the hallway are lined with windows similar to ones found at a movie theater; each department has a window, and residents can walk right up to the appropriate one to receive service.
Tozzi said the flow of the building has been designed so residents could immediately get services in a transparent way. To that end, offices have been set up so department directors are not isolated and have a view of the building’s main hallway, in case a resident needs assistance and the employees who usually assist the public are not available. Workstations have been set up around the building, including desks near the construction and planning and zoning departments where plans can be easily reviewed.
Some seating will be added along the main hallway to create a more welcoming feel, Tozzi said, but the goal is not to have anyone wait very long. Parking spaces for visitors were even placed directly next to the rear door to make it easier for people to finish their business at the municipal building.
Back in the offices, there is plenty of space, allotted to each department based on need. The affordable housing department, for example, is just one square office where municipal housing liaison Gail Pfister has her desk and a table for meetings. In contrast, the township engineering department has plenty of area for file cabinets needed to hold plans, a conference room and private office space.
Skylights are placed around the office areas to allow natural light in, with the glass on the skylights helping to disperse the light while also amplifying its brightness. Among other perks are a mail room with plenty of storage, a side entrance for construction officials that allows quick access to the construction department while also preventing them from muddying the carpets in the rest of the building, and the aforementioned kitchen—which also serves as a break room, a first since the township left its old home at the Route 130 municipal complex in 2006.
All 33 employees in the building had a chance to see their work spaces to correct any obvious issues before operations transferred to Route 33 full-time in October. McGough and Tozzi also asked for employee wish lists, and worked what they could into the budget. That resulted in items like a handful of treadmill desks, where employees can be active while working, being ordered.
The crown jewel of the building is the new council chambers, where all government boards will meet. Two large flatscreen TVs are mounted on each side of the room, allowing council and residents to view presentations easily. The room is also large enough to hold community gatherings, and for use as a multi-purpose room.
The Robbinsville Township municipal building. Robbinsville plans to sell the building if plans to lease the former Investors Bank building next door come to fruition. (Staff photo by Rob Anthes.)// <
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