SOUTH AMBOY – Almost 12 years since Superstorm Sandy left the Luke A. Lovely Post 62 American Legion damaged beyond repair, the post has been given approval to rebuild its home with housing for veterans.

The city last week unanimously approved the site plans for construction of the Stars & Stripes Veterans Center of South Amboy, which includes a new home for the Legion and five low- and moderate-income apartments for veterans at the corner of David Street and Rosewell Avenue.

“Leaving the Planning Board meeting with unanimous approval for this new building is a huge step that brings us to the next phase of our project; fundraising and construction of the Stars & Stripes Veterans Center of South Amboy,” Post Commander Joe Szaro said.

The post was “happy to see the council room filled with our American Legion members and especially grateful to have the American Legion State Commander Larry Bishop and Middlesex County Commander Joel Bloom standing alongside us during the meeting,” Szaro said.

“We also appreciate the ongoing support of Mayor Fred Henry and we look forward to working with the City of South Amboy to build this much-needed center for our veterans,” he said. “Congratulations to the Post and Unit members for all their hard work this past year and a half. Keep those sleeves rolled up!”

Since the storm, the post has been meeting at various locations, most recently at the South Amboy Senior Center.

The building was eventually demolished in October 2022.

Last year, the organization established the nonprofit Stars & Stripes Veterans Center of South Amboy as the charitable arm of Post 62. Fundraising efforts for construction costs are ongoing.

“It’s a great project,” Mayor Fred Henry, who attended the meeting in support of the project, said. “First of all it gives them a place to meet. We have no other place in South Amboy that has any other military distinction to it. This is a perfect spot to rebuild, just where they were. There will also be five units in the complex that will help out with the homeless veterans. As far as I’m concerned, there is no downside to any of this.”

The mayor said he’s been working with Commander Szaro and his wife, Mary, the project manager, for a while on the project and thanked them for their efforts.

“They have come up with some very good plans,” Henry said. “They still got a ways to go, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

The mayor said a city park on a lot next to the property has to be moved to make way for the complex.

“The park’s been closed for a while due to damage from Superstorm Sandy,” he said. “We are in the process of getting some plans together to move it over by the Little League complex, which is just few blocks away on George Street and John O’Leary Boulevard.”

The mayor said funds will be needed to not only purchase new equipment for the park, but create the park itself, which will be located in an area that is currently a parking lot.

“We have to come up with the funds to make that move, but I’ve committed myself to the Legion,” Henry said. “It will take some time, but I told them as soon as we do this we’ll transfer the property to them.”

The post is building the center to continue the traditions of the American Legion by honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans, Szaro said previously.

“We’re hoping to identify any local, homeless veterans and those at risk,” he said.

Established in July 1919 as one of the first American Legion posts in Middlesex County, Post 62 has been on lower David Street since Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1921.

The location, close to Raritan Bay, would be the organization’s home for more than 90 years until October 2012 when Superstorm Sandy walloped New Jersey with a record-breaking storm surge and massive coastal flooding that left the building damaged beyond repair.

For information on donating to the project, email post62americanlegion@gmail

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: South Amboy NJ American Legion gets city approval to rebuild