Home Sweet Holmdel — Holmdel Mayor Impreveduto looks forward to the future of the town he loves


By:  | January 15, 2025 Holmdel

By Emma Sylvia

 

As 2024 came to a close, I had a chance to chat with Holmdel Mayor Rocco Impreveduto to recap some of the highlights of last year and what residents and visitors have to look forward to in the New Year. As someone who grew up in town and has family roots deep in the community’s leadership, you could say Impreveduto’s enthusiasm for Holmdel is without question.

“I graduated from Holmdel High School in 1995, and I moved back here 12 years ago,” Impreveduto notes. “I have three kids — a senior, freshman and eighth grader. I’ve been on the township committee now for three years and was selected this past year to serve another term.”

With Mayor Impreveduto’s father also previously serving as mayor, they are the only father-son duo in Holmdel’s mayoral history. With plenty of time and history in Holmdel, Impreveduto explains the appeal of his town:

“We anchor three tenants, which are based upon why people move to Holmdel. One — we keep our taxes low. Two — we support our school district. And Three — we preserve as much open space as possible.”

2024 was a crucial year for achieving and sustaining each of these tenants. Holmdel kept their tax rate flat and introduced their Stay at Holmdel Address, which was “a whole strategic overview, not only for revenues and budget, but also what [the town’s] approach would be to spending for the year.” Impreveduto lauds this address, saying: “That was a first for us — it was extreme transparency. People want to understand where their money is being spent, and how and why.” 

In order to support the school district, the town absorbed the cost of school security, as well as contributing thousands of dollars to put lights on the new turf field. These two endeavors cost nearly half a million dollars, all operating expenses that go back to the students.

In terms of preserving Holmdel’s history — as well as its open space — 35 acres atop Crawfield Field have been preserved in order to build a park around the Holmdel Horn Antenna. A piece of Americana, the Holmdel Horn Antenna is a device that astronomers Robert Wilson — a Holmdel resident — and Arno Penzias utilized 60 years ago to discover cosmic background radiation, winning them both the Nobel Prize for Physics. Impreveduto says, “We committed to naming the park after Dr. Robert Wilson, and we’ll honor Dr. Penzias as well. We preserved Holmdel history, and, you could argue, world history.”

Alongside this advent, the town also purchased 11 acres on Middletown Road to keep as a farm. Holmdel’s goal is to prevent needless development, preserve nature and have a positive impact on the environment.

Another infrastructure that the town is investing in is the land where Vonage’s former headquarters once stood. “The owner wants to put in a Continue Care retirement community,” Impreveduto explains.

“The benefits to the town are obviously revenues coming in, but also low impact infrastructure, no impact to the schools, and low impact on the first responders.” Green space in the property will be increased by about 20 percent. “We try to keep things as aesthetically pleasing as possible,” he says. The Vonage property is a particularly large piece of land that Impreveduto is glad to see repurposed in order to benefit the community, especially Holmdel’s seniors. 

Other improvements to residents’ daily lives include five new pickleball courts, as well as volleyball, basketball and tennis courts. Additionally, Impreveduto says, “With the help of Senator O’Scanlon, we received a state grant to improve conditions on Crawfords Corner Road, to widen the road and ease congestion.” With this road being in the heart of Holmdel, the mayor is ecstatic to improve traffic conditions for residents and business owners alike. 

In 2025, Holmdel will be continuing some of their staple events. “We brought back Harvest Fest this year; that’ll come back again. The Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting, Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies. We do Trick-or-Treat at Bayonet Farm, and there’s a Howl-o-Ween costume contest. Our recreation team, too, is amazing; they do a ton of stuff for the seniors.”

Some of the hidden gems of Holmdel happen to be its historical landmarks. “The unsung part of Holmdel is how many landmarks we have in town. Many Monmouth County and New Jersey residents are aware of the famous PNC Bank Arts Center, an amphitheater home to many [events] across the year, from summer concerts to a Christmas lights drive. There’s the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Museum, which ensures the enduring legacy of American soldiers — the first museum of its kind in the United States. There also Bell Works, a unique destination that allows residents to connect in a center full of advancing technology, as well as dining, fitness, retail and more. For a smallish town, we have quite a bit to see. When you look at Holmdel, you see how we bridge our history with our reputation for education and innovation. You go from living history at Long Street Farm, to the Holmdel Hornet Antenna –which speaks to world-changing innovation and knowledge, to Bell Works, which is a landmark in and of itself.”

Mayor Impreveduto is looking forward to continuing the great traditions within the community that Holmdel has established during its existence.

“We are an exceptional town with a ton to offer for anyone that wants to visit or move here. Everything we’re doing here is to preserve and amplify the reasons people move to our town to begin with, and what makes our town great. We’re on a great path. We’ve got a great future ahead of us and we are making sure to preserve the culture here as best as possible.”

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