Initially, NV5 was hired as the prime consultant to develop a master plan for 369 acres of the Belle Mead Depot as a future park. The resulting master plan included, among other recommendations, an 8-phase plan for the development of the park.
Somerset County hired NV5 again to provide professional engineering, landscape architectural, environmental, and architectural design services to develop Phase 1 of the master plan. This phase focused on the ballfield elements of the park and included coordination of utilities for the site and construction of the park entrance, entrance drive, and a new maintenance facility. Redevelopment of the property also included recycling approximately 2.66 million square feet of concrete slabs for use as base material during construction. An environmental assessment was performed on the concrete slabs under a separate contract and they were then crushed, stockpiled on site, and incorporated into the construction plans.
Prior to purchase by the County, the site had served as a military supply depot for the General Services Administration during World War II.
Phase 1 features included six natural grass ballfields, a challenger ballfield for people of all abilities, a restroom/ concession building, two park picnic shelters, a playground, two ballfield storage sheds, a batting cage, parking, and a multi-use path throughout the park.
