A $5.7 million county open space grant will help permanently protect two Denville properties, with township ownership expected in July.
DENVILLE, NJ – Morris County and Denville Township have announced the preservation of more than 57 acres of open space at the former St. Francis property on Diamond Spring Road and a portion of 18 Pocono Road, including Pocono Fields, barns and festival grounds. The project is supported by a $5.7 million grant from the Morris County Open Space Preservation Trust Fund, and the properties are expected to be permanently deed restricted as open space.
The preservation project covers the 17-acre former St. Francis property and a 40-acre portion of the Pocono Road property. County officials said contracts have been executed between Denville Township and Springpoint Realty Inc. for both properties, with the township expected to take ownership in July.
The project marks a new chapter for land with both recreational and historic significance in Denville. County officials said township leaders envision a community park at the former St. Francis site while continuing recreational use of Pocono Fields.
“This project highlights the strength of our partnerships with municipalities such as Denville and our shared commitment to protecting land in Morris County,” said Commissioner Thomas Mastrangelo, liaison to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation. “Since 1994, Morris County has helped preserve more than 18,400 acres of open space, protecting natural resources while expanding recreational opportunities for residents.”
The county’s announcement, posted May 4, follows the county commissioners’ approval of $6.95 million in 2025 open space preservation grants in November 2025 for projects in Denville, Mendham Township and Rockaway Township. At that time, Denville was awarded $5.7 million to protect 57.29 acres across the St. Francis and Pocono Field properties.
The November approval described the northern parcel as the former senior living community site and the southern parcel as land that had evolved from farmland into active recreation fields. The county said both properties were sold in 2022 for a proposed redevelopment on the northern tract that was later withdrawn.
The former St. Francis property had been a local landmark for more than a century. The land was acquired in 1895 by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, who established the St. Francis Residential Community on the northern portion of the property. The southern parcel later became recreational fields used by the community.
In August 2022, Denville Township said Springpoint, which owned the former St. Francis Residential Community facility, planned to demolish structures on the property at the corner of Diamond Spring Road and Pocono Road to make way for a future healthcare community serving older adults. The township said at the time that the property was privately owned and had not been listed on state or federal historic registers, limiting the township’s ability to prevent demolition.
Denville officials said in that 2022 notice that the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother had transferred the senior living community to Springpoint in December 2021. The township also said the sisters had donated historically significant items from the facility to the Denville Historical Society and chapel pews to the Catholic Diocese of Newark.
The site’s history extends beyond the St. Francis era. Morris County said portions of the preserved land trace back to the historic Glover estate, a nearly 200-acre property established in the early 1800s by Col. John Heyward Glover along the Rockaway River. Known as Rockaway Farms, the estate was home to one of Denville’s largest residences at the time.
County officials said Glover later served on committees of local dignitaries, including an 1825 committee to welcome the Marquis de Lafayette during his return visit to Morristown and an 1827 committee involved in planning the opening of the Morris County Courthouse. The county attributed historical details about the estate to the Denville Historical Society and local historian Vito L. Bianco, a former Denville councilman and retired Superior Court judge.
“I’m pleased to share that Denville has taken major steps to acquire and preserve both the St. Francis property and the Pocono Fields,” said Denville Mayor Thomas Andes. “Together, these properties will be permanently preserved as open space and remain an important part of our community’s history. Projects like this show what’s possible when we work together.”
The money comes from the Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is supported by a voter-approved dedicated county tax. The fund supports several preservation purposes, including open space acquisition, farmland preservation, county parkland purchases, historic preservation, trail construction and design, and acquisition of flood-prone residential properties.
The county’s preservation trust fund was established in 1992 after voter approval, with collections beginning in 1993. For 2026, the county says the levy is 5/8 cent per $100 valuation, with allocations for county park improvements, historic preservation and municipal or qualified charitable conservancy projects.
Denville has participated in the county open space program since its early years. The county said the township was among the first municipalities to receive funding through the program with preservation of the Ayres-Knuth Farm, a 53-acre parcel purchased in 1996 for $1.7 million, including $725,000 from Morris County.
Since the program began, the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund has helped preserve more than 18,440 acres across nearly all 39 municipalities, supported by more than $300 million generated through the voter-approved preservation tax, according to the county.
The next step is the expected transfer of ownership to Denville Township in July. County officials also said the 2026 Open Space grant application cycle is open, with applications and appraisals due Friday, June 12, 2026.