Islamic academy plans expansion in Wayne

There is a waiting list of at least 200 children

By: Philip DeVencetis
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

WAYNE - an Islamic school from Bergen County will convert an office building on Hamburg Turnpike into new classrooms to satisfy a thriving student body.
..... Yet that is only a piece of its long-range plan.
..... The Academy of Greatness & Excellence has invested $20 million in Wayne, tax records show, snapping up decades-old buildings one by one in order to expand beyond its tight quarters in Ridgefield Park and Teaneck.
..... It needs the space, its leaders said, because there is a waiting list of at least 200 children whose parents hope to get them enrolled. It already has a population of about 500.
..... The K-12 school, a nonprofit governed by four-member board of directors, opened its doors in September 2013 with fewer than 25 students.
..... Wahid Melook said he and other leaders of the academy focused their property search on the township since it "exemplifies diversity" and "exemplified a spirit of inclusivity."
..... It's reputation as a family-oriented environment aligns seamlessly with our values," said Melook, the school treasurer.
..... The Planning Board unanimous approved a proposal by the academy to renovate 9,216 square feet of vacant offices in a two-story building at 524 Hamburg Turnpike - about 250 feet from the entrance to North Jersey Country Club.
..... The school purchased the 6.4-acre property for $3.2 million in May 2017, and being a nonprofit, it is tax-exempt.
..... It will serve up to 170 students in pre-K through fifth grade, said Iman ElDessouky its principal.
..... The academy will share the building with Alliance Hand & Physical therapy, a 4,233-square-foot rehab center that specializes in aquatic therapy, among other treatments. the facility has an indoor pool.
..... Board members said they were most concerned about security - how the school would prevent a way in form the medical suite.
..... Other concerns includes accessible parking, lighting, and the number and size of signs.
..... The academy will have eight classrooms, an elevator and a 2,886-square-foot multi-purpose room. the facade of the building will not be altered.
..... Much will be done to the landscape, now covered with mature trees. A recreation complex with an athletic field, a playground and a tennis court will be built to the east of the building.
..... On the opposite side of the future complex, at 516 Hamburg Turnpike, is a 2.4-acre property that the school bought for $3.3 million in November. '[2023] the building there is occupied by Wayne Radiology Center and other doctors.
..... Melook said the tenants will have five years to relocate and that the building may be adapted for an Islamic community center.
..... The academy made its biggest investment, to date, with the $13.5 million acquisition of the former Neumann Preparatory School from the Catholic Diocese of Paterson in July 2022.
..... The 24.8-acre property at 970 Black Oak Ridge Road is leased to another Islamic institution, Al-Ghazaly Junior-Senior High School, which is also run by a nonprofit.
..... Melook said Wednesday [01/03/2024] that the academy wants to use it for a middle school and a high school, but it is letting Al-Ghazaly stay there for as long as necessary.

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