Staff photo/Deborah Ann TripoldiStaff photo/Deborah Ann TripoldiStaff photo/Marko GeorgievStaff photo/Don Smith

Robert C. Garrett, president and CEO of Hackensack University Health Network speaks at the Hoffmann-La Roche campus in Nutley and Clifton about the joint venture to create a medical school with Seton Hall University as Gov. Chris Christie and University President Dr. A Gabriel Esteban look on. At center, Nutley Mayor Alphonse Petracco and Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi discuss their support for the project. The building pictured will house the new school.

CLIFTON Gov. Chris Christie and local dignitaries stood by as Hackensack University Medical Network and Seton Hall University announced a joint venture last week that will bring to the vacated Roche campus New Jerseys first private medical school.

Robert Garrett, the health network's CEO, and the South Orange universitys president, Dr. Gabriel Esteban, presented the major project to dozens of Roche executives, local officials and members of the press who were packed into the drugmakers Building 123 auditorium.

An official said the agreement shows the two sides are "in it for the long haul" with multiple sources with knowledge of the deal stating the partnership inked a 25-year lease agreement with Roche with three renewal options that could carry the life of the contract to more than 100 years.

The medical school is a nonprofit institution but sources say the new venture will pay a Payment In Lieu of Taxes instead of paying property taxes. A PILOT is typically less than what a city would receive in property taxes. And in this case, two City officials said 95 percent of the money will go to Clifton and 5 percent to Passaic County.

During the Jan. 15 press conference, Garrett said the two organizations "made history" by establishing the four-year medical school which, at its "full maturity" will become home to about 1,200 students and staff members.

Thomas Lyon, the site head of Hoffmann-La Roche's Route 3 campus, said the partnership first began to take form 18 months ago when Garrett contacted him to request a tour of the property.

"Since that time I was able to follow along as this whole vision came together," Lyon said. "As we progress to transfer the site to its new owners, the future of this campus is very bright."

The governor, a graduate of SHU's law school and whose wife received her master's degree from the Stillman School of Business, praised Roche for taking a decision which was disappointing for New Jerseyans at the time and working hard to turn it into a positive for tomorrow.

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Medical school coming to Clifton