Warehouse Lofts and Special Needs Home Honored with Governor’s Awards

A development providing mixed-income housing in a revitalizing neighborhood; a supportive home for special needs residents; and a business incubator and light industrial space for entrepreneurs and small companies received the 2018 Governor’s Excellence in Housing and Economic Development Awards during the annual Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development.

“New Jersey’s prosperity is directly linked to the availability of safe and decent housing for all residents in the state, regardless of their income. It also relies on small businesses and local job-creating initiatives that result in sustained economic growth for communities,” says Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. “We congratulate this year’s award winners for championing projects that strengthen our state’s prosperity and improve people’s lives.”

“These award winners exemplify the respective missions of our agencies to provide not only opportunities for housing that are affordable to all residents, but projects that improve the quality of life for all New Jerseyans, create and retain jobs, and invest in the future,” says New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency executive director Charles A. Richman. “Today’s winners reflect innovation, the fulfillment of community needs, revitalization, and critical partnerships that challenge all of us to broaden our expectations and set higher goals as we move forward.”

The Leading Housing Development Award was awarded to Roebling Lofts, 71 Clark St., Trenton, NJ, which involved the rehabilitation and reuse of a vacant historic industrial building to provide 110 market-rate and 28 affordable apartments in a neighborhood undergoing redevelopment. The award recognizes achievement in an affordable housing revitalization project. Projects must demonstrate the revitalization or redevelopment of distressed or blighted neighborhoods while including an affordable or workforce housing component.

The development team that received the award included: City of Trenton, Mercer County, Fulton Bank, Clarke Caton Hintz, HHG Development Associates, and The Bank of Princeton.

The Leading Supportive Housing Development Award was presented to Middle Tree Home in Jackson, which featured the rehabilitation of an existing home, including equipping it with smart home technology, to provide the opportunity for independent living for residents with developmental disabilities. The award recognizes achievement in the creation of a supportive housing project designed to serve special needs populations such as homeless individuals; survivors of domestic violence; people with mental, physical and developmental disabilities; people with HIV/AIDS; and youth aging out of foster care.

The award recipients include: Advancing Opportunities, KVD+ Architecture Incorporated, Flanagan Construction, Jackson Township, and Jersey Central Power & Light.

The Leading Economic Development Partnership Award was presented to Kearny Point, which involved new construction and rehabilitation to transform industrial space once part of a World War I/II shipyard into loft-style “flex” office space and co-working and business incubation, accompanied by a light industrial building for small-scale makers and creators. The award recognizes a project that promotes economic growth through local job creation, private investment and the catalytic impact of additional development.

The award-winning recipients include: Hugo Neu Corporation, New Jersey Community Capital, Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, Town of Kearny and Hudson County.

“From redevelopment of blighted areas to job creation and improved availability of affordable and accessible housing options, the projects honored today are aligned with the Murphy administration’s vision for a stronger and fairer economy,” said New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan. “These projects are the result of collaboration among stakeholders that are committed to equitable, inclusive economic development that contributes to improved quality of life for all New Jerseyans.”

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