Lincoln Park is an affordable family housing project. Construction of the project began in March 2010 and was completed in August 2011. The project contains 66 apartments consisting of 13 one (670-850sf), 32 two (840-1,000sf) and 21 three-bedroom (1,050-1,400 sf) residences within four four-story buildings along with 55 off street parking spaces, a community room with a warming kitchen for events and functions held at the site, a leasing/management office, laundry facilities and a social services suite within four scattered sites in the emerging Lincoln Park community. The total project cost is in excess of $20 Million and contains a total of 83,779 square feet of residential space. Financing for this project was provided through the New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency (LIHTC, TCAP, Exchange Funds and an Agency Mortgage), County Home Funds and a construction loan from JP Morgan Chase.
The development designated 100% of the residences for family households that earn no more than 50% of the Essex County median income. The current market conditions in the Lincoln Park area for new or recently renovated affordable family units are quite limited.
All of the buildings sit on approximately one acre, of what was, mostly vacant Brownfield sites.
Within a short walking distance of the site is the downtown core of the City of Newark, NJ. This area contains drugstores, supermarkets, convenience stores, houses of worship, medical facilities, etc. Immediately adjacent to the site is Broad St. which is serviced by NJ Transit busses. The site is also a short driving distance from the NJ Turnpike, Interstates 280 and 78 as well as the Newark’s Liberty International Airport. Finally the site is approximately one mile from Penn Station which is serviced by NJ Transit and Amtrak.
Each of the buildings have been designed to achieve USGBC LEED standards (two of which have been awarded LEED Gold) and the exterior facades complement the existing brownstones in the Lincoln Park Historic District.
Finally, the project also offers the residents a complete social service package. The social services include a case manager (20 hours/week) who is responsible for instituting linkages with area service providers, including mental health counseling, substance abuse programs and counseling, transportation, legal advocacy, domestic violence counseling and a host of medical services. All of these services are being provided within the social service suite or in the resident’s apartment, whichever is more appropriate.