WinnCompanies hosts ribbon-cutting for 40M affordable housing rehab in Jersey City

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and development firm WinnCompanies hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of an affordable housing rehabilitation project at the former Brunswick Estates site. WinnCompanies said the $40.2 million project will preserve affordable housing for over 400 residents for the next 30 years.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and development firm WinnCompanies hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of an affordable housing rehabilitation project at the former Brunswick Estates site. WinnCompanies said the $40.2 million project will preserve affordable housing for over 400 residents for the next 30 years.

“City Crossing is a great example of how a single housing redevelopment can strengthen a community in many important ways,” Gilbert Winn, CEO of WinnCompanies, said. “Working together with government and financial partners, we not only delivered quality affordable homes with services that offer residents a brighter future, but also provided significant immediate as well as long-term economic benefits for Jersey City.”

The 15-month project at 1 Montgomery Court renovated the interiors of all apartment units, repaired and resurfaced the exteriors of 18 buildings, upgraded plumbing systems, added a playground and common areas and improved the landscaping on the property’s courtyard and along Montgomery Court. WinnCompanies said the rehabilitation also addressed damage to the property from Hurricane Sandy and ADA compliance issues.

 “A major focus of our administration has been on increasing affordable housing throughout the city, and we have added more units in four years than the previous 10 combined, so, as the city grows, so, too, do opportunities for all residents,” Fulop said.  “This project is important because it preserves affordable housing in the downtown area for years to come, while also providing a full renovation to the properties both inside and out so that residents have quality, affordable housing.”

Robert Halsch, CEO and president of Greater Bergen Community Action — which will provide workforce development and employment opportunities to City Crossing residents — also attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Partnering with WinnCompanies, a quality developer of affordable housing, enhances our capacity to improve the quality of life for 400 of Jersey City’s most vulnerable residents,” he said. “Today marks the beginning of a brighter future for City Crossing.”

Partners for the project include the Jersey City Division of Community Development, New Jersey Economic Development Authority, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Citi Community Capital, Richman Group Affordable Housing Corp., New Jersey Community Capital and Boston Community Capital.

NJHMFA said City Crossing will add an approximate $7.1 million in economic output to the city as well as $402,000 in taxes.

“The modernization of the City Crossing residential property has not only increased its energy efficiency, but has added amenities that will help to foster a sense of community and well-being,” NJEDA CEO Melissa Orsen said. “This project reinforces several key objectives of the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Program, including the investment it brings to a targeted urban area and its proximity to transit access.”

Winn Development and GBCA acquired the property back in December 2015.

Rochester, New York-based DiMarco Constructors was the general contractor for the project. The Architectural Team out of Massachusetts designed the project.