Affordable Senior Housing Project Set for Aberdeen

The 14-acre former South River Metals Corp. site on Church Street in Aberdeen has been vacant for many years, but that’s about to change. Township officials have announced that RPM Development Group will soon break ground for a three-building affordable housing development that will include rental units for seniors and people of all ages, as well as a new senior community center.

“The Aberdeen council worked very hard to find the correct developer to make this project a reality,” said Mayor Fred Tagliarini.  “In particular, the need for senior housing is a top priority for this council.  This is a very exciting project for Aberdeen, one that will allow local seniors to move from their single-family homes to affordable housing while remaining close to family and friends.”

One of the project’s two residential buildings, Hudson Ridge Senior Residence at Aberdeen, will offer 67 one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom rental units of age-restricted housing, for those 55 years or older.  The second residential building, Hudson Ridge Residence at Aberdeen, will provide 70 non age-restricted one, two and three-bedroom rental units.  Preference on the rentals will be given to households that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  Plans call for both of the four-story apartment buildings to include a community room for residents’ use, offering everything from computer workshops, to financial services and tax preparation help, to such physical fitness activities as yoga.  Combined cost for constructing the two residential buildings will be $44 million.

The site plan also calls for a separate 2,500-square-foot senior community center available for use by all residents of Aberdeen, as well as for open space.

“The community center will be an important new amenity for our senior residents, providing a wide range of programming each week that will buttress the activities currently offered at the George Hausmann Senior Center on Noble Place,” said Councilman Greg Cannon.

Pending final permits, work on the site is expected to begin in early fall, according to Brendan McBride, vice president of development for the Montclair, N.J.-based RPM, with a two-year build-out for completion.  Existing buildings on the site have been demolished.

“Some environmental remediation has been done at the property, but our first step in the development will be to complete the site remediation process,” said McBride, whose company brings widespread experience directing environmental cleanups prior to construction.

The Hudson Ridge development will be constructed with government assistance, according to McBride.  That assistance includes Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Relief funding, along with 4% low-income housing tax credits and a permanent mortgage from the New Jersey Mortgage and Housing and Finance Agency.

When completed, Hudson Ridge will have some unique features.  “The buildings will be LEED certified at a high level, Gold or Platinum,” noted McBride.  “That not only means it will be a healthier place to live and a better place for the environment and for Aberdeen, but it also means lower utility bills for residents.”

Additionally, Hudson Ridge will incorporate certain features “to promote physical fitness and residents’ well-being,” he continued.  Beyond the fitness programs in the buildings’ community rooms, the development will provide residents direct access to the adjacent Hudson Trail for walking, jogging and biking, as well as stairways accessible  right off the lobby to encourage the use of stairs, and not just the elevator.

“Ultimately, this project is important because it will provide an affordable, high-quality housing resource for residents of Aberdeen and for the region,” McBride concluded.

RPM, one of the leading developers of affordable housing in New Jersey, brings all aspects of the development process under one roof.  The company has worked with cities, suburban communities, local housing authorities, and state and federal agencies to create high