Mayor John E. McCormac, Ingerman-BCM Affordable Housing, Woodbridge Housing Authority and Woodbridge Redevelopment Agency Announce Grand Opening of The Community Center at Jacobs Landing
[Woodbridge] Mayor John E. McCormac today announced the Grand Opening of the Community Center Building at the all-new Jacob’s Landing – an affordable residential rental community located on the former site of the Woodbridge Garden Apartments Complex at Bunns Lane.
Joining Mayor McCormac to announce the opening were Bruce Morgan, President, BCM Affordable Housing Caroline Ehrlich, Executive Director, Woodbridge Redevelopment Agency, Donna Brightman, Executive Director, Woodbridge Housing Authority, Marta Lefsky, Director, Woodbridge Department of Planning & Development and Municipal Council representatives Gregg Ficarra (At-Large), Nancy Drumm (First Ward) and Viru Patel (Fourth Ward.) Additionally, representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Woodbridge Affordable Housing Corporation and the Woodbridge Police Department attended the celebration.
“Today’s announcement represents yet another milestone toward achieving our goal of ensuring that Woodbridge Township residents have access to quality residential options that allow them to affordably continue to live in the Woodbridge community,” Mayor John E. McCormac said. “The Grand Opening of the incredibly well-appointed Community Center represents the next step in the transformation of the 64 year-old Woodbridge Garden Apartments on Bunns Lane into a vibrant new community. It is important to note that no taxpayer funds have been used to construct Jacob’s Landing – the entire project is funded through federal and state grants, housing development programs and private investment.”
According to Mayor McCormac, the Jacob’s Landing residential community project will offer 204 affordable residential rental housing units when completed in early 2020. Phase 1, a $23 million investment in affordable housing, comprised of 84 units - 18 one-bedroom, 42 two-bedroom, 21 three-bedroom, and 3 four-bedroom apartments in seven three-story buildings was opened for tenants in April, 2018. The entire community will offer residents ample parking, community space and community social services including mental health counseling, substance abuse programs and a host of medical and legal advocacy services. All of the apartments feature spacious layouts, oversized windows, HVAC systems, tile in the kitchen and foyer, ceramic tile baths, vinyl floors in the living rooms and wall-to-wall carpeting throughout the remainder. Kitchens will feature a full appliance package including a dishwasher and a garbage disposal. There will be both fully accessible and adaptable units, as well as fully-furnished supportive housing units in the community.
Financing for the project was provided through a combination of equity from the syndication of the Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, transferred reserves from the Woodbridge Housing Authority, an Affordable Housing Trust Fund contribution from the Woodbridge Affordable Housing Corporation and a permanent mortgage from the NJHMFA.
“I first met Mayor McCormac roughly 15 years ago when he was the Woodbridge Township Business Administrator. At that time, he told me that his number one priority for redevelopment in Woodbridge was to redevelop the Bunns Lane public housing complex. Well, it has taken longer than I would have preferred to get to this day, but no one can say that we gave up on our goal,” said Bruce Morgan, President, BCM Affordable Housing. “Today is the start of great things to come for the residents of Jacobs Landing and I could not be happier to finally see this project come to fruition.”
