The Renaissance Opens Along Springwood Avenue
Michaels Organization VP Gin Dawson: At the heart of what we do is lifting lives
For Asbury Park native Anita Thomas her new home at The Renaissance is a dream come true.
“I was born and raised in Asbury Park,” the 66-year-old said during a tour of her three-bedroom, two-bath duplex on Springwood Avenue. “People used to speak so poorly of Asbury Park and I’m proud to say I was born and raised here.”
Thomas said she can remember the vibrant corridor that existed during her childhood and is now grateful to be a part of the neighborhood’s revitalization, which includes two of her four grandchildren’s participation in the Asbury Park School District’s Dream Academy – a program that will allow them to graduate with an associate’s degree.
The Renaissance, a three-building, 64-unit, affordable-housing development constructed by The Michaels Organization is the latest set of residential complexes to spring up on the corridor, which remained undeveloped after the 1970s riots razed businesses and homes.
The first major development came in 2012 when the Springwood Center, a $7 million joint venture between the City and local nonprofit group Interfaith Neighbors. The mixed-use building houses the City’s Senior Center, Interfaith Neighbors’ Kula Cafe and Business Development Center, Oceans Family Success Center, a police substation, and affordable residential units.
Next came the completion of Springwood Avenue Park in 2016 and, in March, the grand reopening of the $28 million Boston Way by the Asbury Park Housing Authority. The 104 mixed-income rentals feature 21 one-bedroom, 62 two-bedroom, and 21 three-bedroom units.
On Monday morning, the Michaels Organization was joined by the governing body and City officials, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, members of the Asbury Park Housing Authority, residents, and members of the larger community for a Grand Opening celebration.
“This is a great day for Asbury Park,” Mayor John Moor said after his signature ‘Greetings from Asbury Park.” “We have been waiting for at least 50 years to see residential [units] built. ”
In commending Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton for her work bringing the development to fruition Moor said, “Yvonne took this project from day one and ran with it.”
Clayton said the $20.2 million project was a team effort that began with the Springwood Avenue Redevelopment Committee, who wanted to see affordable housing and a park, to name a few.
“It’s happened,” Clayton said. “This is only just the beginning…A community is being given new hope because of this place, the Boston Way rebuilding, and the [soon to come] Interfaith Neighbors [Parkview AP income property] townhouses.”
“The Springwood Avenue Corridor was once the center of this Asbury Park community and we have long awaited it’s revitalization—the opening of The Renaissance shows us that change on the West Side is happening,” said Councilperson Yvonne Clayton, “The previous City Council and The Michael’s Organization started this process in 2013 when they came to an agreement to use three vacant, City-owned parcels to build this project. We broke ground in October of 2017, and I am proud to say that as of this morning, the entire complex is occupied. The development focuses on mixed-income families in need of affordable housing, with five units set aside for homeless individuals – giving priority to homeless veterans. I am incredibly proud and grateful to have been a part of this meaningful project.”
While the City and Michaels Organization reached an agreement in 2013, the efforts to finance the project was another matter. Clayton commended former Sen Jennifer Beck and Charles Richman of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency [NJHMFA] for helping after multiple denials.
“He mentored us,” Clayton said. “He told us what we needed to do to make the project move forward. Without his guidance, this would not have happened.”
Richman said he hopes The Renaissance is one step toward bringing back a thriving community along Springwood Avenue.
“Long before we had Bruce Springsteen, who became a fixture in this town, the Stone Pony was built, Springwood Avenue was the center of music. This was a community and street where the blues grew up; from route 35 to Main Street, you found club after club, a bar in the front end and cabaret in the back. There was Big Bill’s, the Turf Club, Cuba, and so many more that anchored a wonderful community that existed and thrived along Springwood Avenue.”
Richman, a Monmouth County resident, said NJHMFA received $660 million to help build and rebuild home after Superstorm Sandy’s damage in 2012. Of that amount, $8.9 million went toward The Renaissance, an important project for community revitalization.
“It’s families that bring back neighborhoods,” he said. “It’s not luxury apartments someplace where people fly in and fly out. It’s where people have children who go to school…play in the new playgrounds that are being built in this area, living next door in a rebuilt public housing. We are regaining a real sense of community, mixed income and mixed use, we will get more stores in this area.
Also along the way, there was a ‘Hail Mary’ telephone call from Mayor John Moor to Freeholder Tom Arnone when the project was being held up at the County level and in threat of being derailed. Arnone, whose family owned business ventures in the neighborhood, marked the event by presenting the Michaels Organization VP of Development Gin Dawson with a Recognition Certificate.
Dawson thanked the City for staying the course during the obstacles, challenges and disappointments.
“I have to credit to the City of Asbury Park for its resolve, for hanging in there, for being resolute and for making the calls to get it done; reaching out where it made sense to Freeholder Arnone, Jennifer Beck, the NJHMFA, everything to get this job done,” Dawson said. “We are now seeing the rewards in this beautiful 64 unit community. At the heart of what we do is lifting lives. There is no better reward than seeing the expression on a young family’s face when you give them the keys and they move into that new apartment. We lift lives when we give people safe decent housing that they can call their own.”
For rental information, visit liveattherenaissanceasburypark.com.
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