Mercer Management to Develop Market-Rate Apartments in Trenton

By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor

Trenton, N.J.—The City of Trenton has approved the development of a 169-unit apartment property in the city block of Ohio Ave., Strawberry St., Pear St. and New York Ave. The move comes as part of the city’s overall plans to increase market-rate apartments, as well as mixed-use properties in Trenton.

The site, which borders Lawrence Township, was originally proposed in 2006 for the development of 72 single-family attached townhomes, a project that ultimately didn’t come to fruition. Chris Vernon of Mercer Management acquired the site in 2013, and immediately set about changing the plans, because he said he knew the price points planned in the mid-2000s for these for-sale residences were no longer achievable, considering current economic realities.

The developer tapped Radnor, Pa.-based L&M Design to plan the new development. L&M’s new plan calls for three townhome buildings facing Ohio Ave., which will each have three two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath apartments. Eight other buildings on the site will include two-bedroom, two-bath apartments and one-bedroom loft apartments.

At Ohio and Strawberry, the property will feature a clubhouse that will have billiards, a TV lounge, cyber cafe, fitness area and leasing center. Each front entrance is oriented to a pedestrian-served sidewalk system providing access to all buildings, while a center aisle of green space provides access to two rows of interior-facing apartment buildings.

After remedial work on the site, construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2016. Currently there’s a small building on the site that will be razed.