LEED Gold Housing will Benefit Hurricane Sandy Victims

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

Long Branch, N.J.—Pennrose Properties LLC, in partnership with the Long Branch Housing Authority and Maestro Community Development Corporation, has opened the third and final phase of Woodrow Wilson Commons, an affordable, mixed-income rental community of 173 apartments and townhomes in Long Branch, N.J.

This marks the first development in New Jersey to be completed utilizing a 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit as part of Federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds given to the state as part of the Hurricane Sandy relief effort.

“Pennrose is committed to transforming communities with superior developments that deliver value to their neighborhoods in the form of attractive design and increased property values,” Timothy I. Henkel, Pennrose’s senior vice president, told MHN. “Our communities also help transform the lives of residents.”

Woodrow Wilson Commons is a three-phase development that was completing predevelopment demolition and remediation activities in October 2012 when Hurricane Sandy hit. Residents of Long Branch and surrounding communities were displaced with a shortage of housing resources available to re-house them.

According to Henkel, Pennrose, the City of Long Branch and the City of Long Branch Housing Authority became immediately committed to the effort to bring the housing phases to completion.

“Today 173 units of permanent housing have been added to the inventory of units available to Jersey shore residents who were left in precarious housing situations following the hurricane,” he said.

The property is comprised of modern apartments and townhomes with open floor plans, large windows and one-, two-, three- or four-bedroom units. All include fully equipped kitchens with Energy Star appliances, as well as spacious closets, ceramic tiled baths, washer and dryer hook-ups, and resident-controlled heating and central air conditioning.

Amenities include on-site management staff, a community room, playground and rain garden with walking path.

The first two phases of 122 apartments and townhomes received LEED Gold Certification. The final phase of 51 units have the new Energy Star 3.0 designation.

The development site is located in the middle of a primarily owner-occupied residential community in Long Branch, N.J., less than one mile from the beach.

“Woodrow Wilson provides a range of rental options in a community that has a dearth of new affordable rental product,” Jacob Fisher, Pennrose Properties’ senior developer, told MHN. “The site features an attractive mix of twins and townhomes designed to evoke memories of houses typical to the early days of the development of Long Branch as a vacation destination.”

The community is located just minutes away from downtown Long Branch with its multitude of shopping, restaurants and employers, and Jersey Shore attractions such as Pier Village. The nearby NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line connects Long Branch to New York City and beyond.