J. Frank Budd Building
Burlington, New Jersey
Leasing Information

Description

• 36 affordable units for the elderly
• Adaptive reuse of abandoned nineteenth century   3-story factory
• Historic restoration of architectural elements
• 2001 National Register of Historic Places
• Placed in Service in 2002

2003 Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders Historic Preservation Award for Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse

Developer
Pennrose Properties

Architect
Kitchen and Associates
Collingswood, NJ

General Contractor
Domus, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA

Management
Pennrose Management Company

The Challenge

During the late 19 th   century, the J. F. Budd Baby Shoe Factory was one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the country.   When fortunes reversed, the property became a textile mill; and in the 1970s, the industrial site of electronics manufacturer, West Electronics.   When West Electronics abandoned the location in the 1980s, the building suffered extreme blight, including extensive water damage, decay, mold, and a collapsed roof. Vacant and in a state of total disrepair for nearly two decades, the building was slated for redevelopment as part of Burlington's downtown renaissance.   Pennrose embarked upon the adaptive reuse of this significant historic building with two goals: the creation of affordable housing for low-income seniors and the preservation of the historic architecture of J. Frank Budd's original   1884 baby shoe factory.

The Solution

The development team's historic restorations were executed with enormous sensitivity to the building's industrial past. Great pains were taken to restore original details such as arched doorways, a decorative staircase, inlayed bead-board ceilings, elaborate wainscoting, and a corbelled cornice on the exterior of the building. The J. Frank Budd Building now contains 36 one-bedroom apartments, including accessible units. Residents enjoy a spacious community room and laundry facilities.   The Property Management Office is conveniently on-site. There are a variety of available floor plans with an abundance of natural light provided by the tall original windows. A covered exterior walkway and a small courtyard delight residents. Many of the units facing Pearl Boulevard have expansive views of the Delaware River.

The J. Frank Budd Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, and in 2003 it won the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders' "Historic Preservation Award for Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse."   It underscores the Pennrose development team's expertise in driving inner city revitalization through the adaptive reuse of historically significant structures. This property   is owned, managed, and maintained by Pennrose.

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