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Heritage at Clara Barton
Edison, New Jersey
Description
- Adaptive reuse of out-dated school house
- Combined with new construction
- 84 market-rate assisted living units for
seniors - 27 affordable independent living units for
seniors - Wellness program
- Restaurant Style dining
- Multiple community rooms
- Placed in Service in 2000
2000 New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement
in Planning Award
2002 New Jersey Future's Smart Growth Award
for Adaptive Reuse and Rehabilitation
Developer
Pennrose Properties
Architect
Clarke Caton Hintz
Trenton, NJ
General Contractor
AJD Construction
Leonardo, NJ
Management
Genesis Health Ventures
Kennett Square, PA
The Challenge
The United States 2000 Census, cited Edison, New Jersey, as one of the fastest growing towns in New Jersey. Fifth in terms of its population, it was justifiably proud of its high safety, livability, and school rankings. Proactive on all fronts, the township had turned the out-dated 1921 Clara Barton Elementary School over to a private developer as a key component of its Amboy Avenue redevelopment initiative. While only partially rehabilitated, that developer abandoned the project in bankruptcy and left the township in the lurch. Simultaneously, a steadily increasing senior population that lacked suitable residential options, was creating an increasingly problematic situation that needed to be addressed. Pennrose responded with a comprehensive plan that answered both issues.
The Solution
While successfully navigating the complexities of acquiring the bankrupt school, the Pennrose worked closely with the community to
ascertain their needs. The development team determined that new construction when added to the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of
the existing historic school would create the kind of state-of-the-art facility that they desired. The 84 elegant, market-rate, assisted-
living units were complemented by 27 equally desirable, affordable, independent-living units. Services afforded to residents include 24-
hour staffing, on-site physician services, restaurant-style dining, exercise and wellness programs, courtesy transportation,
housekeeping and cultural, educational, religious, and social activities. Amenities included private dining room, common areas, library,
laundry, general store, fitness room, beauty salon and barber shop, gardens and courtyards. In resituating the parking to the rear of the
property, we created landscaped front lawns that are now used for the annual Christmas tree lighting. Pennrose delivered this on-time,
on-budget project to Edison using sources of finance that included among others, tax-exempt bonds, LIHTC equity and CBDG funds..
The Heritage at Clara Barton is a stellar example of the Pennrose Development Team’s ability to reengineer a difficult situation to
achieve positive outcomes. With experience in both adaptive reuse of historic structures and new construction, we brought a novel
approach that amalgamated the complex with sensitivity. Pennrose owns the Clara Barton.
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