Project Freedom plan will be discussed at 7:30 tonight at Stony Brook Elementary School, Stephenson Road
By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
BRANDON FARMS — A Project Freedom proposal to build rental housing for 50 to 60 individuals with disabilities will be the topic of a public meeting at 7:30 tonight (Oct. 2) at Stony Brook Elementary School on Stephenson Road in Brandon Farms.
The rental units would be built on a 22-acre tract of township-owned land on Denow Road adjacent to the shopping center that includes Stop & Shop.
”We’re still in the exploratory stage of talking about this project. No site plan has been prepared,” Project Freedom Executive Director Tim Doherty said Tuesday. “The purpose of the meeting is to inform people of what we have in mind and get their feedback.”
The township has invited neighbors of the 22-acre tract to attend.
”We encourage people to come and listen to the Project Freedom proposal and give feedback,” Mayor Vanessa Sandom said Tuesday.
Project Freedom is a nonprofit organization that builds and operates housing designed to enable individuals with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, to live independently. There already is a 54-unit Project Freedom facility on 13 acres in Lawrence and a 48-unit facility on 10 acres in Hamilton. Mr. Doherty said efforts are ongoing to build Project Freedom facilities in West Windsor and Woodstown.
”We have staff on duty at all times,” he said. “People with a wider range of disabilities live with us — people who are blind, have cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and developmental disabilities, for example. There are a lot of people with disabilities who need wheelchair-accessible housing. That’s our niche.”
If the project on Denow Road were built, it would help the township satisfy its state mandate to provide housing for low- and moderate-income individuals. Township Administrator/Engineer Paul Pogorzelski said Tuesday that the township’s Affordable Housing Committee has recommended approval of the Project Freedom proposal.
For that to happen, the township would have to rezone the 22 acres from office-retail to residential. The rezoning would come in the form of an ordinance that would have to be reviewed by the township Planning Board before the Township Committee could cast an adoption vote on the measure.
Mr. Doherty said that, because of high-tension wires that cross the property and other constraints, construction would be confined to about 10 of the 22 acres.
The township purchased the property several months from Beazer Homes. Mr. Pogorzelski and Ms. Sandom said that, prior to the purchase, Beazer was negotiating with BJ’s and Costco to construct a store on the site.

