By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP Two groups came before the Township Committee on Monday to discuss senior housing projects.
At Monday’s committee meeting, representatives from Bordentown Waterfront Community LLC and Burlington-based Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey suggested changing one of the five proposed Waterfront development buildings into age-restricted affordable housing.
The multiphase residential and commercial Bordentown Waterfront Community is planned for the site of a former shipyard, an area the developer is working to clean and develop into a transit village.
The project would remediate a state-designated brownfield and is envisioned as creating a “gateway” to the township’s southern end on Route 130. Along with multiple recreation areas, a pool and waterfront space, the development also has approval from New Jersey Transit to add a RIVERLine light rail station.
After a lengthy discussion at the meeting, the Township Committee, which is the township’s redevelopment authority, granted BWC permission to take its alterations before the Planning Board for final site plan and subdivision approval for the project’s first phase. The first phase includes the portion of the site east of the railroad tracks.
BWC partner Robert Dale told the committee about a plan for Lutheran Social Ministries to build, own and manage a 63-unit rental residential building for low-income adults ages 62 and over in the place of one of the residential buildings. The apartments could be made handicapped-accessible as needed.
”But for that change, this is the exact plan you’ve seen before and which the Planning Board approved,” Mr. Dale said. “When we were with you before, we didn’t have a specific plan for how we were going to fulfill our COAH obligation… We think this particular building, this particular use and this user is a good match for us.”
Jason Konek, director of housing development and plant operations for Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, told the committee that because it is on a redevelopment site, the affordable housing building would satisfy 84 of the 120 units required by the Council on Affordable Housing. LMS already has almost $1 million in federal funds for the project.
Bordentown Waterfront Community LLC is a joint venture of Princewood Properties LLC, of Princeton; Buckingham Partners LLC, of Haddonfield; and Arsenal Real Estate Funds LP, of Morristown.
gwertime@centraljersey.com
