A. Harry Moore Revitalization

Jersey City : a study in contrast between east and west.  On the east side – the Hudson River waterfront –“The Gold Coast” - gleaming office towers, luxury condos and historic brownstones, and for over fifteen years leading the State of New Jersey in new jobs.  On the far west side – the A. Harry Moore public housing site - “Duncan Projects” – 7 12-story hulking proto-typical 1950s red brick boxes of social isolation, extreme crime and poverty and for over 25 years stalling neighborhood prosperity.

A. Harry Moore’s original 7 towers contained 664 units on a 7.5 acre super block.  By the 1980’s all the well-documented ills of high-rise public housing applied.  Inaccessible units, high maintenance and energy costs, deteriorated structures, dangerous oft-broken elevators and a stream of squatters in the very public halls became the site’s hallmarks.

By the late 1990s, it was nearly impossible to rent vacant apartments.  Revitalization began with a first step of reducing density by demolishing three towers.  By 2005 the JCHA and A. Harry Moore residents agreed on a unified revitalization vision, agreed to demolish a fourth tower, procured a Developer Partner, and arranged to use Curries Woods HOPE VI funds targeted to off-site development at A. Harry Moore.  After intensive public planning meetings, a Master Development Plan was created for the entire site and two phases of development with 144 mixed-income, mixed-finance rental units and multi-purpose community center including a Neighborhood Networks Center (NNC) were underway on half of the site where four towers had been demolished.

By 2009 Resident relocation was completed and the three remaining desolate 12-story towers were boarded up awaiting remediation/demolition.  The JCHA welcomed the receipt of $3 million in Capital Fund Program stimulus funds in 2009 which funded the demolition of the last three towers and was used as leverage to win a $9.7 million 2009 HOPE VI Revitalization grant to complete four more phases of construction by the end of 2014.    

Today, the 144 rental units of Phase I and II are complete and occupied.  An 8,000 square foot Community Center was completed in 2010 and houses a 2,000 square foot community room, a 1,200 square foot multi-purpose room, a 12 workstation accessible Neighborhood Networks Center , a resident council board room, management offices and supportive services office space. Among the various on-site activities to be provided in this facility are: individual case management; Job Readiness Workshops; a Job Bank, including various “Section 3” construction job opportunities; resume assistance; financial literacy counseling and classes; homeownership counseling; and the Neighborhood Networks Center . 

The 2009 A. Harry Moore HOPE VI Revitalization Program grant will finish transforming the remainder of “Duncan Projects” into a safe, attractive, mixed-income community of opportunity.  Specifically:

1.  Demolition:  The JCHA sponsored training of 10 public housing residents in asbestos remediation, eight of whom were employed in the remediation/demolition of the three vacant towers.

2.  On-Site Revitalization:  Phase IIIA & B – JCHA’s developer partner, Pennrose Properties, LLC will construct 116 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom mixed-income rental units including 35 PHA/tax credit units (0-60% of median income), 25 Project Based Voucher/tax credit units (0-50% of median income), 34 tax credit only units (45-60% of median income) 10 PHA-only units (60-80% of median, i.e. “workforce housing”) and 12 market-rate units in three building types - rowhouse duplexes, a walk-up building and a 4-story elevator building (for adult households only).  The elevator building will contain two floors of Pre-K classrooms funded and operated by the Jersey City Board of Education and residents will have access to the previously developed NNC – all designed to New Urbanist principles including replacing the original street grid, building an accessible tot lot and lavish landscaping.  The 60 units of Phase IIIA are under construction with completion scheduled for January 2012.

Phase IV – JCHA’s non-profit corporation, Freeman Avenue Homes, Inc. will develop four affordable for-sale 2-family rowhouses for public housing-eligible families under a public housing homeownership plan.  Each house will contain a three bedroom unit over a two bedroom unit (8 units total).  The rental unit in each home will be restricted to a Section 8 –eligible household. The JCHA will provide a soft silent mortgage with a 10-year deed restriction to prevent speculation and windfall profits.  A. Harry Moore residents have the first preference for purchase.  Eligible buyers must have income at 60-80% of median income, be first-time homebuyers, complete the JCHA’s home-ownership program, and have a 1% down payment. One half of the units will be adaptable and will achieve LEED Gold certification.  The JCHA aims to achieve 100% Section 3 subcontractor participation. 

3.  Off-Site Revitalization:  Phase V – In order to address the undersupply of smaller affordable for-sale units in Jersey City, Pennrose Properties, LLC will substantially rehabilitate and convert two JCHA 3-story central office/warehouse buildings adjacent to the Marion Gardens public housing site to create 70 one and two bedroom condominiums to be sold under a public housing homeownership plan. 

condominiums will be sold under a public housing homeownership plan.

4.  “Green” Building: The JCHA will use Energy Star in the construction of all units.   In addition to a sense of obligation to develop environmentally responsible housing by reducing waste and minimizing the use of petroleum-based materials, maintaining the lowest energy usage possible in terms of long-term operating cost affordability for lower-income residents and in creating well-lit, well-ventilated, healthy living environments for our City’s residents adds absolute value.

The JCHA will use Energy Star labeled products in all units, seek Energy Star labels on all units, and promote the benefits of Energy Star products and practices with all new home buyers. Ultimately the JCHA will seek a LEED Silver Rating on Phases IIIA & B & V and a LEED Gold Rating on Phase IV. 

5.  Supportive Services: The JCHA is continuing the in-place full supportive services program based on intensive case management and an extensive network of outside services in order to meet resident needs for crisis intervention, healthcare, employment and educational services, early childhood education, senior services, home-ownership assistance and options, transportation, young adult intervention, and credit counseling. 

As the City’s re-development moves west into the A. Harry Moore neighborhood this HOPE VI revitalization will ensure that public housing residents and affordable housing positively contribute to and benefit from redevelopment – not be marginalized and isolated from it.

Gloria Robinson Court Homes PHASE I