New Community hosted a Community Meeting at the NCC Neighborhood Center on June 5 to introduce The Morris, the organization’s latest housing redevelopment project. The Morris will be built on Morris Avenue in Newark at the former Homes Court site, which is next to the New Community Property Management office and across the street from Gardens Senior. The Morris will offer 120 units for rent to families and will be 100 percent Section 8 subsidized housing.
New Community CEO Simone Gagneron called The Morris an exciting development project that will bring positive changes to the neighborhood. She also stressed the importance of community feedback.
“Your input is vital,” she said. “We are committed to a transparent and collaborative process. Let’s work together to shape a beautiful environment that our children can grow and thrive in.”
New Community Interim Board Chairman Edgar Nemorin thanked attendees for their participation in the meeting.
“This project is a labor of love and passion,” he said. “This is about you, the community.”
Retired New Community CEO Richard Rohrman, who is working as a project manager on The Morris, talked about the uniqueness of constructing a fully subsidized housing facility in the city.
“Nothing like that has been built in Newark in many, many years,” he said. “We’re really excited.”
Inglese Architecture + Engineering Associate Partner Anthony D’Agosta discussed the details of The Morris. The building will have 120 apartments. Twenty percent of the units will be one-bedroom, 20 percent will be three-bedroom and the remaining will be two-bedroom. There will be roughly 30 apartments per floor.
In addition to the apartments, The Morris will have a more than 4,000 square foot amenities space for tenants to use. D’Agosta pointed out that the minimum required size for an amenities space in this type of building is 1,600 square feet.
“Getting 4,000 square feet I think identifies the goals and commitment that NCC has for its projects and properties,” D’Agosta said. “They understand a project that has 120 families on-site needs to have some space to stretch their legs out.”
In addition to the indoor amenities space, The Morris will have a more than 8,000 square foot outdoor space for residents to enjoy.
The Morris will have an underground gated parking garage, accessible from Bruce Street, that will contain 130 parking spaces. There will be seven additional parking spaces outside. The building will have 24/7 security and tenants will have access to a Resident Services Coordinator.
D’Agosta explained that the plans include vibrant colors for the exterior of The Morris along with landscaping and the inclusion of natural light in the interior.
“We’re prioritizing welcoming families to this facility,” he said.
In addition to The Morris, New Community is also working to construct five two-family homes in Newark for sale to first-time home buyers.
More information about The Morris and the two-family homes will be provided to the community as they become available.
