New Jersey-based land-use consultancy Dresdner Robin announced the firm has completed civil engineering, landscape and lighting design services for a veterans’ housing complex at 526 Ocean Avenue in Jersey City, which officially opened on November 30. The 21,700-square-foot low- and moderate-income housing facility includes 20 units reserved for veterans, with some earmarked for homeless individuals who served. The four-story building also includes 1,500-square-feet of ground-floor commercial space for social support services.
The project was approved by the Jersey City Planning Board in 2017 following Dresdner Robin’s engineering design analysis and expert testimony regarding site planning and design. Dresdner Robin secured municipal entitlements and necessary regulatory land-use permits, and provided plan construction drawings and construction administration services.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with Dresdner Robin throughout the development of this project,” says Debra Tantleff, founder of Tantum Real Estate. “It’s very gratifying to work with companies like theirs, who not only care about their craft but also the communities that they work in.”
In 2016, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA), an organization that provides project facilitation, site assemblage and clearance, environmental remediation, and developer selection within redevelopment areas, purchased the property for $1 from the city. Shortly after the sale, Tantum Real Estate, a women-owned real estate development company, was granted an Affordable Housing Trust Fund contract, which provides funding for the development of affordable housing throughout New Jersey, in addition to funds provided by The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (‘HOME’).
“This is an excellent addition to the city, and it’s fulfilling to have the opportunity to provide our services on a project like this,” said Dresdner Robin’s Mark Vizzini, the associated director of land development, who also served as project manager. “The facility’s amenities will go far beyond just housing. It will provide counseling and support to our local veterans, and strengthen the Jersey City community as a whole.”
Tantum Real Estate is partnering with several organizations that offer veterans support and skills programs, including Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ), a peer-led not-for-profit organization, providing flexible, community-based services that promote responsibility, recovery, and wellness.
