Asbury Park’s West Side Story

Springwood Center

On May 27, 2015

Springwood Center, a 28,000-square-foot mixed-use building that combines retail, housing and public space at Springwood and Atkins avenues, is the latest redevelopment project that is revitalizing Asbury Park as both a residential and economic hub and one of New Jersey’s premier resort towns.

The prime mover behind Springwood Center is Interfaith Neighbors, Inc., an Asbury Park-based non-profit supported by over 45 congregations. Since its founding in 1988, Interfaith Neighbors has been helping the local community by providing rental assistance to working poor families, operating Meals on Wheels, the Youth Corps of Monmouth County, and developing affordable housing.

In recent years, Interfaith began implementing a neighborhood revitalization plan for Asbury Park’s West Side, with Springwood Center a major component of that effort. The $2.7-million project was funded through private donations, grants and municipal bonding. It generated 112 construction jobs and resulted in 44 full-time and 10 part-time jobs for area residents.

The architecturally striking building provides commercial uses on the first floor, a permanent home for the Asbury Park Senior Center on the second floor, and eight units of affordable housing on the third floor. Also on site are the local Chamber of Commerce, offices for the local police department, Interfaith’s Business Development Center and a non-profit job training program via the ground floor’s Kula Cafe. The café both prepares local youth for job opportunities as waitstaff and hosts in nearby restaurants, and provides good food at affordable prices in a welcoming environment for locals and NJ TRANSIT commuters.

Based on Interfaith Neighbors’ successes, the City of Asbury Park has approved it as one of two developers in the Springwood Avenue corridor. The organization now plans to construct a 26-unit, town-home style condominium project across the street from Springwood Center, and has been approved to construct a three-story performing arts center named Asbury JAMS (Jobs, Arts, Music and Science) at Springwood Avenue and Memorial Drive.

ARCHITECT
Shore Point
Architecture, P.A.
Ocean Grove

BUILDER
Benjamin R.
Harvey Co., Inc.
Oakhurst

NOMINATOR
Ben Waldron
Executive Director
Monmouth-Ocean Development Council

 

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