A rendering of Wemrock Senior Living in Freehold — Courtesy: PIRHL
By Joshua Burd
A developer is on track to begin a new 75-unit, age-restricted rental community in Freehold, with plans to complete a series of state environmental approvals in the coming weeks.
The firm, PIRHL, said it planned to begin construction in October on the new four-story complex known as Wemrock Senior Living. Located on the south side of Business Route 33, between Cardigan Bay Lane and Wemrock Road, the development will also be income-restricted and is slated for completion in November 2019.
The state Department of Environmental Protection approved flood hazard and freshwater wetlands permits for the project on June 5, PIHRL said. The project as of late last week was awaiting soil conservation district, road opening and building permits before the Cleveland-based developer could begin construction.
“Coupled with stable demographic fundamentals, low senior multifamily residential supply and a governmental openness to affordable housing that typically is not available, Wemrock Senior Living is positioned to provide the residents of Freehold and the surrounding area much needed, quality affordable housing,” said Lara Schwager, development vice president with PIRHL, which has an office in Hamilton. She credited Michael Gross of Giordano, Halleran and Ciesla, the firm’s environmental lawyer on the project, for guiding it through the regulatory process.
The seven-acre site is near the Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold Raceway, Monmouth Battlefield State Park and the Freehold municipal building and police station, PIRHL said. Plans call for 65 one‐bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments ranging from 750 to 925 square feet.
Amenities will include a fitness center, laundry rooms, a computer room, an outdoor covered patio on the first floor and a second-floor community room with a transition to a roof deck, according to a news release. An on‐site coordinator will connect residents with comprehensive services, such as health screenings, nutrition programs, benefits assistance, legal services and financial literacy seminars.
Five housing units will be set aside for formerly homeless residents, for whom there will be no age restrictions.
“These features enhance the project’s appeal and the lives of those who reside there,” said Gross, a shareholder with the Red Bank-based law firm.
PIHRL also touted the site’s proximity to NJ Transit bus service and nearby retail offerings at the mall, downtown Freehold and parts of Route 9 and West Main Street.
