Fifty-Five Union at 55 Union St. in Newark — Courtesy: J&L Cos.
By Joshua Burd
A new 403-unit luxury apartment building in Newark’s Ironbound district has been certified by the Fitwel program, a recognition of its focus on the health and wellness of its occupants.
Its developer, J&L Cos., announced the distinction on Wednesday while noting that Fifty-Five Union is the city’s first residential property to achieve the designation. The project secured the certification from The Center for Active Design, which said it had met the rigorous, evidence-based design and operation standards that promote the physical, mental and social wellbeing of its occupants, citing metrics such as natural light in homes and common areas, access to more than 20,000 square feet of outdoor space and modern fitness facilities.
Other key features include enhanced indoor air quality, use of safe and ecofriendly cleaning products and equipment, a water safety and management program, thermal and acoustic comfort, enhanced emergency communications plans and walkability, J&L said. Those elements and more are part of a sustainability and wellness plan highlighted by the developer as it pursued Fitwel certification over the last two years.
The firm added that Fifty-Five Union aligns with the city of Newark’s Sustainability Action Plan to foster both environmental wellbeing and resident wellness within the built environment.
“The Newark360 Master Plan and new zoning and land use regulations that implement it prioritize future development that is healthy and sustainable, adds to open space and walkability, and provides green roofs,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. “Even before the passage of Newark360, Fifty-Five Union was designed to touch all of these environmental bases and more. I congratulate J&L on receiving its well-deserved Fitwel certification.”
J&L launched leasing at 55 Union earlier this year, having tapped Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners to design the 12-story property, with Sordoni Construction Co. serving as its general contractor. The team responsible for integrating the advanced green technologies also includes MEP engineer VanPraet/Weisgerber Turnkey Engineering, landscape designer Arterial, Kelly Mac Interiorscapes, A&L Landscaping and Greenspot, while notable subcontractors such as Haddad Plumbing, Air Group and MDC Electrical also played vital roles in the Fitwel certification.
“Achieving Fitwel certification demonstrates our commitment to enhancing resident health, safety and care at Fifty-Five Union, setting a new standard for meaningful real estate development and management in Newark,” said Gabriel Lopez, a vice president with J&L Cos. “We believe there can and should be access to green spaces and outdoor escapes for residents in our beloved Brick City. We are thrilled to be setting the standard as the first residential building in the city to receive this prestigious designation and look forward to welcoming even more residents who want to be a part of this vibrant community.”
Noteworthy building elements designed with resident wellbeing in mind include:
- Living green wall in the lobby
- Sustainable green roof
- Water and safety management programs
- Access to clean water refill stations
- Energy Star-rated appliances in each residence
- EV charging stations
- Hybrid heat pumps
- Comprehensive emergency preparedness plan
- Energy recovery ventilation
- Indoor air quality
“Fifty-Five Union is a visionary building. It captures the essence of the Newark Sustainability Action Plan with all of its environmental, health and open space innovations,” Newark Deputy Mayor and Director of Economic and Housing Development Allison Ladd said. “Its forward-looking design included a green roof even before the city started requiring some buildings to have them. J&L created a Fitwel-certification masterpiece.”
Brenda Sanchez, J&L’s director of operations, spearheaded its application and submission.
“We worked hard to implement environmental and wellness best practices at Fifty-Five Union, maximizing the positive impact on our residents and business while ensuring the highest quality experience for our wonderful community,” Sanchez said. “We are so proud and honored to receive this recognition.”
Offering a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floorplans, Fifty-Five Union is steps from Newark Penn Station, downtown Newark’s entertainment landmarks and the Ironbound’s main shopping, dining and cultural artery of Ferry Street. Outdoor spaces include a landscaped rooftop garden and entertainment area, a central courtyard and an outdoor public plaza that will be activated throughout the year to promote community connection, along with indoor amenities such as a coffee bar, a club room, a private dining room and catering kitchen and a business lounge with private and co-working spaces.
J&L, meantime, highlighted technology integrations such as keyless entry and apartments that are prewired with one-gigabit Internet service for $50 per month, using Newark fiber powered by Gigxero and Invest Newark. The property also has 3,078 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
