The NRP Group and Adenah Bayoh & Cos. joined Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss and other public officials on Friday, May 5, to unveil their new 56-unit affordable housing property at 722 Chancellor Ave. in the township. — Courtesy: NRP
By Joshua Burd
A development team has completed 56 units of affordable housing in Irvington, where it has brought life to a long-vacant parcel in one of the township’s main thoroughfares.
The project, a joint venture between The NRP Group and Adenah Bayoh & Cos., has brought a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments to a corner property at 722 Chancellor Ave. It’s now open to renters earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income, with five of the units reserved for residents with special needs.
The developers joined Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss recently to unveil the five-story building.
“This project has done wonders for the community,” Vauss said. “This is just another testament to the great work Adenah and the team have done for Irvington. When we look at these projects from start to finish, we can only imagine all the residents who are going to enjoy the benefits of living in a brand new, affordable community.”
Bayoh, a local developer and entrepreneur with deep ties to Irvington, partnered with Cleveland-based NRP to break ground on the project in spring 2021. They did so with support of financing
partners including the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, JPMorgan Chase, Hudson Housing, the Township of Irvington and Greater Newark LISC, while the Irvington Housing Authority is providing five project-based vouchers.
The joint venture expects to draw residents with a location at two major Irvington roadways, Chancellor and Union avenues, and an NJ Transit bus stop located directly outside the property. The site is also just east of the Garden State Parkway.
“This project is truly rooted in the Irvington community, and it is a privilege for The NRP Group to be a part of it,” said Jonathan Gertman, senior vice president of development at NRP. “By working alongside a local developer like Adenah Bayoh, who is committed to reinvigorating the city’s neighborhoods with affordable places for its residents to call home, we were able to tailor this apartment community to the needs of local families, regardless of income.
“Developments like 722 Chancellor in cities like Irvington are worth investing in to ensure a prosperous economic future for neighborhoods that have been historically underserved.”
Residents of the upscale, modern apartments will have access to a community center, named in honor of Irvington Councilmember Sandra Jones, with space for programmed community activities, according to a news release. The building, designed by OCA Architects, also includes a fitness center, a children’s playroom, a computer room, laundry facilities and an on-site management and leasing office.
The YMCA of Greater Newark will provide supportive services for residents with special needs.
“Growing up in affordable housing in this community myself, I was able to identify the specific needs that residents would require from an apartment home like this,” said Adenah Bayoh, Founder of Adenah Bayoh & Cos. “By partnering with The NRP Group, I knew that 722 Chancellor would provide high-quality housing that is not readily available to Irvington residents of all income levels.”
Developers launch construction for 56-unit affordable housing property in Irvington
