Isles Inc., 10 Wood Street, Trenton 08618. 609-341-4700. Martin Johnson, president. www.isles.org.
A trio of local developers is partnering with Isles, Trenton Downtown Association, and the City of Trenton to renovate the former Studios @ 219 at 219 Hanover Street to create a new gallery, artist studio space, and coworking space for creative entrepreneurs. The project, called Hanover Creative, will hold a kickoff celebration on Tuesday, October 8, at 10 a.m. at 219 East Hanover Street, Trenton.
“Trenton’s culture depends on the arts. Projects like these allow our youth to develop their love for the humanities, and we could not be more excited about the new facility. I hope that everyone can appreciate how much work goes into initiatives like these. They make a massive impact on the community abroad,” said Trenton mayor Reed Gusciora.
The $640,000 renovation will include an upgraded retail/gallery space, new bathrooms on each floor, new HVAC for the building, kitchenettes on each floor, upgraded electric and plumbing, a new roof, a new intercom, and a podcast studio.
Entrepreneurs Elijah Dixon and Christien Nicole Brown previously built Orchid House, a mixed-use property that features residences upstairs and a rustic venue that is being retrofitted into a cafe. For the Hanover Creative project, a block away from Orchid House, Dixon and Brown partnered with local developer Trenton Makes, led by Roland Pott. Trenton Makes has owned and operated a commercial building at 439 South Broad Street that features studios and creative office space as well as restaurant and retail space. Dixon, Brown, and Pott are all Trenton residents and all live within walking distance of the property.
“Hanover Creative will afford artists, entrepreneurs, and small businesses an opportunity to sustain and scale their operations in a cultured environment. It is our goal to have the space serve our community as a resource for networking, creation, education, and the fostering of new perspectives,” Brown said.
“We’re excited to have Hanover Creative serve as a central hub for the arts community in Trenton, and particularly in the Old Trenton downtown neighborhood,” said Michael Nordquist, managing director of community planning and development of Isles. “Partnerships like this, between Hanover Creative, Isles, TDA, and others, are essential to showcase the artists and innovators of the Creek to Canal Creative District.”
