Roebling Lofts, a 138-unit residential building on the site of a former wire rope factory in south Trenton, has won awards from two different organizations.
NJ Future, a nonprofit group, gave it one of seven “Smart Growth Awards” in the state. The group deemed the project one of the best examples of sustainable growth and development statewide.
The NJ Historic Preservation Office gave it a Historic Preservation Award, again one of seven statewide.
“We’re thrilled that both organizations recognized our commitment to combining sustainability and historic preservation, two goals which are not always easy to reconcile,” said David Henderson, one of three principals with HHG Development Associates, the developers of Roebling Lofts. “NJ Future puts a premium on sustainability in considering their awards, HPO looks principally at historic merit. We succeeded in satisfying both of their criteria because we cared deeply about both aspects as we planned the project.”
Roebling Lofts represents the initial phase in the development of a 6.8-acre site in Trenton opposite the CURE Insurance Arena and adjacent to the Hamilton Avenue RiverLine station. The project redeveloped an historic Roebling factory that shut down in the 1970s and has been completely vacant since the 1990s.
“Certainly we feel that sustainability and historic preservation are valuable goals in themselves. But we also feel they’re good business,” added Michael Goldstein, a principal with HHG, in a prepared statement. “In today’s world, if you offer a window that’s 11’ wide by 12’ tall, it better take advantage of the most advanced technologies delivering superb thermal and sound insulation. At the same time, we were able to preserve an enormous amount of historic detail in every loft. It achieves a sense of connection with an earlier era that our residents respond to. Bottom line, the project delivers unique residences that are lovely to live in and thrilling to visit.”
HHG Development Associates, LLC, 165 Mercer Street, Trenton 08611. 609-474-0776. David Henderson, principal. www.hhgDev.com.
