$102 million project promises to transform downtown area
Archived article from Oct 6, 2003
By Amy Vames
With the breaking of ground for the new Heldrich Plaza, a new chapter in the transformation of the heart of downtown New Brunswick is moving ahead. Under a bright blue, late- summer sky Sept. 17, dignitaries from Rutgers, the city, the state and the private sector gave their blessing to the construction of the $102 million project that will hold something for just about everyone.
The 371,000-square-foot, mixed-use redevelopment project will be anchored by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. The site, bordered by Livingston Avenue, New and George streets, and Monument Square, will also include a 248 room hotel, a 50,000-square-foot executive conference center, 32 luxury condominiums, stores and academic space.
“It is appropriate that the Heldrich Center is anchoring Heldrich Plaza, a complex that will bolster the economy of New Brunswick and central Jersey, and put people to work,” said Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick. “The center’s programs are especially important, now when so many people have lost their jobs while, at the same time, some employers cannot find the highly skilled workers they need.”
Construction on the 11-story complex is estimated to create about 400 jobs, while the hotel and conference center will require about 300 permanent workers. Project managers will work with the Middlesex County Workforce Invest-ment Board and Middlesex County College to generate job opportunities for local and county residents.
The project is being spearheaded by a constellation of individuals, organizations and several state agencies. Partners include Rutgers, the state of New Jersey; the city of New Brunswick; the New Brunswick Development Corporation (Devco); and Benchmark Hospitality, which will run the hotel and conference center.
“Today we celebrate a $35.4 million investment from a state partnership of agencies to support a major redevelopment project that does not consume open space, utilizes existing resources and helps the city of New Brunswick,” said Gov. James E. McGreevey at the ceremony.
Heldrich Plaza, scheduled to open in spring 2005, will continue the revitalization of George Street and the city’s cultural district. The 1.8-acre site will sit directly across from theater row and the Civic Square Building, which houses the Bloustein School and the Mason Gross School of the Arts.
The Heldrich Center was established in 1997 to strengthen the economies of New Jersey and the nation by improving the quality of the workforce. The center identifies, develops and puts into practice ideas and strategies that improve workforce training and education, advance innovative research, increase worker skills and employability, and shape the high-performance workforce of the future. The new facility will be a statewide resource for workers, employers, labor leaders and educators.
“We have a special responsibility at the Heldrich Center to serve the state and to strengthen the workforce,” said Carl Van Horn, director of the Heldrich Center. “We do that through the traditional methods of education, research and service, but we also work in national venues, taking the lessons from our research there and applying them here in New Jersey. Conversely, we take what we learn here in the state and apply it nationally.” Since its founding, the center has worked with federal and state government partners, Fortune 100 companies and major foundations. It has 25 full-time staff members and has garnered more than $15 million in grants.
John J. Heldrich retired from Johnson & Johnson in 1991, where he served for 41 years and eventually became a senior executive and member of the board of directors. He has also been the driving force behind the redevelopment of New Brunswick and founded New Brunswick Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization that helped revitalize the city. He and his wife, Regina Best Heldrich, provided the endowment to establish the Heldrich Center. Both are Rutgers graduates.
|
