Title
Dept/ Agency: Economic and Housing Development
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Execute Community Benefits Agreement.
Purpose: To authorize the execution of a Community Benefits Agreement between the City of Newark, SWPN 479 Clinton Avenue LLC, C/O South Ward Alliance, a NJ Nonprofit Corporation, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority as a condition of receiving tax credits incentives under the Aspire Program Act, N.J.S.A. 34:1B-322 et seq., towards the construction of a medical/office building, which will include prenatal through toddler health services, a full service federally subsidized health care center and a YMCA wellness center at the properties located at 648-650 Bergen Street, 652 Bergen Street, 654 Bergen Street, 654-1/2 Bergen Street, 656-658 Bergen Street and 485 Clinton Avenue, Newark, New Jersey and identified on the City’s tax map as Block 2685, Lots 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 & 35 (the “Proposed NJ Site”)
Entity Name: SWPN 479 Clinton Avenue LLC, C/O South Ward Alliance, a NJ Nonprofit Corporation
Entity Address: 35 Halsey Street, Suite 3, Newark, New Jersey, 07102
Funding Source: Aspire Program Act, N.J.S.A. 34:1B-322 et seq.
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor ( ) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale ( ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
List of Property:
(Address/Block/Lot/Ward)
648-650 Bergen Street, 652 Bergen Street, 654 Bergen Street, 654-1/2 Bergen Street, 656-658 Bergen Street and 485 Clinton Avenue, Newark, New Jersey and identified on the City’s tax map as Block 2685, Lots 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 & 35 (South Ward).
Additional Information:
Public Hearing to be held on August 6, 2025 at 12:30 P.M.
body
WHEREAS, pursuant to the New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (the "NJEDA") has established the Aspire Program Act, N.J.S.A. 34:1B-322 et seq. (the "Act") to encourage economic development and job creation; and
WHEREAS, under the Act, projects with total project costs equal to or greater than $10,000,000.00 must enter into a community benefits agreement (the "CBA") with NJEDA and the municipality or county in which the project is located; and
WHEREAS, SWPN 479 Clinton Avenue LLC, C/O South Ward Alliance, a NJ Nonprofit Corporation (the “Applicant”) (hereafter referred to as the “Developer”) applied for ASPIRE funding under the Act to be used in connection with a redevelopment project located in the South Ward at 648-650 Bergen Street, 652 Bergen Street, 654 Bergen Street, 654-1/2 Bergen Street, 656-658 Bergen Street and 485 Clinton Avenue, Newark, New Jersey and identified on the City’s tax map as Block 2685, Lots 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 & 35 (the “Property”), towards the construction of a medical/office building, which will include prenatal through toddler health services, a full service federally subsidized health care center and a YMCA wellness center (the “Project”); and
WHEREAS, the estimated total project cost for the Project is approximately $46,000,000.00; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant held the following Focus Groups, Qualitative Interviews, and Community Meetings (the “Community Meeting”), to engage South Ward Families in the planning and programming of the South Ward Wellness and to discuss and provide input on the Project:
• May 2019: BRICK & South Ward Promise Neighborhood (SWPN) host first Community Focus Group at Achieve Community Charter School. Report attached
• May - June 2019: Qualitative Interviews with South Ward Stakeholders
• November 2020: SWPN hosts Virtual Conversation with South Ward Strong Advisory Board
• April 2022: BRICK & SWPN host Community Diner at the South Ward Wellness Center
• June - September 2022: Outreach and engagement with SWPN's 30+ Promise Partners
• October 2022: SWPN & Child Trends' publish Healthy Equity Brief. I will provide the final brief in a separate email
• January 2023: SWPN's Community Board Meeting at the NAN Tech Center
• March 2023: Family Success Institute & South Ward Promise Neighborhood host South Ward Focus Group at Achieve Community Charter School
• March 2023: South Ward Wellness Community Open House.
; and
WHEREAS, prior to entering into a CBA, the Act provides that the governing body of the municipality in which the Project is located shall hold at least one public hearing at which the governing body shall hear testimony from residents, community groups and other stakeholder regarding the community benefit that the agreement shall address; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on _________, 2025 which laid out the community benefits of the Project; and
WHEREAS, under the CBA, the Developer agreed to contribute the following community benefits:
(i) Making available to the general public a health care clinic providing wraparound healthcare services and medical services for wellness visits, dentist and OB-GYN care;
(ii) Providing the only health care center in the South Ward of Newark;
(iii) Making available low-cost or sliding scale medical services to help alleviate the financial burden on individuals and families in the community;
(iv) Helping bridge the gap in access to medical care between low-income communities and high-income communities;
(v) Providing needed maternal through toddler specific services to women who often go untreated after delivery;
(vi) Providing pediatric care for infants, children and adolescents, including wellness exams and immunizations;
(vii) Helping facilitate early diagnosis of illnesses and preventative care, which can lead to better management of those illnesses and improved overall health;
(viii) Providing health education and counseling services, such as guidance on nutrition and weight management;
(ix) Providing on-site pharmaceutical services, including prescription dispensing and medication counseling;
(x) Offering physical fitness programs for children, adolescents, adults and seniors;
(xi) Creating local construction jobs during development of the project and providing ongoing employment opportunities for the community through the operation of the health care clinic and YMCA.
; and
WHEREAS, the Developer and the City along with NJEDA wish to enter into a CBA to set forth the terms and conditions relating to the delivery and offering of such benefits of the Project to the residents in and around the City.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The aforementioned recitals are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
2. The Community Benefits Agreement ("CBA") is attached hereto in substantially as Exhibit A and incorporated into this legislation, with minutes from this public hearing to be attached thereto upon approval thereof.
3. The Mayor and the City Clerk are hereby authorized to execute the CBA in substantially the form attached hereto, with such additions, deletions and modifications as may be necessary or desirable in consultation with counsel.
4. If any part of this Resolution shall be deemed invalid, such parts shall be severed and the invalidity thereby shall not affect the remaining parts of this Resolution.
5. A copy of this Resolution shall be available for public inspection at the Office of the City Clerk.
6. This Resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This Resolution hereby authorizes the execution of a Community Benefits Agreement between the City of Newark, SWPN 479 Clinton Avenue LLC, C/O South Ward Alliance, a NJ Nonprofit Corporation, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority as a condition of receiving tax credits incentives under the Aspire Program Act, N.J.S.A. 34:1B-322 et seq. towards the construction of a medical/office building, which will include prenatal through toddler health services, a full service federally subsidized health care center and a YMCA wellness center at the properties located at 648-650 Bergen Street, 652 Bergen Street, 654 Bergen Street, 654-1/2 Bergen Street, 656-658 Bergen Street and 485 Clinton Avenue, Newark, New Jersey and identified on the City’s tax map as Block 2685, Lots 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 & 35 (the “Proposed NJ Site”) (South Ward).