First Residents Move in at Former Blighted Site

ELIZABETH, NJ-City, state and private sector officials cut the ribbon last week, and the first families have moved into the first section of Portside Commons, an urban townhouse development that is going a long way to eliminating the blight presented by existing housing. Portside, which is being developed by New Brunswick, NJ-based Home Properties, is replacing a series of public housing complexes known overall as Migliore Manor.

Substantial Federal money is behind not only new housing construction, but also a range of programs designed to rehab the neighborhood. Altogether, a $28.9 Federal grants is providing job training, educational programs and counseling.

Units at Portside Commons range from 670 to 1,500 sf. Located next to the city’s marina, recreational fields and a waterfront boardwalk, the development is hoped to be a catalyst for more sweeping waterfront development.