The beginning of construction of the $45.8 million Montgomery Heights II in Newark’s Central Ward was celebrated today by federal, state and local officials, including Senator Cory Booker and Mayor Ras Baraka.  Montgomery Heights II will complete the redevelopment of the former Brick Towers by Newark Housing Authority and Pennrose-One (a partnership between Pennrose Properties, LLC and One Real Estate Development).

The new Montgomery Heights II development will include a combination of 154 mid-rise and townhome-style apartments in six total buildings. The community will feature a community room, fitness center, nearly 7,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, and 154 parking spaces. Like the first phase, the development will be an iconic building that embraces elements of the neighboring historic buildings, but also symbolizes the future potential of the area by integrating more modern materials into the architecture.

“Since my early days in Newark, my primary objective as an advocate, councilman and Mayor was to create better living conditions for the people of Newark and my neighbors in Brick Towers,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker when asked about the project.  “Housing projects like this have a tremendous impact on the ability of people to lift themselves up and live the American Dream.  Today represents another step of moving Newark forward and cementing its status as a national model for urban revitalization.”