Ablett Village demolition nears as affordable-apartment complex, The Harrison, opens

CAMDEN – A $165 million program just brought the city its newest affordable homes.

Soon, it will remove some of its oldest public housing.

Demolition is scheduled to begin in June at Ablett Village, a dilapidated complex in Cramer Hill that’s targeted for removal by Camden’s housing authority.

The first two phases of a four-part program for The Michaels Organization, a Camden-based developer, have already brought affordable homes to two sites a short distance from the housing project.

Still to come: Construction of 297 townhomes at the current site of Ablett Village, a sprawling property off State Street and River Avenue.

Big change on Route 561: The Michaels Organization is building Victory Commons, affordable apartments in Voorhees

The 306-unit complex, which dates to 1943, will be razed in the project’s third and fourth phases, a Michaels representative said.

Its redevelopment is to be completed within about three years.

Michaels earlier this month unveiled the second phase of the project, a 55-unit apartment building for seniors about a mile from Ablett Village.

The $16.3 million building, called The Harrison, includes a multipurpose room, a craft lounge, medical exam rooms and a fitness center.

“We strive to make all of our homes more than just a place to hang a hat,” said Nicholas Cangelosi, a senior vice president at Michaels.

The three-story building stretches along formerly vacant land on 24th Street between Harrison and Pierce avenues.

It’s about a mile from the dreary landscape of Ablett Village, made up of rows of two-story brick buildings at State Street and River Road.

Many units at Ablett Village are now vacant and boarded over, their former tenants relocated in advance of demolition. The complex, named in honor of a city man who was killed in action during World War I, held more than 600 residents just a few years ago.

Ten buildings at Ablett Village will be razed for the project’s third phase, when Michaels has said it plans 78 affordable homes in 12 buildings.

Thirteen more buildings are to fall in February 2026, with the project’s ultimate completion expected in three years.

The first phase, valued at $25 million, developed 75 townhomes at sites some distance from Ablett Village.

Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer, who grew up in Ablett Village, noted the Michaels project will “complement new housing being built along Harrison Avenue, and community assets like the Kroc Center and the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park.”

“As it stands, the city is seeing significant change in the housing market,” said Dyer.

He pointed to the ongoing overhaul of the 21-story Northgate apartment tower, recently acquired for $40 million by a New York-based firm that upgrades affordable housing.

Dyer also noted the construction of Oliver Station, a $24 million affordable housing and health care complex by Michaels and Virtua Health in Whitman Park.

“This is a new day for the city and the changes in the housing stock are real and are directly benefitting the residents of Camden City,” said Dyer.

The Harrison has 48 homes for seniors age 62 or older, who are at or below 80 percent of area median income. Five units will be set aside for seniors facing homelessness. Two will be leased at a market rate.

Ablett Village seniors "will have the absolute right to live in these homes,” said Gretchen Dlugolecki, a Michaels representative.

Any remaining apartments will be “affirmatively marketed in accordance with federal guidelines,” she said.

Potential tenants can call 856-610-6580 or email cramersenior@tmo.com to schedule an appointment to fill out an application with a staff member.

The building is expected to be fully occupied by the end of April.

U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, a city resident, noted a $35 million federal grant was vital to the Cramer Hill project. In addition, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency provided $13.9 million in tax credit equity.

“This was a much-needed investment to improve Camden’s affordable housing and access to opportunity,” Norcross said at an April 3 ribbon-cutting.

“Everyone deserves an affordable, safe place to call home and access to good-paying jobs,” he said.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Michaels Organization opens The Harrison, plans to raze Ablett Village