A groundbreaking ceremony was held last week for The Sankofa Enclave at Twenty First Street, a Black woman-led development that will offer homeownership, affordable housing, retail, and green space, representing a nearly $100 million investment in the township.
The project aims to revitalize a blighted section of Standard Place off of 21st street. Fifteen two-family houses will be built for homeownership and 240 units of high-quality affordable rental housing – including five units of supportive housing for young women aging out of foster care – will also be built.
The development will feature significant green space, retail, a weekly farmers market and a 30,000 square-foot community development center intentionally designed to deliver important tools for community development and economic growth, according to a press release about the project.
Mayor Tony Vauss, Council President Jamilah Beasley, and other Irvington officials joined developers Nana Duncan and Dr. Vikas Gupta of Twenty First Redevelopment for the ground breaking ceremony.
Tara Dowdell of the marketing and public relations firm the Tara Dowdell Group was emcee for the event that included speeches from Vauss, Beasley, Duncan, Gupta and others.
“There are so many projects going on in the township but this one is special to me,” Vauss said. The development company “is a female, black owned company and their home base is here in Irvington.”
The Sankofa Enclave is among the first Black woman-led real estate redevelopment projects of this magnitude in New Jersey, according to an announcement from developers.
Designed to be a partnership between the Irvington municipal government and the developer, the project represents a nearly $100 million investment in the township, the announcement said.
The project will be completed in two phases, the first phase will include the two-family homes with outdoor green space to boost homeownership and foster long-term investment in the community. The second phase will be the 240 high quality affordable rental units, community development center, and a healthy food eatery.
Beasley said she was thrilled to announce the project located in the township’s East Ward.
“I can’t wait until I see Sankofa at 21st Street up and running,” Beasley said.
October Hudley, who represents the East Ward on the township council and has lived in the ward for more than 50 years, noted that she was born in the month of October.
“Tomorrow is my birthday and I feel like I just received a gift,” Hudley said.
Councilman Orlander Glen Vick, who is chair of the council’s Redevelopment Committee, thanked the mayor for helping make it happen and said he was looking forward to seeing the completed project.
Kyana Woolridge, director of Community Development and Planning for the township, noted that the area had been “decimated for 15 to 20 years.”
“We have been working on this for a while,” she said. “ Thinking about it this morning, I was tearing up. You can’t imagine the amount of phone calls, conference calls, meetings and money poured into this thing.”
Gupta, who is a dentist and real estate investor, said he is involved because he has “a passion to help people” and he believes that proper housing can help people thrive.
Dowdell said the housing will help provide equal access to people who might not otherwise have that opportunity.
“It’s not just about doing this work but it’s about bringing others along with you,” she said.
Duncan gave a particularly poignant speech, noting this was the first project of her female owned development company and mentioning her father and his guidance over the years.
“As we break ground today on this transformational project, we are not just moving dirt, we are creating opportunity,” she said. In addition to thanking the mayor and council, she also thanked the people of the neighborhood for their support.
“Today we mark the beginning of a project that will forever change this neighborhood,” Duncan said.
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