Thriven Design joins with Pennrose to celebrate Hildebrand Commons groundbreaking

Thriven Design was happy to celebrate the groundbreaking for Hildebrand Commons on July 23 and mark the start of construction for this 6-floor, 69,435sf affordable community that will add 66 income-restricted apartments to New Brunswick, NJ, for adults aged 55 and over.

James M. Cahill, Mayor of City of New Brunswick; Zachary Wright, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, New Brunswick Housing & Redevelopment Authority; Terry Tucker, Chief of Staff, New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA); Daniel E. Jennings, Executive Vice President, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA); Michael Siroka, Vice President, Hudson Housing Capital, spoke at the groundbreaking, as well as Noah Freiberg, Senior Developer, Pennrose; and Timothy I. Henkel, Chief Executive Officer & Partner, also of Pennrose.

Thriven Design is providing professional architectural services for the project, which is being developed by Pennrose on the site of the former Hoffman Pavilion, a New Brunswick Housing Authority residence that was demolished in 2012. The new Hildebrand Commons will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments available at 20 to 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Forty-eight units will serve as replacement public housing with RAD vouchers at 110 percent Fair Market Rents and 39 will be RCA units. Five apartments will be set aside for formerly homeless individuals. Shared community amenities will include a community room, fitness center, parking, outdoor courtyard, maintenance and management suite, and on-site supportive services.

Hildebrand Commons is named in honor of Reverend Henry A. Hildebrand, who served the community for more than three decades as pastor of Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church. He is remembered for his deep community involvement and support of local seniors.

A fall, 2026, completion in anticipated.