The South Ward Wellness Center, a 46,000-square-foot establishment in Newark that will designate nearly 12,000 square feet to serve as a federally qualified health center, recently was approved to receive up to $21.7 million in Aspire tax credits by the board of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
FQHCs are nonprofit, community-based clinics focused on providing quality health care services to medically underserved areas and populations, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.
The center will be located along Clinton Avenue. The Wellness Center’s FQHC space will be leased by Saint James Health Inc., which operates several FQHCs across Newark, and will offer primary and preventative community health care services.
EDA CEO Tim Sullivan said tax credit is an example of how wide-ranging the Aspire program can be.
“Gov. Phil Murphy envisioned the Aspire Program to support a wide range of projects to spur community development and economic growth,” he said. “Since its implementation, the program has gone on to support mixed-use housing developments, innovation hubs, production studios and, now, a major health care center in the South Ward of Newark.
“The South Ward Wellness Center will help transform the community by addressing health care inequities, while creating good-paying jobs and serving as an economic driver in the neighborhood. The Aspire Program is continuing to make a difference in communities across the state.”
The applicant, South Ward Promise Neighborhood, will be the tenant for the remainder of the space at the Wellness Center. The community-focused nonprofit organization will provide numerous health care services, including group therapy, as well as maternal, medical, and physical health services. SWPN was formed in 2014 as a place-based organization focused on expanding access to quality education, food, housing, employment and physical and mental health resources for families in Newark’s South Ward.
“I commend the NJEDA and all involved in making this transformative project a reality for our community,” Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) said. “It is great to see what is possible when we lock arms to bring legislative policies to life as intended. This project not only delivers crucial health services to the South Ward, but also stimulates local economic growth and job creation. The South Ward Wellness Center exemplifies our ongoing efforts to tackle decades of inequality in Newark while strengthening our families through a mission-driven approach.”
Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Newark) agreed.
“Being born and raised in Newark, I understand the impact of ensuring access to health care in creating a healthier, more equitable community. Establishing a one-stop health center that offers access to a variety of services without needing to travel outside of this city will make a world of difference to its residents,” she said.
“The tax credit awards being announced today are the latest testament to the difference the Aspire program is having in cities and towns throughout New Jersey.”
Aspire is a place-based economic development program created under the New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020 to support mixed-use, transit-oriented development with tax credits to commercial and residential real estate development projects that have financing gaps. As a performance-based program, projects must certify that all commitments established at time of approval have been met before receiving their first disbursement of tax credits.
