A comprehensive apartment plan has been approved by residents of the Red Bank areas
RED BANK, NJ – Apartments that enable neurodiverse adults to live independently – but with top-notch support – are coming soon to Red Bank.
THRIVE Red Bank, a project that will provide one-bedroom apartments in a complex on Shrewsbury Street, received approval from the Red Bank Zoning Board last week.
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Its developers say the concept is the first of its kind in New Jersey, and the approval means construction can begin on the three-story, 32-unit apartment building. Located at 273 Shrewsbury Street in Drs. James Parker Street. It is scheduled to open in 2025.
“We are pleased with the Board’s decision, which will enable us to provide a first-of-its-kind, neuro-inclusive residential building for New Jersey’s diverse and vibrant population,” said John Klein, developer/owner of the project. project.
“This groundbreaking supportive housing project will provide inherent benefits to its residents and the greater Red Bank community,” said Klein, a well-known real estate developer with many philanthropic ties to Monmouth County.
THRIVE Red Bank will provide one-bedroom apartments for independent living for diverse adults, with shared amenity space, including a teaching kitchen, shared event space, health and wellness spaces, exercise spaces and socializing areas.
“service cliff”
The developers say this concept will serve an important need.
One in 34 people in New Jersey is diagnosed with autism, and New Jersey is known for having excellent educational programs for school-age children.
But many of these children fall off the “service cliff” when support dwindles significantly by age 21. Currently, three out of four of these autistic adults live with a family member, and many of them are now aging, according to those behind the project. .
“The greatest worry for any parent with a neurodiverse child is: What will happen when I can’t be there?” said Parents With A Plan founder and co-developer of THRIVE Red Bank, Karen Fluharty, a mother of a 21-year-old neurodiverse son.
Parents With A Plan is a Montville-based organization founded in 2019 to expand neuro-inclusive housing environments.
Fluharty, a global retail real estate executive, brought all her skills as a professional – and a mother – to create this project.
About Thrive Red Bank
The project, according to the Zoning Board application, is a three-story, 35,891-square-foot apartment building with 32 one-bedroom apartment units, one studio apartment on the ground floor and 13 parking spaces for use by building employees and visitors.
The site includes landscaping, a courtyard, and on-site amenities within the building related to residents’ life skills development.
At the Sept. 7 meeting, which continued the hearing on the project, developers noted that a portion of the apartments would meet affordable housing requirements as well.
“THRIVE Red Bank will be our first initiative to build capacity for innovative, people-focused solutions and create a market for supportive housing options,” Fluharty said of the development.
Parents with a Plan is comprised of parents, families, legal and housing professionals, all of whom promote “person-centered living environments throughout New Jersey,” she says.
Walkable city
Red Bank is a perfect fit for the concept, said Robin Klein, also developer/owner of THRIVE Red Bank. She and her husband, John, live in Middletown, according to their bio on the Parents With A Plan website.
“As a walkable city with shopping, entertainment, education, leisure and more, Red Bank offers a unique location,” said Robin Klein, who is also a retail real estate entrepreneur and deeply involved in numerous philanthropic activities.
“Red Bank also provides future residents with opportunities for meaningful local employment and, most importantly, access to public transportation, as many neurodiverse adults do not drive,” she said.
“Red Bank provides the community, quality of life, and spirit of giving, engagement and inclusion that will be critical as these young people transition to independent living,” she said.
Rutgers connection
Another element of THRIVE Red Bank will be a collaboration with the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services to create “a new standard of excellence in supportive housing,” the developers say.
Rutgers’ senior clinical faculty and highly trained clinical staff will support residents there. University students from a variety of academic disciplines will have the opportunity to receive hands-on training and intensive supervision, laying the foundation to support future residential communities.
“Red Bank has an opportunity to be a leader in showing the world what an exemplary compassionate and supportive community can look like,” said Christopher Manenti, Ph.D., founding executive director of the Rutgers Center.
“The importance of THRIVE goes beyond simply improving the quality of life for the 32 residents who will live there. THRIVE will provide an example of high-quality, neuro-inclusive supportive housing properties that demonstrate how everyone can succeed if they are given the right support and opportunities,” he said.
The developers say THRIVE Red Bank is inspired by First Place AZ, a supportive housing community in Phoenix serving a rapidly growing and underserved population.
For those looking for more information about the THRIVE Red Bank Project or its other resources, visit www.parentswithaplan.org.
