We believe Camden, N.J. symbolizes the commitment we make to cities across the country to create “communities that lift lives.” For more than two decades, Michaels has worked with the Housing Authority of Camden to revitalize neighborhoods and develop new housing. We also built student housing for Rutgers University Camden campus and are have just completed development of the first luxury living apartment to be developed on the Camden Waterfront in almost 15 years. We currently partner with or provide support to 14 nonprofit organizations working in the city and most recently have announced our participation in a partnership that will provide $1 million in grant funding to Camden nonprofits over the next five years.
On June 10, 2019 Michaels relocated its corporate headquarters to a new office tower located at 2 Cooper Street in Camden, NJ that we developed with two other partners.
“Camden is once again poised for greatness,” said Michaels’ CEO John J. O’Donnell. “We couldn’t be more excited about being a part of driving this change.”
Our commitment to the revitalization of important urban centers is not limited to Camden. Michaels is privileged to be the private-sector development partner of Public Housing Authorities in 31 cities. Our experience includes comprehensive neighborhood revitalization of some of the most obsolete and notorious public housing complexes in the country, ones that had become synonymous with blight and crime.
From Robert Taylor Homes in Chicago to Desire Estates in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans to Jordan Downs in south central Los Angeles, Michaels’ has worked in partnership with local stakeholders, community groups, non-profits, and government agencies to envision solutions, build consensus, and change the negative perceptions associated with these communities, so that families of all incomes can consider our housing developments “neighborhoods of choice.” Our success is deeply rooted in our ability to effectively collaborate and to offer community-based expertise to residents in mixed income, mixed finance communities, where the affordable apartment homes are indistinguishable from the market-rate units.