News Release: June 11, 2002Van Dyk Park Place not only provides much-needed assisted living quarters for Hawthorne's elderly population, but the facility has opened its doors and its heart to the community-earning it a 2002 New Good Neighbor Award from the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.
"The Van Dyk Park Place assisted living facility is a wonderful asset to our community," said Hawthorne Mayor Fred J. Criscitelli, who nominated the project. "They are excellent business people, and they are town-friendly. The building, staff and the facility as a whole have become a beacon of pride in our borough."
"This is a beautiful building where senior citizens will be able to spend their golden years in comfort and splendor," NJBIA President Joe Gonzalez said. "CEO Robert Van Dyk and his team have created something truly deserving of our New Good Neighbor Award."
Architect LAN Associates Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Surveying, Inc. of Midland Park and Holt Construction Corp. of Pearl River, New York created a 96,220-square-foot Victorian-style manor with gabled dormers and gingerbread decoration around the veranda.
The facility provides assisted-living apartments for 120 people. Eight of the apartments are affordable housing units that will count towards Hawthorne's affordable housing obligation.Van Dyk Park Place has also taken an active role in the community. Even before the facility was opened, Van Dyk entered a float in the Borough's Centennial Parade. It also contributed $25,000 to Hawthorne's Library Expansion Foundation. And the complex continues to open its doors for use by community groups, including the Future of Hawthorne Committee's "Seniors Helping Seniors" group.
The $13 million facility gave an economic boost to the borough, creating 50 permanent jobs, more than 200 construction jobs, and adding some much needed ratables to the tax base to lighten the load for other residents.
Van Dyk Park Place was honored June 11 at NJBIA's Annual New Good Neighbor Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton at Woodbridge Place in Iselin.
The New Good Neighbor Awards program, now celebrating its 42nd year, recognizes newly built or renovated facilities that have created jobs and contributed to the quality of life in their communities. This year's 13 winners were selected from 45 projects that represent more than $1 billion in combined construction value and will house 13,600 permanent full-time workers.
A panel of independent judges painstakingly reviewed the projects and selected the winners based on architectural merit, jobs created and community involvement. Project nominations were made by a variety of people, including mayors, a state senator, local economic development officials and a chamber of commerce president.
