RPM Development’s Linc Properties are Now Officially Live at Orange Station!
By Patricia Rogers
I was honored when I received an invite to attend the ribbon cutting of the Linc32 and Linc52 properties. Honestly, it could not have been a more beautiful morning for the ceremony. I have watched the condos and rental apartment buildings get built as I traveled on the train to and from New York City. I met Kirsten last year when she was working with 810 Creative to market the RPM Development. We have now come full circle and the Linc properties are officially live at Orange station.
The property located right off Orange station on Lincoln Avenue is picturesque as I arrived at the ceremony. I quickly joined familiar faces, Christopher King, Keith Dent, Patrick Morrissy and Robin Gordon from HANDS, Inc. We sat under a white tent as Edward Martoglio, the principal of RPM, started with opening remarks.
Left to Right: Anthony Marchetta, Joaquin Bouzas, Donna Williams, Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Edward Martoglio, Marty Mayes, Thomas P Giblin, Dr. Lanel D. Guyton, Marie Mascherin. Image credit: CAHN Communications.
As I looked around at the other guests, I recognized customers at Hat City Kitchen. One woman in particular, I met when she came to the bar on a Saturday afternoon. We had a conversation about community initiatives in Orange, her hometown. I always like to take advantage of opportunities to let someone know what is going on here, and seeing her at the opening, I am glad she was able to witness for herself some of the changes happening.
What stood out to me were remarks that the Linc properties are first of its kind in Orange. When I took a tour back in March, I said the same thing as far as the cosmopolitan feel the aesthetic of the properties have. You walk into the bullrings and you feel like you are in Manhattan. The staff at Linc we nice to give my sister, Nakia, a native New Yorker looking for property, and I an informative tour of both spaces. In addition to that, the unique item I noted was that Linc32 and Linc52 properties are mixed-income — a method that has proven to be highly beneficial to communities.
The city of Orange is growing and changing in many different ways. The Linc properties bring to Orange the mixed-income 80/20 housing program. Under this program for specific periods of time, 20% of the project’s units must remain affordable to low-income households, common recently in New York City on properties like Carnegie Hill Terrace located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
We were also able to hear testimonials from two residents, Nicole Reid at Linc32 and homeowner Kirsten Risko at Linc52. As I feel these properties inspire hope in myself and the city of Orange, I enjoyed hearing from Nicole who has lived there for two months. Her favorite part of being a Linc resident are the convenient amenities like the gym and proximity to transportation. Kirsten talked about moving back to Jersey from overpriced Brooklyn, and like me, she sees the advantages of a lifestyle of mixed with suburban and urban.
The crowd also heard remarks from Dr. Lanel D. Guyton who is the Reverend of St. Matthew A.M.E. Church, Anthony Marchetta, Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Thomas P. Giblin, Assemblyman of District 34, AnneMarie Uebbing, Director of Community Planning and Development for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Marty Mayes, Director of Planning and Economic Development at the Dept. of Public Works for the City of Orange, Maurice Coleman, and Marie Mascherin.
When hearing about Orange that morning, I heard terms like "vibrant" and "emerging," but there was no mention of the Valley Arts District. This was odd because I think that is one of the trendier aspects of living in the Linc properties and in Orange. In the midst of this movement of hometown pride, I think it was good that speakers continued to thank the city, and explained that the properties were designed to compliment the city of Orange’s assets.
RPM Developments Linc32 and Linc52 properties are located off Orange train station. In what has become known as the NJ Transit Village concept, Linc52 Condos & Linc32 Rentals offer commuters two living options along the NJ Transit’s highly popular Morris-Essex line. Linc52, which features 24 condominiums, and Linc32 luxury rental apartments are designed to complement the fabric of the neighborhood. There are the modern amenities including resident lounge, fitness center and landscaped courtyard. For commuters, it is close to the train station that gets you to Manhattan in thirty minutes.
After receiving two exclusive tours of the Linc32 and Linc52 building, I had a good feeling about what this can do to Orange. The décor, art, and design of the building reminds me of a building I would see in New York. I can see the "commuter" living a convenient and trendy lifestyle living in this building. This can bring a completely cosmopolitan vibe to Orange with the Valley Arts District as the hub. You can come home from work and then go see a show at Luna Stage, art opening at the Firehouse Gallery, or have a delicious meal at Southern Comfort Cafe. Invite your friends from New York for a live performance on the weekends at Hat City Kitchen.
For more information please visit www.liveatorangestation.com and to read my past review on the properties here.
About the Writer
Patricia Rogers, #ValleyGirlNJ, lives in New Jersey's Valley Arts District. The native New Yorker works as a writer, blogger and community activist. StartingMasconsumption Media in 2012, she has been passionate about capturing the stories of the vibrant up and coming Valley Arts District neighborhood through her blog, zine, events and more. She blogs for Jersey Indie, Luna Stage, and Hat City Kitchen and offers many creative media services. Visit her blogwww.masconsumption.com and keep up with your favorite Valley Girl on social media at @valleygirl_nj (Twitter / Instagram).