Jersey City opens new senior center in the Heights

Jersey City’s northernmost neighborhood is now home to the city’s first new senior community center in nearly 40 years, renovated from a former parking authority office to meet the community’s modern needs.

Mayor Steven M. Fulop recently joined several City Council members and the local community to cut the ribbon on the new Joseph Connors Senior Center, located at 394 Central Avenue, which will serve as a new lunch location for seniors and a one-stop center for health and human services.

The city’s offices of immigrant affairs, senior affairs and veterans affairs will be housed under the same roof at the facility, and a food pantry and vertical farm will also be located on the first floor.

“We wanted to create an inviting and vibrant place to offer more senior programming and expand services into one location,” said Mayor Fulop. “What we are opening here today is exactly that and more. With this building, we now have a one-stop human services center that provides specialized services for seniors in a public-facing atmosphere that is convenient, welcoming and accessible.”

The new center features a commercial kitchen across from the large dining room, which was remodeled to an open, accessible layout. The project also included renovations to the multi-purpose space and games room.

The community center will offer new courses, organized events, exercise classes and computer literacy training in a new computer lab, said Joan Eccleston, director of Jersey City’s Department of Senior Citizens. The center will partner with the Jersey City Free Public Library on the program.

“This project marks another milestone in our continued efforts to create more convenient one-stop shops throughout the city,” added Business Administrator John Metro. “None of this would have been possible without the help of our nonprofit and trade partners who helped turn the city’s vision into a reality.”

The new senior center also doubles as a preservation project, as it preserves all of the property’s existing architectural details. The building on the lot dates back to 1880, and much of the tin ceilings and wall tiles were incorporated into the renovation.

“This is a big day for District D,” concluded District D Councilman Yousef Saleh. “I think this is the Ritz-Carlton of the Senior Center. It’s beautiful, and it’s what our seniors deserve. A big thank you to Mayor Fulop for making this happen.”