Queen Latifah Creates Housing In Newark; Groundbreaking At 'Rise Living'

NEWARK, NJ — Newark's latest housing development was launched Tuesday, getting a special send off from the Brick City's beloved "queen."

Dana Owens – otherwise known as Queen Latifah – was among those present at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Rise Living housing development (watch the video here). The new development will transform several properties along 19th Avenue, South 16th Street and South 17th Street into modern housing and mixed-use spaces.

According to developers, the buildings will include a fitness center, business center, charging stations for electric vehicles, and ground floor parking spaces. Amenities will include touchless entry and free wifi in all common areas, online portals for maintenance and rent payment, washers and dryers in units, hardwood floors, green roofs in selected units, air conditioning and stainless-steel appliances.

Developers said 16 units will be classified as affordable housing. Market-rate rents are set to start at $1,800.

Work begun on the site at 650 Springfield Avenue in January of 2022. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of the next phase of work on the site, which will lead to an eventual 76 units and 1,900 square feet of ground-floor space for nonprofit organizations. Pre-leasing is expected to commence in July of 2022.

Rise Living is a collaboration between Life Assets Development, Gonsosa, and the BlueSugar Corporation, which was co-founded by Latifah.

“I’m a little emotional,” she said Tuesday, getting a round of eager applause from supporters. “We got walls up… we got windows.”

The music icon said it was important for her to build something in the city that Queen Latifah could live in … not just Dana Owens.

“What I want you to understand is that there’s love in this city,” Latifah continued. “There is love in this community.”

And it includes the spirit of her late mother, Rita Owens, she said.

“Rise is not just ‘Rise Living,” Latifah emphasized. “Rise is ‘Rita is seen everywhere… Rita is still everywhere. There’s no way this would be possible if she was not still in the midst of this.”

Alberto Goncalves, CEO of Life Assets Development, said developers are thrilled to have secured such an “ideally-located property” with BlueSugar Corp, and they appreciate the confidence that the City of Newark has placed in them.

“We believe Rise Living will be a complementary addition to the city’s multi-billion dollar revitalization plan, and we look forward to creating a community of value that taps into the neighborhood’s full potential,” Goncalves said.

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