The Michaels Organization and Virtua Health held a grand-opening ceremony Aug. 7 for their $24 million housing and health care community in Camden’s Whitman Park neighborhood.
The campus is called Oliver Station and features affordable housing for those aged 55 and over, along with a 5,200-square-foot primary-care office.
Oliver Station is the first community in South Jersey and the second in the state to benefit from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency’s (NJHMFA) Hospital Partnership Subsidy Program. The initiative supports the construction of mixed-use communities near hospitals – creating safe, stable housing with access to health care services. Virtua is contributing $4.1 million to support Oliver Station, and NJHMFA provided $4.2 million through the subsidy program.
In addition to benefiting from the hospital subsidy partnership program, Oliver Station also received 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits issued by the NJHMFA. TD Bank invested in the tax credits, which were syndicated by Berkadia. The Michaels Organization will provide property management services to the residential community.
“This trailblazing community will improve the lives of many and set an example for the good that can happen when compassionate, forward-thinking organizations join forces to address societal challenges,” said Dennis W. Pullin, president and CEO of Virtua Health, southern New Jersey’s largest health system.
Based in Camden, The Michaels Organization is the largest owner and one of the most active developers of affordable housing in the United States. It has been developing housing in Camden for more than two decades.
“We are grateful for the local and state support of this innovative community and the opportunity to bring residents modern, high-quality affordable housing,” said Michaels CEO Mark Morgan. “Our partnership with Virtua will ensure our residents have access to primary care right here on the premises.”
Oliver Station is at 1800 Davis St. and is a transit-oriented, three-story, mixed-use community built on an unused parcel next to the PATCO Speedline’s Ferry Avenue Station and less than a half-mile from Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, is a hub for advanced and complex care.
Designed by Camden-based Urban Practice, the 47 modern apartments at Oliver Station offer affordable homes for households headed by someone aged 55 or older, with household income no more than 60% of the area median income. Ten apartments are set aside for people aged 55-plus who qualify for housing subsidies from the Camden Housing Authority, including five apartments for those experiencing homelessness.
Each apartment features living and dining areas, full kitchens with cabinet space, full baths, closets, and Energy Star-rated appliances. Apartments are one- and two-bedrooms, and the building has a fitness center, laundry facilities, and a community gathering space.
“The project integrates quality affordable senior housing with top-notch health care and focuses on delivering and advancing health equity for residents,” said Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen.
Virtua Primary Care – Camden at Oliver Station, featuring 10 exam rooms, will serve as a resource for the broader Camden community, welcoming patients who live at Oliver Station and in the surrounding area.
The Virtua Primary Care practice at Oliver Station will offer other advantages:
- The practice’s doctors are internal medicine physicians, which means they have additional education in complex and chronic diseases. The staff includes at least four or five attending internal-medicine physicians, as well as nurses, medical assistants, and other team members.
- The staff includes a fellowship-trained geriatrician – a doctor specializing in the care of older patients.
- The practice is also a rotation site for medical residents. These are newly graduated doctors completing their medical training. This academic model provides patients with a high level of care, as they receive attention from both a teaching doctor and a resident at each visit.
A highlight of the grand-opening ceremony was the unveiling of a large memorial plaque honoring two leaders for whom the community is named.
The Reverend Thomas Clement Oliver (1818-1900) was a conductor on the Underground Railroad who briefly lived in Camden. He once presided over the Macedonia African Methodist Episcopal Church, Camden’s oldest African American institution and a refuge for freedom seekers, according to the State of New Jersey.
The name Oliver Station acquired a second meaning following the death of New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver in August 2023. (She and the Rev. Oliver are unrelated.) Elected in 2017 alongside Gov. Phil Murphy, Sheila Oliver previously served in the General Assembly for more than 15 years.