Wire rope was spun here. Now Trenton factory gets new life as lofts

TRENTON -- The year was 1917 and the Roebling complex's Clark Street Rope Shop in Trenton reopened after being gutted by a fire two years earlier. The new building was ultramodern for its day, with steel trusses, fire-resistant materials and massive windows that flooded the space with natural daylight.

It's here where the wire used in Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis plane was believed to be manufactured.

Now, a century later, the building has been reinvented as the Roebling Lofts with 16-to-24-foot ceilings, 10-foot windows and environmentally friendly features. The latest project by Trenton-based HHG Development, it aims to combine the old with the new.

"It was always obvious to us that this was the best development site in Trenton," Michael Goldstein, one of the principals, said during a recent building tour. "We've always had our eyes on it."

But it wasn't until January 2011 that the county approved a development agreement with HHG to redevelop the 7-acre "Block 3" site.

In 2002, California-based Manex had proposed to convert the property into a film production and equipment rental facility, but those plans never materialized as the financially strapped company nearly went bankrupt and fell behind on payments to the county.

Goldstein says progress on the project was initially slow -- "Nobody was investing in Trenton during the previous administration" -- but with help from Mayor Eric Jackson's administration, HHG was able to secure $16.1 million in federal historic tax credits from the state to move forward.

"I always thought they would be beautiful, but it's really cool the way they turned out," Goldstein said. "I had high expectations and they've been exceeded."

The structure retains features of its historic past, including original steel trusses and a clerestory in the top-floor units, exposed brick from the firewall that ran down the middle of the building and a surviving "fatigue machine" that's become the centerpiece of a resident lounge, once part of the factory's testing lab.

And the units bear names like Brooklyn, George Washington, Golden Gate, Wright Brothers and Otis, a nod to the bridges, elevators and aircraft that used Roebling wire rope and cables.

MORE PHOTOS: Construction continues in late 2016, early 2017

But the amenities in the 138 one- and two-bedroom loft-style apartments cater to the modern world. The features include a spiral staircase, "high-performing" windows with solar-mesh shades, state-of-the-art heat pumps and control systems, strand-woven bamboo flooring, countertops and backsplashes that use recycled materials, LED lights, low-flow showerheads and toilets, and Energy Star appliances including an induction range and washer and condenser-dryer.

The building will also have a workout room, bike storage, coffee lounge, resident lounge and a conference room that can be used by tenants who work from home.

Roebling Lofts' rents range from $1,345 to $1,550 for the one-bedroom lofts and start at about $1,630 for the two-bedrooms. Twenty-eight of the units are reserved for moderate-income residents, with rents around $1,100.

The groundbreaking was held in March 2016 and HHG had anticipated that the first residents would be able to move in this spring. But some delays pushed the date back to July -- and even cost them some tenants.

MORE PHOTOS: First units get ready for move-in

"Most people hung in there with us, which we took as a really good sign," Goldstein said. "It's a measure of how unique the property is. ... People are excited about living here. It's a combination of the beauty, the space and the green features of this place that there's nothing like it in the market."

He acknowledged that the rents are among the most expensive in the city, but says that "for the area, for this quality, we're inexpensive."

About 40 apartments have signed leases.

"Originally we were leasing the less-expensive units, but as soon as we could get people into the building and show them the completed unit, we started leasing the deluxe two-bedrooms," Goldstein said. "Now that the building is open ... we've got an uptick of people calling us up and we're hoping that'll continue through the fall."

He says the tenants are a mix of millennials, gen-Xers and baby boomers. Some work in Trenton or neighboring towns, while others plan to commute from the River Line stop just in front of the building.

Matthew Curry, 23, says he and his partner, Brandon Ellsworth, were drawn to the lofts both because the units were "stunningly beautiful" and it would be easy for them to get to their jobs. Curry works across the river in Pennsylvania, while Ellsworth takes the train to Newark.

The couple signed their lease in January and moved into their third-floor corner unit at the end of July.

"We love it," Curry said, adding that the 18-foot ceilings, 12-foot windows and the building's welcoming community are major pluses. "We've been able to build a nice home here. ... We were really excited about a place that's building something in the middle of Trenton and can hopefully contribute to the revitalization of that. We're passionate about that and supporting local businesses."

Shameca Boykin, 36, moved in earlier this month with her fiance, Will Baker, and 2-year-old daughter. She works in Hillsborough and he works in Mount Holly, so they decided on Mercer County.

"I was looking for something that was bigger and something that was really close to everything," she said. "If I want to go to the city, I just walk to the train station."

Boykin says she first looked at the lofts in January and was hooked as soon as she saw the floor plans.

In her unit, she says the brick walls add character, natural light pours in through the large windows and the walk-in closet gives them plenty of space.

"I'm glad we were able to get in," she said. "I know it's going to be a sellout type of place where no one's going to move. ... I'm looking forward to the future plans."

Roebling Lofts is just the first phase of HHG's ambitious plan for the former industrial site. The second and third phases will add another 52 lofts, 170,000-plus-square-feet of creative office space, retail and restaurant space, a public plaza and a 949-space parking garage.

Goldstein says that full build-out could take another three to four years. Construction on the 100,000-square-foot Building 114 would begin as soon as they sign a tenant, he said.

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.