Thrive project partner John Klein speaks at the groundbreaking for the project in Red Bank. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
The sound of a backhoe tearing down an old house gave way to heartfelt speeches of praise and thanks as demolition paused for a celebratory groundbreaking of a 32-unit apartment building for adults with special needs in Red Bank Wednesday.
Advocates say the Thrive Red Bank project at the northeast corner of Drs. James Parker Boulevard and Shrewsbury Avenue will allow them to create a model of desperately needed housing for neuro-diverse adults. The three-story building would provide supervised, independent living, community spaces and onsite, 24/7 support for residents.
In speeches beneath a tent providing scant refuge from the heat, those involved in the project praised Red Bank as the perfect place for it.
Robin Klein, a partner in the project along with her husband John Klein, said the model of independent living requires “walkability, transportation, access to health care and education, opportunities for work, volunteering, recreation and the arts.”
“In short, a place that’s vibrant and inclusive,” she said. “The keyword here is community. When John and I arrived here many years ago, we were embraced by this amazing town and we knew this was the place.”
Thrive will also debut an innovative public/private partnership with the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS) that a press release touted “will create a new standard of excellence in neuroinclusive housing.”
“Residents will benefit from the expertise of Rutgers senior clinical faculty and highly trained clinical staff; meanwhile, university students from a variety of academic disciplines will receive hands-on training and intensive supervision,” the release reads.
The project received Zoning Board approvals in September 2023 amid impassioned appeals from parents facing the crushing nationwide shortage of housing for neurodivergent adults who had aged out of programs for children and young adults. 
The project will require the demolition of a two-story building last home to a karate dojo, and a home on Drs. James Parker Boulevard, which had been torn to the ground by workers yesterday morning before the groundbreaking ceremony across the street on the grounds of Coffee Corral.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
