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A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
RPM Development Group
77 Park Street
Montclair, NJ 07042
973-744-5410
June 23, 2006
Mr. James A. Slaughter
Director
Policy, Planning, & Development
44 City Hall Plaza
East Orange, NJ 07017
RE: Proposal for Planned Parenthood
Dear Mr. Slaughter:
We are pleased to submit the enclosed proposal to obtain your permission to
build a Planned Parenthood center in Dr. King Plaza. There is approximately
3500 square feet of available, unimproved commercial space which would
meet the requirements for a Planned Parenthood center. Located at 560 Main
Street, this building is in a prime central location.
East Orange is an older, urban area in Northern New Jersey. It has a largely
minority population, a significant percentage of which is below the poverty
line. Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization with centers nationwide
that provide affordable reproductive health care and sexual health
information. Considering the overall needs of the East Orange community,
Planned Parenthood would be a significant asset.
In addition to the written material we are presenting to you, we and
representatives of Planned Parenthood look forward to the opportunity to
appear before your board. Together, we believe that the proposed center will
contribute to the revitalization initiative of the City of East Orange. Thank
you for reviewing this proposal.
Respectfully submitted,
Stephanie Milczarski
Stephanie Milczarski
Construction Coordinator
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
1
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
Executive Summary
RPM Development Group has served as a leading developer for low-income
housing throughout New Jersey and in the City of East Orange for the past
five years. In conjunction with our housing development effort, we also
develop projects for commercial enterprises and non-profit organizations. We
propose to build a tenant fit-out for Planned Parenthood in our acclaimed
low- and moderate-income development on Main Street: Dr. King Plaza.
This development is contingent upon the successful interaction and
partnership between the municipality, residents of the community, Planned
Parenthood, and RPM. We possess the necessary skills to work successfully in
partnership, as we have demonstrated on past projects with the City of East
Orange.
Utilizing the approximate 3500 square feet of available commercial space on
the ground floor of Dr. King Plaza, Planned Parenthood will be located on the
corner of South Harrison and William Street. The building is currently home
to ninety families and eight other retailers, including Bank of America, an
African art store, and a fitness center for women, among others. There is
ample parking for both tenants and customers.
Once granted permission to pursue this development initiative, we expect that
Planned Parenthood will be open and operating within four months—one
month to obtain a construction permit and three months for construction.
RPM has the necessary funds for the project and has an exemplary record for
meeting budget and timeline.
We believe that as a primarily minority population faced with economic
challenges, East Orange will benefit from the services that Planned
Parenthood offers. This organization welcomes everyone, regardless of race,
age, sexuality, disability, or income. Nationwide, it serves approximately five
million clients; a substantial number are girls and women of reproductive age.
Made up of physicians, nurse practitioners, and educators, the Planned
Parenthood staff will be committed to providing affordable gynecologic health
care and information to the local community. RPM Development Group is
committed to ensuring that the new health center will be constructed to
maximize its purpose in the City of East Orange.
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
2
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
Table of Contents
Statement of Need ....................................................................................................... 4
The City of East Orange ............................................................................................. 4
Planned Parenthood .................................................................................................... 4
Project Description ...................................................................................................... 5
Objectives .................................................................................................................... 5
Development Plan and Staff ....................................................................................... 5
Evidence of Financial and Development Capability .............................................. 6
Proposed Development Schedule ............................................................................. 7
Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 7
References ..................................................................................................................... 8
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
3
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
Statement of Need
The City of East Orange
The City East Orange has a rich history, and the diversity of people and ideas
make it a great place to live. However, as with other older urban areas, there
are social and economic problems that can never be paid too much attention.
The project we propose will address some of those problems.
According to the 2000 census, East Orange has a population of approximately
70 thousand, 90% of which is Black or African American, and 5% Hispanic or
Latino. Research on racial disparities in health care shows a dramatic
difference in the quality of care received by Black and Hispanic people versus
White people. (Institute of Medicine, 2002).
Another problem in urban areas is poverty. Approximately 19% of East
Orange inhabitants are below the poverty level and require public assistance
income. The unemployed and the working poor are often without health
insurance; poverty is a health care deterrent.
Urban areas are also afflicted with teen pregnancies and a large percentage of
single mothers. Twenty-one percent of female householders in East Orange
with related children fewer than 18 years of age have no husband present. An
associated problem is the widespread prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other
STDs.
All of these pathologies are what the project we propose will help to address.
Planned Parenthood
“Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual,
throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the
individual’s income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age,
national origin, or residence” (Planned Parenthood, 2006).
Planned Parenthood affiliated centers around the country provide high
quality, affordable reproductive health care and sexual health information to
nearly five million women, men, and teens.
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
4
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
In the United States, one in four women has visited Planned Parenthood at
least once. This is no surprise, as it offers a dynamic community resource that
has a wide range of medical and counseling services, health care education,
and advocacy programs. Each center is run by a professional staff of
physicians, nurse practitioners, and counselors.
Clients of Planned Parenthood are encouraged to discuss their feelings and
ask questions confidentially. The staff is devoted to educating its clients on
making responsible choices about health and sexuality. The proposed project
would allow for these resources to be accessible to the inhabitants of the City
of East Orange.
Project Description
Objectives
The purpose of this project is to:
facilitate an affordable health care center for the City of East Orange
provide a vital community resource for family planning and birth
control, pregnancy testing and counseling, emergency contraception,
HIV testing, and many other sexual health issues
build this center in an accessible area for the members of the local
community
work closely with the City of East Orange and Planned Parenthood to
maximize the beneficial aspects of this facility
construct the facility in a timely, responsible manner, subject to all
applicable codes and regulations
create an efficient, aesthetically pleasing facility for the staff and clients
of Planned Parenthood, and for the community of East Orange
Development Plan and Staff
The proposed project will take approximately four months to complete once
approved by the Planning Board of the City of East Orange. RPM
Development Group, working closely with representatives of Planned
Parenthood and Inglese Architecture and Engineering, has prepared
construction drawings for the Planned Parenthood fit-out in Dr. King Plaza.
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
5
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
The blueprints will be submitted along with a permit application to the East
Orange Building Department.
Upon permit approval, construction will commence. RPM will hire fully
insured and licensed subcontractors to perform the work. All work will
comply with the local and applicable building codes. Upon completion and
final inspections, we will obtain a Certificate of Occupancy which will allow
Planned Parenthood to begin operations. RPM has already achieved eight
Certificates of Occupancy with the neighboring commercial and public tenants
of this Dr. King Plaza facility.
The Construction Coordinator for RPM will oversee the project during every
stage of the process to ensure the timely and precise completion of the project.
Evidence of Financial and Development Capability
RPM and its related entities have been developing and operating a variety of
low- and moderate-rate real estate ventures in New Jersey for the past twenty
years. RPM has established excellent relationships with a number of State and
private lenders and equity investors. Our primary lenders in recent years
have been Bank of America, Thrift Institutions Community Investment
Corporation of New Jersey, and The Richman Group. Letters of Interest from
each of these entities are available upon request.
RPM also has strong relationships with governmental agencies including New
Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage
Finance Agency, New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, and New Jersey
Economic Development Authority.
In its twenty years of operation, RPM has never failed to complete any
approved development, and it has never declared default of any obligation or
debt.
RPM and its related entities have consolidated financials prepared by the
accounting firm of McEnerney and Brady. Also, a number of RPM’s operating
properties have annual audited Financial Statements prepared by the Reznick
Group. All of these statements are available upon request.
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
6
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
Proposed Development Schedule
Once the proposed project is approved by East Orange’s Planning Board, the
project will take four months (sixteen weeks) to complete, broken down as
follows:
Building Permit Approval Four Weeks
Construction Ten Weeks
Final Inspections and Certificate of Occupancy Two Weeks
_____________________________________________________________________
TOTAL PROJECT DURATION Sixteen Weeks
Conclusion
The planning board of East Orange should grant permission to construct the
proposed project because the services that Planned Parenthood provides
contribute to the needs of the residents of the community and the continued
economic development of the city. By offering affordable health care services
to an impoverished and minority community, this facility will help to combat
problems common to many urban areas.
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
7
A Planned Parenthood for The City of East Orange
References
Census. East Orange City, New Jersey. Retrieved June 23, 2006, from
http://factfinder.census.gov.
Institute of Medicine (IoM) Report on Racial Disparities in Health Care,
2002.
Planned Parenthood. This is Planned Parenthood. Retrieved June 23,
2006, from http://www.plannedparenthood.org.
Stephanie Milczarski
July 1, 2006
8
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