One hundred years ago Bellevue Avenue was one of the grandest streets in Trenton – its spacious homes sporting ornate moldings and gracious porches. But just a few years prior, this former glory was barely visible, as time and neglect had robbed the street’s once proud homes of their character.
Isles spearheaded a project to rebuild 22 of the vacant homes along this wide, tree-lined avenue, which has been home to one of Isles’ largest community gardens. Isles partnered with the city of Trenton, Shiloh Baptist Church, Tara Construction, and with the support of Councilwoman Annette Lartigue, got the project moving.
Working with gardeners and other long-time residents, Isles planned a project that included painstaking, architecturally sensitive restoration of the homes, job training for community members, planting of street trees, and other improvements.
Bellevue Court, as the rehabilitated homes are named, is also a showcase for energy-efficient design, incorporating recycled materials and energy conservation, and ensuring clean interior air quality. Two of the units are “micro-load” homes with photovoltaic cells in the roof collecting solar energy. These homes have minimal energy bills and can generate surplus energy to sell back to PSE&G.
“Bellevue Court was designed with a strong respect for Trenton’s past and smart upgrades for the future,” says Douglas Palmer, Mayor of Trenton. “And with the city of Trenton, Tara Construction, and Isles all working together, it’s also a powerful model of cooperation,”