Russo Development and Dinallo Construction broke ground on Wednesday for the first phase of Essex & Crane, a 410-unit mixed-use project at Orange Station in the city’s Main Street redevelopment area.
Essex & Crane will be one of the largest, most modern housing developments in city history, complete with public green spaces, pedestrian walkways and 750 parking spaces.
The first phase will include 209 studio, one and two bedroom floor plans, gourmet kitchens with energy efficient appliances, complemented by bespoke cabinets, sleek black hardware, quartz countertops and modern back walls. All apartment buildings have 9-foot ceilings, plenty of storage space, in-house washer-dryers and smart locks.
Essex & Crane residents will also enjoy an extensive package of amenities that includes 23,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space that includes a pool, club room, bike storage room and raised decks.
Orange Mayor Dwayne Davis said he was excited about the project.
“Essex & Crane embodies the city’s vision for downtown redevelopment,” he said.
Ed Russo, CEO of Russo Development, said his group is eager to get started.
“We are excited about the opportunity to build in the City of Orange and we are confident that Essex & Crane will complement the surrounding community and provide an impetus for further development,” he said. “The city was an excellent partner in realizing their vision and also very open to our team’s ideas for this project.”
The development is not only adjacent to the Orange Train Station, but is also directly on Routes 280 and 21 as well as the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. It is close to many of Orange’s attractions including the Military Park Commons, Rosa Parks Central Community School, and the Orange Public Library.
This is the third residential partnership between Dinallo Construction Corp. and Russo Development, based on Annin Lofts, a reinterpretation of the historic Annin Flag Factory in Verona, and Waldwick Station, a revitalization of the former DeMartini Coal and Lumber Co. site in Waldwick.
