Oliver Station Honored with Governor’s Excellence in Housing Development Award
Camden, NJ – October 02, 2025 – Urban Practice is proud to announce that Oliver Station, an innovative mixed-use affordable housing community featuring a primary care medical office that it designed, has been selected as a winner of this year’s Governor’s Excellence in Housing Development Award. The honor was presented during a special ceremony at the Governor’s Excellence in Housing and Economic Development Awards Brunch.
The Excellence in Housing Development Award recognizes exceptional projects that provide high-quality, affordable housing options to meet the diverse needs of residents and reflects the core missions of the Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development Coordinating Agencies: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), New Jersey Redevelopment Authority (NJRA), New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), and New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Financing Agency (NJHMFA).
Urban Practice served as the master planner/architect for Oliver Station, which was developed by The Michaels Organization in partnership with Virtua Health and the City of Camden. The $24 million mixed-use development comprises 47 affordable housing units for individuals 55 and older, atop a 5,200-square-foot primary care office operated by Virtua Health. In addition to the healthcare facility, the community also offers a 1,000-square-foot kitchenette and community room, a laundry room, and a fitness center for residents. It is the first community in South Jersey and the second in the state to benefit from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency’s (NJHMFA) Hospital Partnership Subsidy Program.
“Oliver Station is a true testament to our commitment to equitable, community-focused design,” said James Haley, Principal at Urban Practice. “Receiving the Excellence in Housing Development Award is an incredible honor, and represents the concerted effort of a passionate and dedicated team, including partners, to deliver an impactful housing solution.. Communities like this do not get built without a dedicated, collaborative approach and strong partnerships.”
Located directly adjacent to PATCO Hi-Speedline’s Ferry Avenue Station, Oliver Station represents a new model for integrating housing, healthcare, and sustainable design in a way that directly benefits residents and the Camden community as a whole.
The community, named in tribute to Reverend Thomas Clement Oliver, a figure of the Underground Railroad, and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, a champion for housing and health equity, honors Camden’s legacy while advancing its future. It directly responds to the needs of historically excluded residents in a city long impacted by systemic disinvestment, poverty, and limited access to healthcare and affordable housing.
Oliver Station has also previously been awarded New Jersey Future’s Smart Growth Award, which honors innovative projects that transform communities through forward-thinking design, sustainable development, and equitable revitalization.
Just 12 days after Oliver Station’s official grand opening in August, the community was fully leased up, reiterating the need for affordable housing in the City of Camden.
About Urban Practice
Urban Practice is an architecture and design firm based in Camden, NJ, dedicated to shaping equitable, sustainable spaces that uplift underserved communities. The firm partners with mission-driven organizations to transform visions into impactful, inclusive developments.
Tags: Affordable, Awards, Camden