The Olsen Building Project
Heart of Camden Launches Olsen Building Redevelopment — Restoring a Broadway Landmark with $772K Investment in Arts, Retail & Community
The Heart of Camden is proud to announce the redevelopment of the Olsen Building at 1811 Broadway in the Waterfront South neighborhood of Camden City! This vacant commercial building will be reborn as a vibrant hub for art, equity, and entrepreneurship. With a total investment of $772,000 from state and city partners, the project will deliver ground-floor retail, a pottery maker space for justice-impacted women, and affordable artist studios — all rooted in the vision of Camden residents and the Catch the Wave Neighborhood Plan.
Redeveloping this space was a top priority identified by residents during the Catch the Wave Neighborhood Plan process, which called for walkable retail, creative workspaces, and stronger Broadway corridor investments.
“This is proof that when a neighborhood raises its voice, we listen and we build,” said Carlos Morales, Executive Director of Heart of Camden. “This project honors the past while giving Camden’s artists and entrepreneurs a real place to grow.”
The second floor of the building will house a Pottery Village Maker Space led by Heart of Camden partner, Camden FireWorks, offering a new creative home for justice-impacted women in Camden.
The third floor will include three affordable artist studios for emerging local creatives — providing workspace and support where it’s needed most.
“This will be a place of healing, expression, and power,” said Asiyah Kurtz, Executive Director of Camden FireWorks. “We are proud to bring art and justice together under one roof.”
Holly Walker, a lifelong Camden resident, “I’m really excited about what’s coming. It feels good to see something new — something beautiful — growing in our community.”
Construction begins in Summer 2025 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
"Investments like the Olsen Building are about more than buildings,” said Vince Basara, Communications Director for the City of Camden, “They’re about community prosperity and creating beautiful vibrant spaces that Camden residents deserve.
This project is made possible by a strong coalition of public funders:
● NJ Department of Community Affairs Capital Grant – $337,000
● NJ DCA Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) 2023 – $250,000
● Camden Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) Macro Program – $185,000
