Rutgers-Camden breaks ground on Cooper Street Gateway

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Rutgers University–Camden is investing $60 million in a new facility for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences that will be available for use by the surrounding community.

The Cooper Street Gateway Project will transform 14 vacant properties and several empty lots along the 400 block of Cooper and Lawrence streets. The homes on Lawrence Street will be renovated into offices and guest accommodations for visiting faculty. The project will preserve the architecture of vacant, historic properties.

“There’s so much history and beautiful architecture in the City of Camden,” said Bob McKee, senior vice chancellor of finance and administration for Rutgers-Camden. “Preserving is absolutely at the heart of this program, while adding new space, adding the opportunity for new media, new learning opportunities for the students coming into the next generation.”

Workers broke ground on the project last week. The university is currently seeking a general contractor. McKee said Rutgers wants to hire local subcontractors “with a focus on diversity.”

“Women-owned, veteran-owned … we want this to be a community project from the inside out,” he said.

Construction is expected to be completed by early spring 2026. Once open, the buildings will consolidate some parts of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which currently is in two separate campuses.

McKee describes the project as a “community collective.”

Shellie Mason, president of the Cooper-Grant Neighborhood Association, received emails about the project during its planning phase and attended the groundbreaking.

Though not included in the early stages of conversations, Mason said she is happy that Rutgers-Camden is pursuing the project.

“We’re glad they’re gonna keep the facade,” she said. “As long as they make it available to the public and community as well, we’re happy.”