NORTHFIELD — The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is set to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the Northfield Veterans Village on Oct. 28.
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. at 1823 Wabash Ave. The property is the former site of Arthur R. Henry Inc. at the corner of Mill Road. There are two derelict buildings and a shed located on the property that have sat mostly unused for years.
Mark Doherty, commander of Harvey D. Johnson American Legion Post 295, said there is a big need for this type of housing in the area.
“It’s exciting for the veteran community and we’re very pleased to see it happen,” Doherty said.
He said transitional housing facilities are operational in Absecon and Atlantic City but “it’s not as extensive as it needs to be, so this is a great opportunity to provide those services.”
Doherty said Tunnel to Towers provides “a tremendous service for the veteran community in need.”
The organization, which goes by T2T, is planning a complex with 99 rooms in one three- or four-story building and 22 single homes. The complex will qualify for 114 credits in the city’s affordable housing plan.
Phyllis Doyle of T2T said the rooms in the main building will consist of a bedroom, kitchen and living room in a studio apartment setup, as well as a bathroom and a terrace or deck off the back. This housing is transitional and meant to provide a safe space while homeless veterans get back on their feet.
The first floor will include a multipurpose lounge, gym, canteen, clothing store and workforce development learning space where career assistance will be provided.
“We want to help get these vets back into society and get them back into working,” Doyle said. “It’s really a wonderful facility.”
There also will be 22 “Comfort Homes” for veterans who are older and not going to return to the workforce where they can stay as long as they want. They are a little bit bigger than the apartments and free standing.
Veterans must apply to live in the housing through the Tunnel to Towers website and pay what Doyle characterized as a small cost, usually covered by Medicaid or other organizations.
“It’s such a great program that the foundation is doing,” she said, noting she recently attended a grand opening in Memphis, Tenn. T2T is building Veterans Villages across the country.
The organization also has a national case management network that helps homeless veterans and their families through providing temporary accommodations, moving assistance, food supplies and other necessities.
The event will consist of a procession, speeches and a ceremonial groundbreaking. In addition, there will be renderings of what the finished product will look like and a booth where attendees can experience a 3D walkthrough of the home. It will wrap up with a luncheon.
The organization was founded to honor New York City firefighter Stephen Siller.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Siller, who was assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1, had just finished his shift and was on his way to play golf with his brothers when he was notified a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Siller returned to Squad 1 to get his gear and drove to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, but it had already been closed for security purposes. Siller then strapped 60 pounds of gear to his back and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave up his life while saving others.
Siller’s siblings decided to start a foundation in his honor. It initially benefitted only fallen firefighters but expanded in 2017-18 to assist fallen first responders and Gold Star Families, then catastrophically wounded veterans, law enforcement officers and first responders.
They now are trying to eradicate veteran homelessness through the Veteran Villages, which provide housing, medical and mental health care, career training and other services.
According to the foundation, it is working to find a home for every military veteran. More than 3,300 received housing and services in 2023 alone.
The foundation raises money through donations and the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk NYC, which traces Siller’s final steps on 9/11 and pays homage to the fallen. According to the organization, it has inspired multiple runs, walks and climbs around the country.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
