CAMDEN’S ‘EDS & MEDS’ UNVEIL 10-YEAR PROGRESS REPORT
CAMDEN, N.J. (Oct. 4, 2012) – A 4.4 percent growth in employment of City residents, a $73 million increase in total payroll, a 31 percent growth in City college enrollment, a 28 percent growth in patient visits and the addition of a medical school, a graduate-student dormitory, an early-learning center and a Barnes & Noble bookstore with a Starbucks café are just a few of the achievements made by Camden’s major higher education and healthcare anchor institutions during the last decade, states a report released today by the Camden Higher Education and Healthcare Task Force.
The CHEHC member entities – CAMcare Health Corp., Camden County College, Cooper University Hospital, Lourdes Health System, Rowan University, Rutgers University-Camden, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Virtua – have collaborated to help improve the City of Camden since 2002. They also have teamed to improve the quality of life of City residents and support the redevelopment of Camden’s neighborhoods.
“Camden’s higher education and healthcare institutions are leading the City’s revitalization,” said Task Force chair Louis S. Bezich. “These anchor institutions are key to the City’s economic health because of their employment and significant purchasing power. They are fundamentally rooted to Camden by real estate, capital investments and a client base, among other factors.”
Today’s report details how the Task Force members have collectively leveraged the state funding provided to them through the 2002 Camden Municipal Rehabilitation and Economic Recovery Act over the last 10 years. This report follows an economic-impact report completed in 2004; housing-interest surveys completed in 2006 and 2009; and a five-year summary report completed in 2007.
Under the $175 million Camden Act, $47.7 million was set aside for the “Eds & Meds” of the CHEHC. Throughout the last decade, substantial returns of all sizes have been made on that investment.
Among these is the growth in employment of Camden residents by the Task Force member institutions. In 2011, 997 jobs (692 full-time and 305 part-time) were held by City residents – which is 4.4 percent more than residents held 10 years prior.
Also, the total Task Force payroll grew to be more than $528 million by 2011. This is approximately $8 million more than it was in 2010 and $73 million more than it was in 2001.
In addition, 2,758 more college students were being educated in the City in 2011 than had been in 2001. The 2011 total of 11,558 included 2,191 City residents and 9,367 non-residents.
Also, 142,075 more visits were made by medical patients to Task Force institutions in 2011 versus 2001. The 2011 total of 642,075 included 295,475 visits by City residents and 346,600 visits by non-residents.
Also bringing more people and activity to Camden have been a number of impressive and impactful facility projects. The latest of these include:
• The $220 million Roberts Pavilion of Cooper University Hospital that includes a public restaurant, a patient/family education center and expanded emergency medicine services.
• The $139 million Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. An inaugural class of 50 students began studies in this 200,000-square-foot facility in August.
• The $55 million, 102-unit dorm for 350 graduate students that opened on the Rutgers University-Camden campus in August. Retail space occupies the ground floor.
• Serving younger area residents – and assisting parents who live and/or work within the City – is the $8.5 million Early Learning Research Academy at Rutgers University-Camden that was completed in 2011. The 12,000-square-foot facility serves 126 children aged 5 and under.
• Renovation of the University District Bookstore on the Camden City Campus of Camden County into a Barnes & Noble bookstore and Starbucks café, which was completed in 2011. This $350,000 project affected 13,500 square feet of the Camden Technology Center and upgraded the services and amenities that already were offered there to students who attend the Camden campuses of CCC, Rutgers and Rowan.
Finally, initiatives undertaken by the Task Force institutions also have contributed to the existence, continuation or improvement of more than 90 smaller-scale entities, programs or projects that are based within the City of Camden. A comprehensive list is included in the report.