Sweetwater Construction Corp. Builds Facility for Organ Donation Organization in New Providence, N.J.
New Headquarters for NJ Sharing Network

CRANBURY, N.J. (August 21, 2009) -- Sweetwater Construction Corp., a leader in New Jersey construction, management and general contracting, has announced that it is building the new headquarters for the NJ Sharing Network, an organ procurement organization now located in Springfield, N.J.

Sweetwater is serving as general contractor for the 47,000-square-foot tenant build-out, which includes a 7,000-square-foot fully accredited transplant testing laboratory, reception and waiting areas, interview rooms, locker rooms and showers, lunchroom, offices, mailroom and call center.

The new facility, which is located at 691 Central Ave. in New Providence, is due to be completed in October.

A non-profit, federally certified, state-approved organization, the NJ Sharing Network is responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue for more than 4,300 New Jersey residents currently awaiting transplants, and is part of a national recovery system that serves approximately 100,000 people on waiting lists.

In addition, the organization is dedicated to raising public awareness about the need for organ and tissue donation, thus “closing the gap” in New Jersey between the demand for organs and tissue and their availability.

Sweetwater’s expertise in interior renovations extends from 5,000-square-foot tenant fit-outs to 200,000-square-foot, multi-phased relocations. The firm specializes in the science and technology, hospitality, multi-family and institutional sectors, but in recent years has made a particular specialty of healthcare and surgical centers.

“The NJ Sharing Network headquarters is an outgrowth of our expertise in the healthcare field,” said Ronald Witt Sr., LEED AP, Sweetwater’s president and CEO. “With its clean rooms, laboratories and organ preservation rooms, such a facility requires a general contractor with experience in building technologically sophisticated medical facilities.”

Sweetwater, which is based in Cranberry, N.J., has built 16 surgical centers in New Jersey over the past five years, as well as a number of veterinary facilities.

The new NJ Sharing Network headquarters will be twice the size of the current facility at 841 Mountain Ave. in Springfield, which has become too small to support the operations of the organization. The growth has been due to the increased need for organs and tissue. Last year, for example, the Network recovered 601 organs, compared to 566 in 2007.

“We have grown significantly over the past five years,” said Melissa Honohan, director of external relations for the Network. “Last year we had the most donors that we have ever had. Our level of growth is important because for each additional organ that is recovered, another life is saved.”

In particular the Network is excited about the new laboratory for matching donors and recipients, which will be more than three times the size of the current one. The new laboratory will include a research component, which the organization does not now have, for studying the sciences of transplantation and donation.

The Network’s mission will be reflected in the interior design. Quilts honoring donors made up of squares contributed by their families will be displayed on video screens, allowing the real quilts to be displayed in public. Also on display will be words such as “passion” and “dedication” that describe donors, as well as photos of donors and recipients.

Another feature of the design will be the inclusion of tranquil places, including a garden and possibly a water feature, that will provide a staff that deals on a daily basis with the stress of counseling the mourning families of deceased donors with the opportunity for quietude and renewal.

In addition, the building will include “green” features such as recycled and renewable flooring and special lighting fixtures, as well as certified “cradle to cradle (C2C)” furniture, which meets an environmental standard ensuring that product components contain no human or environmental hazards.

The construction manager for the project is The Walsh Company, LLC of Morristown, N.J., and the architect is Posen Architects of West Orange, N.J., which specializes in medical and healthcare facilities.

For more information on the NJ Sharing Network or to give the "gift of life" by becoming an organ donor, please call 1-800-SHARE-NJ or visit the Web site at www.sharenj.org

About Sweetwater Construction Corp.

Established in 1974 and headquartered in Cranbury, N.J., Sweetwater Construction is guided by a proven management team and a client-centric business philosophy. Sweetwater provides clients with expert preconstruction and construction services backed by professional commitment and personal accountability. Sweetwater’s project teams possess proven track records in the corporate, healthcare, science and technology, hospitality, multi-family and institutional sectors. Sweetwater’s notable project methodology delivers expertise in budgeting, estimating, constructability, lifecycle reviews and project control methodology; all of which contribute to a successful project. For more information please visit http://www.sweetwatercorp.com.