An 1888 train depot that spent nearly a decade sitting empty in Trenton has reopened its doors as the Reading Senior Center, giving the city's older residents back their bingo room, pool room and sewing space at 15 Ringold Street. The $1.3 million rehabilitation wrapped up in time for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 10, with daily senior programming set to begin Tuesday, September 15.
The project was financed through more than $600,000 in federal American Rescue Plan money committed by Mercer County, with the remaining balance provided through Community Development Block Grant funds by the City of Trenton, according to the City of Trenton. As reported by CBS News, the building was originally a passenger depot for the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad before later becoming a senior gathering spot, and it had been shuttered for nearly a decade before Thursday's reopening.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora said the building has been brought back to life, framing the center as both a learning tool and a place for senior socialization, per the CBS News report. He also said preserving the city's history carries real value, a sentiment tied directly to the depot's identity as a landmark that has stood since 1888.
Years of Delays and a 2022 Break-In
Renovation work on the center stalled under a prior City Council and then suffered further damage when vandals broke into the vacant building in February 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery period, the city's account notes. The city then undertook a years-long restoration effort. The finished work rehabilitated approximately 11,000 square feet of the facility.
The finished building now includes renovated community areas, new flooring and ceiling finishes, a new kitchen, modernized electrical and lighting systems, and an ADA-accessible elevator, the city says. Temporary HVAC units are running for now while officials continue seeking additional funding for a permanent overhaul of the building's heating and cooling systems.
Seniors Describe an Emotional Return
For longtime residents, the reopening carried personal weight. Ruth Carter, who has lived in Trenton for nearly 50 years, called the center's reopening wonderful, according to CBS News. Violet Brown, 81, said she loves coming to the center and plans to keep coming as long as she lives, while Helaine Thompson said seniors had been anxiously waiting to return to the new facility — recalling that her own mother lived to be 102 and stayed active by regularly meeting new people.
The building's amenities now include a board game room, a bingo room, a pool room, and space for sewing and embroidery classes, giving seniors what CBS News describes as a chance to gather, join programs, meet friends and connect with city services all under one roof.
A New Home for City Social Services Too
Beginning September 16, the center will also serve as the official new home for the City of Trenton Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Community Relations and Social Services, according to the city. Co-locating those municipal staff inside the senior center is intended to streamline access to health and social assistance for the seniors who already use the building.
U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), who attended the ceremony, highlighted her support for the American Rescue Plan funding behind the project and pointed to her congressional work protecting Community Development Block Grants from budget cuts, per a statement from the Office of Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Demand Keeps Growing Among Local Seniors
The investment lands amid a rising regional need. Growth in the 65-and-older population in Trenton and neighboring Hamilton Township accounted for 71% of Mercer County's total senior population growth between 2016 and 2021, according to the Mercer County Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. Countywide, roughly 65,100 Mercer County residents were 65 or older as of 2024, representing 16.6% of the county's population, per USAFacts and U.S. Census Bureau data.
The Reading Senior Center now provides a place for the city's older residents to gather and access services. The years-long restoration effort ultimately brought the historic depot back open for the community it was built to serve.
