Shaping Spaces for Healing and Support
Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer, P.A. Rehabilitation Center Celebrates Ribbon-Cutting in Paterson, NJ
Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer, P.A. Rehabilitation Center Celebrates Ribbon-Cutting in Paterson, NJ
Straight & Narrow, a division of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Paterson, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its newly rebuilt Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer Rehabilitation Center. Community leaders, Catholic Charities representatives, and project partners gathered to commemorate the completion of the 105,000-sf center, which will significantly expand treatment and support services for individuals recovering from addiction.
Straight & Narrow retained LAN to provide comprehensive land surveying and civil engineering services to help realize the vision of the new facility. The project required full site design, including layout, grading, utilities, and significant coordination with city and county agencies. LAN worked closely with Straight & Narrow and NK Architects to navigate a detailed approval process that encompassed multiple board presentations and regulatory reviews, including those needed to secure a street vacation for a portion of Cedar Street, which was necessary to support the site’s overall layout and circulation.
The new rehabilitation center was designed to meet the growing need for comprehensive behavioral health and recovery programs in the region. With over six decades of community service, Straight & Narrow is recognized as one of the oldest community-based residential treatment facilities for individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction in the United States. The organization operates a full continuum of care, and the new facility offers clinical areas for men and women, counseling and administrative offices, a 50-bed halfway house for men, and a commercial kitchen capable of preparing approximately 3,000 meals daily. These services support clients across multiple levels of care, including detox, residential treatment, halfway house programs, and outpatient recovery. The reopening restores a critical lifeline for thousands of individuals and families who rely on Straight & Narrow’s programs each year.
The design and construction of Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer Rehabilitation Center demonstrated that challenging site conditions require innovative engineering solutions. Poor soil quality, strict stormwater regulations, and limitations on sewer connections required a carefully designed system to manage stormwater entirely on-site. LAN developed a hybrid approach that uses vegetated areas for natural infiltration and flat piping and drains to redirect excess runoff, satisfying both municipal and county requirements while supporting long-term sustainability.
The design and construction of Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer Rehabilitation Center demonstrated that challenging site conditions require innovative engineering solutions. Poor soil quality, strict stormwater regulations, and limitations on sewer connections required a carefully designed system to manage stormwater entirely on-site. LAN developed a hybrid approach that uses vegetated areas for natural infiltration and flat piping and drains to redirect excess runoff, satisfying both municipal and county requirements while supporting long-term sustainability.
This project reflects LAN’s commitment as a community-focused architecture and engineering firm who deliver resilient, mission-driven facilities that advance the well-being of the populations they are designed to serve. The new Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer Rehabilitation Center reinforces Straight & Narrow’s long-standing mission to serve individuals battling addiction with dignity, compassion, and evidence-based care. Catholic Charities leadership expressed gratitude to project partners and emphasized that the reopening represents not only the reconstruction of a physical building but also the restoration of hope for the Paterson community. With expanded capacity, modernized facilities, and a strengthened program infrastructure, the center is poised to support recovery for decades to come.
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