Passaic honored late developer for work, dedication to Dignity House project

PASSAIC — Demir Dauti and his family invested lots of time and effort to bring Dignity House, a resource center for the homeless, to fruition. Unfortunately, 10 months before the project was completed and would go on to receive Gov. Phil Murphy's Excellence in Housing and Economic Development award, Dauti died in December.

Dauti was the developer contracted by the city to convert a rundown 19th-century firehouse at Broadway and Linden Street into a resource meant to assist the city's homeless population, Mayor Hector Lora said.

Dauti went above and beyond during the construction, and on Monday the city honored his work with a plaque and a dedication ceremony in his name.

Dauti's company, TNS Construction, was paid $1.1 million for the work, but due to a number of issues that caused work to take longer, the final cost was much higher, Lora said.

When asked about the extra expenses, Dauti would say that he had it, Lora said.

"Usually when I hear this, it means, I will get the bill later," Lora said. "But not on this project."

Dauti treated the project, which converted the rundown firehouse into a center where those without homes would go on very cold winter nights or shower or receive their mail, like his family would be living in it, Lora said.

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Lora held a dedication ceremony at the center to recognize Dauti's efforts. His loved ones, including his sons Jim and Ben and other dignitaries, were present when a plaque near the entrance of Dignity House was unveiled. It reads: "...to the memory of the man who gave so much of himself and his company along with his sons to the advancement of this project."

"I couldn't ask for a bigger award," Jim said. "Thank you, we appreciate it."

The real beneficiaries, Lora said, will be the city's most vulnerable. At any given time the city has several dozen individuals who are homeless, Lora said, adding it has been his dream to repurpose the firehouse for this purpose.

The center, Lora said, will give those who need it a "hand up" and not a "handout." It has mailboxes so those who don't have homes can receive mail, Lora said. The service helped at least eight formerly homeless individuals find work and eventually a place to live.

Passaic Director of Human Services Cynthia Gomez said the mailboxes as well as other services provided at Dignity House, including laundry and showers, make a big difference.

Dignity House was opened and used as a shelter from the cold about 50 times last winter, Gomez said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic honors developer who turned firehouse into Dignity House