Newark has not seen a shortage of notable construction projects in recent years but perhaps the largest one is now underway as efforts to revitalize parking lots around the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) have officially begun.
Governor Phil Murphy, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and dignitaries of (NJPAC) broke ground yesterday on the $336 million redevelopment of its 12-acre campus. The ambitious project will bring to downtown Newark hundreds of new residences along with shops, restaurants, new outdoor gathering spaces, and professional rehearsal spaces.
Jersey Digs previously reported on the first phase of renovations that began back in May. That portion consisted of work on a redesigned Chambers Plaza that will include the creation of the Essex County Green. Designed by Brooklyn-based landscape architecture studio Future Green, the upcoming facility will sport new rain gardens, lighting and seating, and a landscape that will enable programs, markets and classes to be held year-round.
The remainder of the project, scheduled to be completed in Fall 2027, will include a mixed-use, mixed-income residential complex named Artside developed by NJPAC, LMXD and MCI Collective.
Designed by architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, ArtSide will consist of 350 rental units with a 20% affordable housing component, retail and cultural spaces, and a new home for WBGO, Newark’s beloved jazz public radio station.
“NJPAC’s campus redevelopment is more than a construction project; it’s a powerful investment in Newark’s communities and future,” said Governor Phil Murphy during the ceremony. “This initiative will not only provide more housing and commercial spaces, but also create vibrant cultural and educational opportunities that will enrich the lives of Newark residents for generations to come.”
The other major component of the project is the 58,000-square-foot Cooperman Family Arts Education and Community Center, which will be built at the current site of Parking Lot C. Renovations will also be undertaken at 31 Mulberry Street, an existing building NJPAC recently acquired adjacent to the site of the Cooperman Center.
That building is slated to house additional spaces for community gatherings plus educational and office spaces for the Arts Center. Other work to be done as part of the project includes a revamp of NJPAC’s eastern façade, interior renovations, and redesigned loading dock facilities.
“The streets of Newark have always been steeped in the arts,” said Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “This is a city where jazz and hip hop are in the breeze, and every wall without a mural is just a canvas no one’s yet claimed.”
“The new neighborhood around NJPAC will fully embrace that dynamic spirit, bringing more housing, stores and gathering places to our already lively downtown,” he added.
The NJPAC project was granted $200 million in tax credits from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Other partners on the endeavor include Prudential Financial, Liberty Mutual, Citi Community Capital, TD Bank, the County of Essex, MCI Collective, the New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency and Freddie Mac, and New Jersey Community Capital.
Philanthropic support via a $244 million capital campaign was completed in December of last year to help finance the project.
