After years of somewhat contentious debate, officials in Orange have cleared the way for a project that will reimagine the historic but shuttered Memorial Hospital into a new multi-family housing complex with community amenities.
Gateway Merchant Banking, who currently own the sprawling facility at 188 South Essex Street, have gained unanimous site plan approval from the City of Orange Township Planning Board to revitalize the property. Orange Memorial Hospital, which is listed on National Register of Historic Places, dates to the 19th century and its nursing school, founded in 1883, was one of the nation’s first.
The current structures at the land were built between 1906 and 1963, funded by pre-eminent philanthropic families like the Sticklers and Colgates. But the complex has sat abandoned since the facility closed two decades ago, becoming a hotbed for criminal activity.
All of that is slated for the rear-view mirror as Gateway will be investing $350 million into a phased redevelopment project anticipated to begin this year. The revamped facility will be built to LEED Silver standards and include 1,005 apartments, up to 20% of which will be affordable housing units.
Gateway will also pursue strategic partnerships to bring senior and student housing to the site. But the biggest wins are that much of the hospital’s architecture will be restored, an issue that had drawn concern from preservationists since plans for the property emerged back in 2020.
Two significant buildings, Mary Austen Hall and the Old Boiler House, will be restored as part of the work. Austen Hall, the last standing building of Orange Memorial’s first-in-the-state nursing school, will be the new home of Orange’s City Hall under the redevelopment deal.
“Not only was Orange Memorial Hospital an important historical institution in the Orange community, it was also a statewide treasure,” said City of Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren of the plans. “It was a leader in training opportunities for Black nurses and was the birthplace for leaders in every field. Gateway’s plans for the property demonstrate its understanding of the site’s historical significance and potential for the future.”
The redevelopment of the former hospital will also reimagine the grounds surrounding the buildings, as over an acre and a half of public space is featured in the plans. Perks for the public include an outdoor ice skating/roller skating rink, a public plaza with an open lawn and swinging benches, terraced platform seating, a restaurant with outdoor seating, and children’s play areas.
Gateway’s plans additionally include 70,190 square feet of retail and commercial space in addition to 25,000 square feet of municipal office space set to be occupied by the City of Orange. Gateway intends to lease the remaining space to local businesses.
“This is not just another real estate deal,” said Terrence Murray, co-founder and managing partner at Gateway. “As someone who lives minutes away and calls South Orange home, I understand the magnitude of this project, not only for the City of Orange but for Essex County and all of New Jersey. I am deeply committed to making the redevelopment of Orange Memorial Hospital a community-centric initiative.”
Those interested in learning more about the project are invited to attend one of the upcoming town hall meetings to hear Mayor Warren and officials from Gateway share the vision.
The meetings are being held February 19 at First Shiloh Baptist Church on 424 Main Street and March 6 at St. Matthew A.M.E. Church on 336 Oakwood Avenue. Both sessions are slated to begin at 6 p.m.
