One of the biggest efforts towards revitalizing Brick City’s Downtown has a sleek new look and hopes to activate the streetscape around one of the largest office developments in the state.
Earlier this month, Woodbridge-based Onyx Equities unveiled its long-awaited redesign of Newark’s Gateway Center. The company purchased the three buildings, which total 1.6 million square-feet and include a parking garage, back December 2018 for $300 million.
Shortly after acquiring the properties, Onyx announced they were working with design firm Gensler on an overhaul of the complex. The first buildings of the development were constructed during the 1970s and decidedly lack a modern aesthetic; Gateway includes some of the city’s tallest buildings, but they are very disconnected from the streetscape despite falling within an area that’s seen revitalization in recent years.
The revealed re-design for Gateway calls for new public spaces and increased retail and dining options at the busy commuter concourse. Onyx Equities hopes the revamp will create a grand entryway for those arriving from nearby Newark Penn Station, which is connected to Gateway via a series of pedestrian skyways.
Gensler has drawn up plans to revamp both those skyways and the lobbies within the Gateway buildings. The scheme also calls for a renovation of the 5,000 square feet of retail space within the complex, which will be modernized and reconfigured with the aim of drawing high-end food and beverage options to the property.
A redesigned exterior of One Gateway, the tallest of the development’s buildings, will add approximately 10,000 square feet of street-facing retail space. The move is the latest sign that after years of embracing development that lacked street life, Newark is going in the opposite direction. As the nearby Ironside stresses street-level retail and the newly-opened Mulberry Commons has created a new meeting spot for locals, the redesigned Gateway looks to serve more than just a commuter population.
Onyx Equities has partnered with Garrison Investment Group, Axonic Capital LLC, Taconic Capital Advisors and Prudential Financial on the project. A timeline hasn’t yet been announced as to when renovations at the complex could begin.
