Photo of the Day 5/3/16

This photo shows the Our Lady of Sorrows Church in South Orange.

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Apartments Could Come to Downtown Newark Buildings

Newark, New Jersey: More apartments could be coming to Downtown Newark.

According to the Newark Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission, Cecil H. Sanders, Jr. of Sandstone Associates is planning changes to the Eclipse Building, located near the Gateway Center at 40 Clinton Street, between Beaver Street and Mulberry Street. The building, which dates to 1914, currently contains a US Post Office on the first floor and several offices on the upper floors, including those of The Chad School Foundation, attorneys, After-School All-Stars Newark, and other organizations. 

The Eclipse Building was once the home of the Seton Hall University School of Law, according to the school, and was recently the home of the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation. Now, 22 apartments are planned for floors three through eight of the building.

Meanwhile, Broad Street could also see new residents. A building at 869-873 Broad Street, at the corner of William Street, could be converted into a residential building, with 37 units on the upper floors and rehabilitated retail space on the first floor. Currently, IZ Mattress and Furniture, Newark Wireless, Mike's Coffee Shop and Pizzeria, Liberty Tax, K&K General Merchandise, Hi-Class Textiles, Professional African Hair Braiding and Boutique, Divine Medical Services, law offices, Divine Training Institute, Allied Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center, and Gospel Apostolic Church operate in the building, which was originally an Oppenheim Collins department store.

The area surrounding the building, which dates to 1910, has seen significant changes in the past 10 years. A Courtyard by Marriott Hotel with a Joe's Crab Shack location opened across the street in 2012 where a parking deck used to stand, but diagonally across the street, a row of buildings containing several stores was demolished between 2007 and 2011 to make way for a large private parking lot. Behind the building, along Treat Place, the Teachers Village continues to rise where abandoned buildings used to stand.

The commission will hear both proposals at City Hall on Wednesday, May 4 at 6:15pm.

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Grabbagreen Planning to Open Newark Location

Newark, New Jersey: Another restaurant chain will open a location along Halsey Street in Downtown Newark. 

A franchise of Grabbagreen will be located at 98 Halsey Street, between Prudential Drive and Cedar Street. The restaurant will be located within Prudential's Shoppes on Broad development, which has attracted other restaurants like Blaze Pizza and Qdoba.

According to the company, the business will be owned by Maplewood residents Paul Stephen Hudson and Bernard Ciszewski, who plan to open 20 locations in New Jersey over the next ten years, including another in East Hanover, Morris County. Currently, there are locations in California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, Florida, Washington, Idaho, and North Carolina.

The Newark Grabbagreen is expected to open this summer, and will serve juices, smoothies, sandwiches, and other items.

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Another Dollar Tree Opens in Newark

Newark, New Jersey: The City of Newark now has another dollar store. 

Dollar Tree opened another location earlier this spring across from the Springfield Avenue Marketplace at 189 Springfield Avenue, between Charlton Street and Prince Street. The store is the third location in Newark. Other stores operate in Vailsburg and the Ironbound, though the company also owns Family Dollar stores. 

The Springfield Avenue store was built at the site of a lot which had sat vacant for several years. Only recently, with the construction of 24 Jones, ShopRite, Sonic, and other businesses, is the area seeing redevelopment. 

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Photo of the Day 5/2/16

This photo was taken outside of the South Orange Train Station.

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Photo of the Day 5/1/16

This photo shows the Norfolk Street Station on the Newark Light Rail.

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Photo of the Day 4/30/16

This photo shows the Hahne & Co. Building in Downtown Newark. The former department store along Broad, Halsey, and New Streets will contain apartments, Rutgers-Newark offices and galleries, the headquarters of City National Bank, a Whole Foods Market, and other retailers when construction is complete.

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Photos: Governor Christie Meets With McGreevey and Former Prisoners in Newark

Newark, New Jersey: Governor Chris Christie came to Newark's Central Ward on Friday afternoon as part of National Reentry Week. 

Christie met at the Greater Newark Conservancy on Prince Street with former governor Jim McGreevey and several former inmates at New Jersey state prisons, including one who served his sentence at Northern State Prison in Newark. Christie, who was introduced by McGreevey, spoke about topics such as drug courts, bail reform, recidivism, 'banning the box' on job applications, and the state of New Jersey's state prisons. 

At the same time, Senator Cory Booker and U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman spoke at Federal Square across town about prisoner reentry as well.

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Photo of the Day 4/29/16

This photo shows the 'ghost sign' for the Newark Sunday Call on Halsey Street. The paper published from 1872 to 1946.

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At the Same Time, Christie and Booker to Speak at Separate Prisoner Reentry Events in Newark

Newark, New Jersey: Several current and former politicians and leaders will gather in Newark tomorrow for two separate events regarding prisoner reentry.

Governor Chris Christie and former Governor Jim McGreevey will meet at the Greater Newark Conservancy on Prince Street for a roundtable discussion with clients of the New Jersey Reentry Corporation. Governor Christie will address prisoner reentry following the meeting.

Meanwhile, across town, Senator Cory Booker and U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman will speak at the Frank R. Lautenberg Post Office and Courthouse at Federal Square as part of the ReNew Court graduation. According to the United States Department of Justice, the ReNew Court is "a partnership among the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, and the U.S. Probation Office designed to help ex-offenders recently released from federal custody successfully reintegrate into society" in Newark.

Both events will begin at 3:00pm, and fall during National Reentry Week.

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