Photo of the Day 2/6/17

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the Downtown Newark skyline can be seen from Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange.

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Photo of the Day 2/5/17

This photo shows Newark's Barringer High School.

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Photo of the Day 2/4/17

This photo shows a view of Morris County from Caldwell.

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Photo of the Day 2/3/17

The Military Park Station on the Newark Light Rail was once called the Broad Street Station.

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Redevelopment Planned for Vacant Part of Newark Hospital

Newark, New Jersey: A historic building on the campus of Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark's Central Ward could soon be rehabilitated.

The four-story structure designed by prominent Essex County architect Jeremiah O'Rourke has towered over the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Central Avenue since 1871, making it Newark's oldest hospital building, but it has sat vacant for nearly a decade. Now, several local organizations are planning to revitalize the building to once again make it a center of the University Heights community. 

Plans by the Community Asset Preservation Corporation (CAPC) of Halsey Street, in partnership with the Downtown-based Hanini Group, Lincoln Park-based Crawford Street Partners, and Chatham, Morris County-based CTS Group, call for transforming the building into an 88,000 square foot "arts and cultural incubator for Newark nonprofits and educational institutions," according to CAPC Real Estate Director Jeffrey Crum.

“Bringing a creative theme to that section of Newark will really have a positive impact and only expand what’s already starting to happen in that area of the city,” said Crum in an interview with Essex County Place.

Crum stated that once the rehabilitation is complete, an arts-focused charter school will take up close to 35,000 square feet, though the school operator has not yet been revealed. In addition, GlassRoots, which currently operates a glass blowing studio and gallery on Bleeker Street in Downtown Newark, is set to take around 18,000 square feet. Other parts of the building, including a former chapel, could be occupied by local art galleries that are currently being affected by the increased cost of rent in Downtown.

"We’re hoping to offer an affordable space that non-profits and artist groups can occupy long-term,” Crum explained.

Newark's Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission heard the proposal on Wednesday night, and developers are hoping that the Newark Central Planning Board will hear the plans by early March. Construction is set to begin in the summer, and could be completed by late spring of 2018. The project is not slated to receive city funding, but is set to receive funds from the New Markets Tax Credit program and historic tax credits due to the building's location in the James Street Commons Historic District, according to Crum. 

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Photo of the Day 2/2/17

This photo shows the Midtown Manhattan skyline as seen from West Orange.

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Hue Lofts Development Coming Near East Orange Train Station

East Orange, New Jersey: Another new development project is planned for the City of East Orange. 

The project, called Hue Lofts, is slated to rise along North Arlington Avenue near City Hall Plaza and Main Street, at the site of a currently gated and vacant tract opposite the main East Orange Train Station. East Orange Public Information Officer Connie Jackson told Essex County Place that the $70 million project will be developed by Novus Equities, of Jersey City, and will include residential space, live/work spaces for artists, an art gallery, a small amphitheater, and both national and regional retailers. 

"The developers have committed to hiring at least 20% of employees from East Orange for the entire project - construction to completion", said Jackson. 

East Orange's mayor, Lester E. Taylor, III, addressed the development during his State of the City speech last week, stating that "this project will be the flagship of our arts and cultural district", and that the live/work spaces will "bring the arts back to our community".

Construction is slated to begin in March, and should be completed within 18 to 24 months, according to Jackson.

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New Restaurant Opening at East Orange Golf Course

Short Hills, New Jersey: There will soon be a restaurant again at a local golf course.

Johnny's on the Green, a restaurant on the premises of the East Orange Golf Course in the Short Hills, closed its doors back in 2012, and the course, located in a remote section of Millburn Township near East Orange's water supply source and the Livingston border, has been without a restaurant in recent years. In 2014, East Orange city officials announced plans to demolish Johnny's on the Green, renovate the 91-year-old course, and build a new 6,000 square foot clubhouse with a restaurant. Although part of the course reopened in 2015, construction continued through 2016 on the new clubhouse, described as "state of the art" by East Orange Mayor Lester E. Taylor, III during his State of the City address last week.

Now, the clubhouse is slated to open in late spring of this year. The new restaurant on the property will be called Par 440 Restaurant and Lounge, named for the course's location at 440 Parsonage Hill Road. East Orange Public Information Officer Connie Jackson told Essex County Place that Mario LaVecchia of South Orange's Above Restaurant will operate Par 440. The City of East Orange entered into a license agreement with Team LaVecchia, LLC in May, 2016, according to city records.

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Irvington SuperFresh Seeks to Sell Alcohol

Irvington, New Jersey: A supermarket that recently opened in Essex County is now seeking to sell alcohol. 

According to a legal notice from the Irvington Township Zoning Board of Adjustment, Lyons Meat and Produce, Inc., which is registered out of the SuperFresh at 471-479 Lyons Avenue in Irvington, has applied to the board for permission to sell wine and beer within the supermarket at Lyons Plaza near the border of Newark's South Ward. SuperFresh, which is owned by Key Food, opened in the summer of 2016 in the plaza, in the space previously occupied by Pathmark. 

The board will hold a public hearing regarding the proposal on Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00pm in the Municipal Building's council chambers.

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Photo of the Day 2/1/17

This photo shows sunset on Park Avenue in Newark's North Ward.

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