Work has begun on ArtSide and the Chambers Plaza redevelopment, key parts of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) expansion in Newark, NJ. NJPAC, one of the largest arts centers in the U.S., is central to the city’s cultural life.
This phase of the expansion by Turner Construction includes building a mixed-use, mixed-income residential complex and upgrading the community plaza at the campus entrance.
ArtSide, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), will feature 350 rental units, with 20 percent designated as affordable housing. It will also include office, retail, and cultural spaces. WBGO, Newark’s jazz radio station, will have a new home here, along with a pedestrian-friendly extension of Mulberry Street, replacing Parking Lot A.
The Chambers Plaza redevelopment will reshape NJPAC’s entrance with Essex County Green, a year-round urban park. The new plaza will offer rain gardens, enhanced lighting, and outdoor seating, creating a space for community and arts events in all seasons.
Turner, which built the original NJPAC facility in 1997, is leading this expansion to further develop Newark’s cultural and residential infrastructure.
The project is being developed with LMXD, an affiliate of L+M Development Partners. Turner and L+M previously worked together on the Hahne & Co. redevelopment in Newark. Like that project, this expansion blends affordable housing with public spaces to benefit the community.