Mayor Ras J. Baraka joined Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey Performing Arts Center President and CEO John Schreiber and other dignitaries to break ground today on the $336 million redevelopment of its 12-acre campus. The redevelopment is a transformational project that will bring to downtown Newark hundreds of new homes, shops and restaurants, plus new outdoor gathering spaces, a unique community center and a professional rehearsal space.

The three-year project will include the establishment of ArtSide, a new mixed-use, mixed-income residential development designed by celebrated architectural firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill, which will include 350 rental units and retail and cultural spaces — including a new home for Newark’s beloved jazz radio station, WBGO — along an extension of Mulberry Street, on what is now NJPAC’s Parking Lot A. A full 20 percent of the residential units in the development will consist of affordable housing.

“The streets of Newark have always been steeped in the arts. This is a city where jazz and hip hop are in the breeze, and every wall without a mural is just a canvas no one’s yet claimed,” said Mayor Baraka. “The new neighborhood around NJPAC will fully embrace that dynamic spirit, bringing more housing, stores, and gathering places to our already lively downtown. And one of the highest notes of all will be the new headquarters for our city’s iconic jazz station, WBGO.”

The reimagined campus will also include the 58,000-square-foot Cooperman Family Arts Education and Community Center, designed by the renowned architectural firm of Weiss/Manfredi. It will be built on the site of Parking Lot C and will serve as a dynamic hub where students, community partners, and artists can gather, learn, and create.

“NJPAC’s campus redevelopment is more than a construction project; it’s a powerful investment in Newark’s communities and future,” said Governor Murphy. “This initiative will not only provide more housing and commercial spaces, but also create vibrant cultural and educational opportunities that will enrich the lives of Newark residents for generations to come. I’m proud to support this transformative project that embodies the spirit of creativity and inclusivity that is at the heart of our state.”

A refresh of Chambers Plaza and the addition of a new space, Essex County Green, to the Arts Center’s campus, will establish a new four-season urban park in Newark’s downtown. Brooklyn-based landscape architecture studio Future Green created the design for the new Chambers Plaza. The renovation of the Arts Center’s eastern facade and interior are also included in the project.

“Newark is a city rich in history and possibilities, and NJPAC’s role as an active, engaged and productive anchor cultural institution in its future is an extraordinarily exciting one, said Mr. Schrieber. “We’re grateful beyond measure to the remarkable coalition of partners, both public and private, who have collaborated with us to make this new neighborhood an exciting reality.”

Among the partners who have joined in the planning and development of NJPAC’s campus redevelopment are the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), which granted the project’s $200M tax credits under the Aspire Program and Prudential Financial, which facilitated the master planning of the campus redesign and financed NJPAC’s predevelopment needs. Liberty Mutual invested across the capital stack as both an Aspire tax credit investor and a limited partner. Citi Community Capital, which spearheaded construction lending and low-income housing tax credit investing for the project. Others are TD Bank, which provided NJPAC with New Markets Tax Credit allocation for the Cooperman Center construction and a tax-exempt bond for other campus improvements, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., and the County of Essex, who supported the redesign of campus outdoor spaces, and Co-development partner Siree Morris, Managing Director of MCI Collective. The New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency and Freddie Mac provided permanent loan commitments; and New Jersey Community Capital, which provided support in New Market Tax Credits. LMXD partnered with NJPAC to manage design, approvals, and financing for the project.

Philanthropic support from major donors who contributed to the Arts Center’s $244 million Capital Campaign, to be completed in December 2024, also helped finance the project. Notably, Leon and Toby Cooperman and the Cooperman family made a foundational gift to the construction of the Cooperman Center, which will headquarter NJPAC’s Arts Education, Arts & Well-being, and Community Engagement initiatives.

“Ensuring young people have the best chances at their brightest futures is at the heart of our family’s giving,” said Leon Cooperman, Chairman and CEO of Omega Family Office. “The Cooperman Center, a new home for so much of NJPAC’s Arts Education and Community Engagement work, will be in service to everyone, from infants to older adults. Newark is a city of creativity, and I believe the Center has a unique opportunity to contribute to its future.”

The Arts Center celebrated the groundbreaking on the project today with remarks from Mayor Baraka; Governor Murphy; Mr. Cooperman; Mr. Schreiber; state Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz; and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin. Also speaking were former Newark Council President and Central Ward Councilwoman LaMonica McIver; Prudential Financial Chairman and CEO Charles Lowrey; NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan; LMXD CEO David Dishy; Mr. Morris; Ommeed Sathe, Head of Impact and Sustainable Investments at Liberty Mutual Investments; and WBGO President and CEO Steve Williams.

NJPAC donors, supporters, staff and students attended the event, which was followed by outdoor performances, art activities, and a mini food-truck festival on the parking lots that will be transformed by the redevelopment project.

About New Jersey Performing Arts Center

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States.  It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. As New Jersey’s Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 12 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997 and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit https://www.njpac.org/ for more information.

For photographs click here.

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