Plans for Great Point Studios at 164 Dayton St. in Newark call for 300,000 square feet of development with multiple soundstages, production offices, set-building facilities and full on-site production services such as grip and electric, equipment storage, catering, props, parking and security. — Renderings courtesy: Great Point Studios
By Joshua Burd
Construction is underway on a project that will bring Lionsgate to a new studio campus in Newark while bringing new life to a former public housing complex in the South Ward.
Great Point Studios, the owner and operator of the planned $125 million facility, welcomed partners and public officials last week to break ground on what will be 300,000 square feet of development at 164 Dayton St. That will include multiple soundstages, production offices, set-building facilities and full on-site production services such as grip and electric, equipment storage, catering, props, parking and security, all of which will occupy 12 acres on the former site of the Seth Boyden Housing complex.
Completion is slated for 2027.
“This initiative is more than just a film studio,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “It is a profound commitment to the future of Newark and to the future of the film industry in New Jersey. I am proud of the work that our administration has done to attract leading entertainment companies, such as Lionsgate, to our state. This growing sector will drive economic growth by creating thousands of new jobs, supporting local businesses and bringing meaningful investments to the community.”
The project team, which also includes the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the Newark Housing Authority, celebrated the start of construction during a Dec. 11 ceremony at the nearby Temple of Hip Hop. The event also included the signing of a community benefits agreement, which outlined the studio developers’ commitment to ensuring that the facility will benefit both the city and South Ward residents through job creation, new educational programs and other initiatives.
To that end, the project is slated to create more than 600 long-term production positions while generating an anticipated annual economic impact exceeding $800 million, according to a news release. The team added that, during the construction of the studio, 40 percent of total worker hours will be dedicated to Newark residents, while the developers have committed to offer 25 percent of total construction contracting to minority business enterprises and 7 percent to women’s business enterprises.
“Lionsgate Newark is set to be a major driver of opportunity and artistic innovation for our city,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. “From the opportunities presented by the construction phase to the long-term careers the studio will sustain in rapidly growing industries, this project represents a genuine collaboration with the people of Newark.”
Plans for the project emerged in spring 2022 amid Murphy’s ongoing push to grow New Jersey’s film and television industry. Stakeholders said at the time that the state’s expanded tax credit program for productions and studio operations, which the governor expanded and leveraged in a major way, were instrumental in attracting Lionsgate to New Jersey.
Great Point Studios, whose partners include the founder of the Hallmark Channel, will own and operate the complex. Matrix Development Group is the project developer, while Gensler is spearheading architecture and master planning.
“New Jersey has become one of the most exciting places for film and television production, and this project builds on that momentum,” Great Point Studios Founder and CEO Robert Halmi said. “The state’s strong support and smart incentives have created the ideal environment for a world-class facility like this. Lionsgate Newark will strengthen the state’s growing production industry and create meaningful opportunities for Newark residents.”
Once operational, 70 percent of the studio’s full-time employment opportunities — including maintenance, engineering, janitorial, administrative, landscaping, security and other departments — will be reserved for Newark residents, the news release said. They’ll also receive priority consideration when applying for all studio jobs, while the complex will maintain an ongoing local vendor preference policy during operations to support the city’s small businesses.
Additionally, the studio project partners intend to team with the Newark Board of Education to develop film, television, broadcast and related industry curricula for the city’s students, as well as training and apprenticeship programs for its youth, providing them with a pathway into the growing entertainment industry. Great Point Studios and NJPAC will help develop the educational programs.
“This new studio will become a hub of content creation for Lionsgate’s projects, and we’re excited about the opportunity to partner with the South Ward community to make this neighborhood a new focal point for the entertainment industry,” said Joel Meyer, Lionsgate’s executive vice president and head of TV production.
NJPAC CEO and President John Schreiber added: “Creating new jobs for Newarkers and providing career training opportunities for young people in the TV and film industry are two unique and transformative deliverables that Lionsgate Newark will make possible for our community. The unprecedented investment that Lionsgate and Great Point Studios are making in our city will provide life-enhancing pathways to success to our residents.”
According to the news release, the studio developers will also make substantial financial investments in the quality of life in the South Ward neighborhood. That will include providing $300,000 in dedicated community funding, while Great Point will contribute $200,000 in grants to 10 local community organizations upon the project’s completion and another $100,000 to the South Ward Environmental Alliance for environmental improvements and green jobs programs.
“Not only will the studio bring jobs to the South Ward, but the organizations behind this project are showing themselves to be good neighbors already by offering this level of support to our community groups and our schools,” said Patrick O. Council, the Newark City Council member who represents the South Ward. “Lionsgate Newark will serve as an economic engine that will drive so many positive changes for our community and for Newark as a whole.”
Leonard Spicer, executive director of the Newark Housing Authority, added: “This studio is the centerpiece of energizing this neighborhood. We look forward to working with the City of Newark and the state of New Jersey to reimagine and revitalize this neighborhood into a thriving mixed-use community with housing for everyone on the income ladder.”
Inside the deal to create Newark’s ‘mini-Hollywood’ at new $125 million studio complex
