Designed by Sage & Coombe Architects, the new Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge will create an elevated pathway and park space over McCarter Highway and the tracks leading to Newark Penn Station, connecting downtown Newark to the city’s acclaimed Ironbound neighborhood. — Renderings courtesy: Unboxed Visuals for Sage and Coombe Architects.
By Joshua Burd
Construction is set to begin on a long-awaited pedestrian bridge that will connect downtown Newark to the city’s acclaimed Ironbound neighborhood, helping to spark new development and create additional access to both Newark Penn Station and the Prudential Center.
City and state officials — with designs of emulating Manhattan’s High Line — gathered Tuesday to tout what will be an elevated pathway and park space over McCarter Highway and the tracks running into Penn Station, which currently separate the Central and East wards. They hailed it as a key piece of the city’s development strategy and one that will enhance walkability for residents, commuters and visitors, noting that it’s some two decades in the making as part of a plan to activate the blocks around the now 26-year-old arena.
A ceremonial groundbreaking for the $110 million project took place behind Edison Properties’ Ironside Newark and in Mulberry Commons, a sweeping public park that opened in 2019 just east of the Prudential Center, which will become the destination for pedestrians traveling west on the bridge. Completion is slated for late 2024 or early 2025.
“Mulberry Commons Park is the first phase of one of the most important redevelopment projects ever undertaken in Newark,” Mayor Ras Baraka said. “It has provided our children with a safe, innovative place to play, created a new community gathering space for outdoor events and jumpstarted development in the surrounding neighborhood. With today’s groundbreaking, we enter the second phase, which catapults the metamorphosis of downtown into the full expression of a livable community.
“After decades of contemplating concepts and possibilities, Newark now cements a public-private collaboration to create a bustling habitat, dovetailing housing, employment, retail and entertainment. I’m proud and grateful to everyone who made this day possible.”
Those on hand Tuesday included Gov. Phil Murphy, who has long touted the state’s efforts to renovate Newark Penn Station. The new Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge will dovetail with that project, providing a new entrance to the Amtrak and NJ Transit hub as well as a direct connection to the Prudential Center.
As city officials noted, it will also benefit multiple neighborhoods that have limited connectivity to transit and to the city center, while increasing commuter access to Newark’s roughly 15 million square feet of office space, four higher education institutions and some 5 million square feet of industrial space.
“It’s rare that a single project can so comprehensively encapsulate all that our state — and the great city of Newark — have worked tirelessly to achieve for our residents,” Murphy said. “Indeed, by connecting Newark Penn Station and the city’s downtown, the Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge will not only promote active and public transportation in our state’s most populous city, but simultaneously catalyze economic growth and development for generations to come. Most importantly, this bridge is a project that puts New Jerseyans and their quality of life first, connecting residents with vibrant community assets in one of our state’s most iconic neighborhoods.”
The project’s team includes Sage & Coombe Architects, Gilbane as its construction manager and Evans Anyanwu as project director. According to NJ Advance Media, the owners of many of the adjacent parking lots will help fund the cost of the bridge through a special tax on surface parking approved by state lawmakers and that’s anticipated to generate $4 million a year.
Other financing sources include $110 million in Mass Transit Access Tax Revenue Bonds, on which the city closed last November and which generated some $103.7 million for the design and construction of the pedestrian bridge, according to a news release. The funds have been generating interest since closing through both the daily money market and through the purchase of eligible U.S. Treasuries, while interest earnings on amounts in the construction fund will generate additional funds to support the project’s construction.
According to ROI-NJ, Baraka’s remarks included a nod to the late Jerry Gottesman, the Edison Properties founder, parking lot magnate and developer who had advocated for the bridge since the earliest days of the arena. Other speakers were also eager to highlight the project’s importance.
“Today, as we break ground on the Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge Phase II in Newark, we celebrate not only the physical connection of neighborhoods but the unification of our community’s spirit,” Senate Majority Leader Theresa Ruiz said. “This bridge, set to link Newark Penn Station and the historic Ironbound neighborhood, represents more than just steel and concrete. It signifies progress, accessibility and shared aspirations.
“Mass transit connectivity, as proven time and again, is an economic engine that propels communities forward. It creates opportunities, fosters growth and enriches the lives of our residents and visitors alike. The Mulberry Commons Bridge is a symbol of our commitment to advancing the well-being of our city.”
