A rendering of the soon-to-renovated façade of the Newark Museum. — Courtesy: Hollister Construction
By Joshua Burd
The Newark Museum has tapped Hollister Construction to rehabilitate and renovate its campus, under a project that would reopen its main entrance to the city’s newly revitalized streetscape.
Hollister, which is based in Parsippany, said the initiative calls for the renovation of exterior and interior amenities of the museum, located at 49 Washington St. The finished property will feature a new state-of-the-art visitor lobby and a special gallery space for major exhibitions, while a new public plaza outside will connect the museum to Washington Park.
A team from Hollister was on hand Wednesday for a ceremony marking the start of the $5.5 million project, which aims to help the museum reaffirm its role as a cultural and business anchor in the community. The team joined museum staff, trustees, community partners and donors for the event, which comes 20 years after the institution closed its main entrance.
In a news release, the museum said it was looking to add to the revitalization that is being driven by a residential and commercial construction boom taking place nearby, including Rutgers University’s new 15 Washington St. building and the newly rehabilitated Hahne & Co. property. The project was conceptualized by the museum’s longtime collaborator Michael Graves Architectural and Design.
In addition to the new double glass doors that will serve as the main entrance to the museum, exterior enhancements include a public terrace that will be used for programs and events, plus a new ramp that will make the museum fully accessible. Within the museum, reopening the main entrance will result in a transformation of the existing space, including new visitor amenities and a new special exhibition space of more than 5,000 square feet with wood floors, new ceilings and walls to accommodate major shows.
The institution will be open to the public throughout construction with exhibitions and programs, the news release said. The front entrance will be renamed in honor of donor Louis Bamberger, who personally funded the museum building in 1926, and will open on Nov. 3 along with the visitor’s center and Arts of Global Africa galleries.
“We see all around us how the neighborhood is changing quickly to accommodate its renewed development and growth,” said Steven Kern, the museum’s director and CEO. “With this move, the Newark Museum is poised to reaffirm its role as both cultural and business anchor in the community. With the doors open, the museum will project neighborhood vitality, stability and security.”
