Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (center) joined John Saraceno (left) and Jon Schultz, co-founders and managing partners of Onyx Equities, to reveal the Jewel Box entrance to Gateway Center in Newark. The new two-story, glass enclosed entrance is part of a sweeping renovation of the four-building, 2.3 million-square-foot office complex adjacent to Newark Penn Station. — Courtesy: Onyx
By Joshua Burd
The overhaul of Newark’s sprawling Gateway Center was on display last week as a development team revealed the new two-story, glass-encased lobby that will connect the streetscape to a planned 100,000-square-foot dining and retail concourse.
Onyx Equities, which is carrying out the $50 million renovation, welcomed public officials and other civic leaders on Thursday to the jewel box entryway along Raymond Plaza West, across from Newark Penn Station. Many of those on hand got their first look at the space after the project was announced in early 2019, along with a preview of the new upscale eateries and shops that are scheduled to open by year-end.
The revamped concourse, known as The Junction, will serve as an amenity for thousands of workers in the four-building, 2.3 million-square-foot Gateway complex and for the broader population in and around downtown Newark.
“The Jewel Box is a state-of-the-art entrance to the Gateway Center, one of our city’s signature complexes,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. “Adjoined with The Junction that opens later this year, it will showcase our excellence, hospitality and diverse array of food to Newark residents, workforce and visitors. We are thankful to Onyx Equities for transforming such an important center in the heart of our downtown.”
Onyx, which leads an investment group that acquired three of the four Gateway buildings in late 2018, has tapped Gensler for a project that will link the interior of the complex to pedestrian traffic on the street. Doing so will address one of the long-held criticisms of the buildings, which are connected internally and to Newark Penn Station by a network of indoor sky bridges.
“We are opening The Jewel Box at a really exciting time when people are coming back to the office,” said Jonathan Schultz, a co-founder and managing principal with Onyx Equities. “This was not just about improving the pedestrian and employee experience within the complex. It is part of a larger overall reinterpretation of what Newark can be for businesses and residents looking for a thriving urban community.”
The developer is also creating Gateway’s first-ever street-facing retail space, which would span roughly 10,000 square feet at the base of One Gateway and will become part of a new grand entryway to the complex. Other plans call for a new exterior façade, modernized lobbies and common areas and tech-forward collaborative spaces.
“Our design intent was to activate the streetscape and create a welcoming connection to the community,” said Roger Smith, a design director with Gensler. “Designed in the 1970s, Gateway was deliberately inward-facing with little connection to the life of the city, but Onyx’s new vision re-engages the community. With street-level local retailers, a landscaped public plaza and the two-story entrance hall across from Newark Penn Station, Gateway will become Newark’s new front door.”
Recently announced restaurant tenants include Serafina, Mökbar, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, Fresh & Co, Greek from Greece Bakery & Café, Farinella, 375˚ Chicken & Fries, Chip City Cookies and The Brookdale, among others. Many of those eateries were highlighted as part of the grand opening celebration, as were additional fitness, educational and wellness retailers.
“Gateway is on course to be New Jersey’s premier office and dining destination — the first of its kind in our state,” said Matthew P. Flath, vice president of asset management at Onyx Equities. “We know we’re hitting the right note because we’re attracting world-renowned restaurants like Serafina and celebrity chefs like Esther Choi of Mökbar, as well our top-tier regional and local culinary talent.”
Onyx, which has completed much of the renovation during the pandemic, has also added what it describes as modern post-COVID sanitation systems.
“The new Jewel Box entryway and the larger Gateway redevelopment project are a testament to what New Jerseyans have always known: There is no better place in the world to live, work and play,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “Visitors, employees, and families will all benefit from this game-changing development, which showcases some of the best dining options and recreational activities the Garden State has to offer. Now more than ever, Newark remains an internationally renowned commercial and cultural hub.”
JLL is the office leasing team at Gateway, while Pierson Commercial is the agent for The Junction.
New-look Gateway taking shape in Newark, with commitments from eight new restaurants
