John Schreiber, CEO and president of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, speaks during the recent grand opening of One Theater Square in Newark — Courtesy: NJPAC
By Joshua Burd
A new chapter is set to begin for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, where a long-awaited, mixed-use development is expected to transform the existing venue and have an exponential impact on its role as a catalyst in the city.
That was the message of state and city officials and NJPAC’s leadership this week after the project, known as NJPAC District, secured a 10-year, $200 million tax credit award under the state’s Aspire program. That figures to be a key step in a plan that would include 350 new apartments, office and retail space and renovations to the 100,000-square-foot performing arts center, as well as a new hub for arts education and public infrastructure.
“NJPAC has been a magnet for local residents and visitors from all over the region for decades, by offering world-class performances, arts education and community engagement,” Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan said. “The project will expand NJPAC’s positive impact on the Newark community by providing a lively destination for visitors and a dynamic place to call ‘home’ for those seeking a transit accessible, arts-centric lifestyle.
“It’s truly a means of maximizing the economic activity associated with NJPAC, while elevating the surrounding community.”
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The EDA, which approved the gap financing subsidy on Feb. 7, said construction could begin this summer for the project just west of McCarter Highway. LMXD, an L+M Development Partners affiliate, is the lead development entity and will build and operate the residential phase known as ArtSide, which will include a high-rise tower and a midrise building with a combined 335 apartments, plus 15 low-rise townhomes, with a 20 percent set-aside for affordable housing.
The development would also provide 10,500 square feet of office space for WBGO, the Newark-based public radio station, and 12,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Meantime, plans call for a new 53,000-square-foot arts education and community facility known as the Cooperman Center, which will be coupled with the renovation of the 17,000-square-foot Episcopal Church building for related arts education activities, as well as the upgrades to NJPAC and major infrastructure improvements to the larger site around the facility.
“From its earliest imaginings more than a generation ago, NJPAC was designed as a unique anchor cultural institution in service to the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey,” said John Schreiber, NJPAC’s CEO and president. “Our audiences, staff and programming reflect the remarkable diversity of the many communities we serve. Today’s landmark tax credit award makes possible the exciting next phase of the Arts Center’s evolution, and the dynamic neighborhood we will build on our campus will help further elevate downtown Newark’s status as a 24/7 live, work and play destination.
“We are honored and grateful to be in partnership with Tim Sullivan, the NJEDA, Governor Murphy and Mayor (Ras) Baraka to bring new residential, retail, educational and cultural assets to our hometown.”
Located in the northern end of downtown Newark, NJPAC has helped anchor and draw visitors to the city since its opening in 1997. Supporters have long dreamed of expanding its footprint and creating a vibrant arts district around the venue, but those plans so far have been limited to the 22-story, 245-unit residential tower that opened across Center Street in 2018.
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The nearly $199.7 million Aspire tax credit, which would not be disbursed until after the development is completed, represents 60 percent of the $332.8 million project cost, according to the EDA. The authority considered NJPAC’s proposal under its “transformative project” tier — as established by the Aspire statute — which allows for more lucrative awards for larger developments and those that leverage mass transit, college campuses or other economic development assets to provide housing or create jobs.
In addition to the Aspire tax credits, the project has financing from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.
“NJPAC’s vision to revitalize the Newark community with residential, arts and educational spaces speaks to the purpose of the Aspire program,” said Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, who was the prime sponsor of the legislation that created the subsidy. “From the dynamic living spaces to the arts-education facility, this project reflects our vision for a vibrant, inclusive future. I am excited to see the positive impact it will bring to our city.”
Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin added: “For decades, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center has not just been a cultural gem — it’s a vital part of Newark’s identity and a beacon for artistic expression. I am proud to have sponsored the bill that established the Aspire program, and I am thrilled to see it making a tangible difference right here in my hometown.
“This transformative endeavor will not only bridge the gap between downtown Newark and the stunning Riverfront Park but also ignite a renaissance in the heart of Newark.”
According to the EDA, the sitewide infrastructure improvements will support the vertical development. They include relocating a sewer pipe that will introduce water, sewer, gas and power service, as well as establishing a new network of streets and open spaces that will be accessible to the public.
The project would also improve NJPAC’s front lawn, known as Chambers Plaza, to further serve as an outdoor venue and community meeting space, the authority said. The plaza will be reconfigured into a public park that is open throughout the year and will host outdoor concerts, farmers markets and a winter skating rink.
“The sum of these funds — whether to establish dining venues, art studios, space for creative work and communal collaboration or an agricultural and nutritional center — are each, and collectively, earmarked for the nourishment of all aspects of Newark’s vitality as a thriving community,” said Baraka, the city’s mayor. “On behalf of all Newarkers, I thank NJEDA for these real estate and development grants so crucial to our present and future well-being and growth.”
EDA pledges $200 million Aspire tax credit for mixed-use ‘NJPAC District’ project in Newark
