by Ken Walker
Shaq’s development group to build Newark condos
August 8, 2008
“Shaq’s development group to build Newark condos”:http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/shaquille_oneals_development_g.html
The tower is planned to land at the site of the former Science High School, north of NJPAC. It’s unclear from the article when the building is planned or when we’ll see cranes in the air, but if a contract has been penned, that means money has begun to change hands. Very exciting times for Newarkers, indeed.
A development group, with pro basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal at center, has entered into a contract to construct a 25-story condominium tower in a rebounding downtown Newark.
The $90 million project would become the city’s third-highest building, and the first ground-up condominium project in Newark in more than four decades.
It’s great that the tower is being built and I suppose it’s a net positive for Newark, but the location could be better chosen. Sci High is in the former Ballantine’s Brewery, one of the greatest links modern Newark has to its former industrial past. In a downtown with so much vacant and underused property, I can’t believe another location couldn’t be provided.
In the drawing it looks like a part of the facade is being preserved but the article mentions demolition, does anyone know what’s going on?
Another shout out: Walking Tour this Sunday! 12:15 in front of Arts High.
Know who John Kenney was? Father Divine? Eli Pilchik? Christian Feigenspan? Come and learn!
Sorry, but belittling NJPac in the name of an old high school (although historic) doesn’t make sense to me.
There are supermarkets but if you’re looking for one in that area don’t hold your breath. There is not enough residential development for a developer to want to put a supermarket of any significant size in or about that location.
It’s always sad to lose buildings, but I notice people NEVER miss them until they’re up for demo. Westinghouse anyone?
I think its actually faster to get to the Kearny supermarkets than the Pathmark on Ferry St. (coming from the Broad St. side of Rt. 21 that is)
Also regarding the old brewery building: that building is actually pretty narrow and from the looks of the 1 or 2 renderings of the proposed condo, it looks like it will be incorporated into the base of the structure. If they do manage to incorporate it into the new building, I don’t see how that would be a bad thing?
Did anyone tell them about the crackhead homeless shelter around the corner on Fulton? I live on Fulton and let me just say that this neighborhood is a wasteland filled with derelict “permanent residents” of the YMCA, and homeless addicts roaming around Fulton near the community shelter. Everyone’s stoop is littered with addicts and prostitutes who don’t bother to move for the residents who live in these buildings. There are pimps that hang out here, and the pimps are buddy-buddy with the police on the rare occasion that they show up for any reason other than to give parking tickets during the day. More people urinate on Rector and Fulton than in the bathrooms at Penn Station. People defecate here on public and private property as well. The streets are never swept unless a large storm does the job, and there is NOTHING open in the evenings or weekends. There is no place to shop unless you want hair extensions or fried chicken. If the sanitation department decides to pick up the garbage its a good week.
About the supermarkets:
I originally referred to markets in walking distance, not via car. I know there are some just a few minutes car ride away, but then, needing a car to get to them negates some of the advertising of the buildings/residencies in the downtown area.
In Jersey City, Brooklyn, Queens….there are very very few neighborhoods that you cannot find a supermarket within a 5-10 block walk. Where is that 5 block supermarket from NJ Pac? Or Eleven-80 Raymond?
I know some people that live in downtown Newark though, I will ask them where they shop next time I see them, as I don’t think I’ve ever spoken with them about it.
They are not gonna have a SUPERMARKET in a downtown Central Business District. A gorumet market like the one in South Orange, ok but not a supermarket. No room for it.
Its unfair to expect Newark to have supermarkets in the same kind of proximity that they can be found in NYC. the density is on a different level. In addition, far more Newark residents drive than NYC residents. Most areas of NYC also have stronger business investment climates than downtown Newark currently has.
A better measure would be to see if Downtown Newark has grocery stores within a 5-10 minute drive or within a 20 minute bus ride. Downtown passes on both of those fronts.
If you look at the Ironbound though, they support two Seabra supermarkets and a Pathmark, all in relatively close proximity (Pacific st, Madison st, Ferry st. It has higher residential density, and a better climate for business investment though.
I can understand the density argument. It is in fact rather sporadic. But of course, this means that there is indeed room for it. A simple look at a satellite image of the downtown area shows huge tracts of empty land, many used for parking lots, but much also empty.
The main reason I bring it up is because it goes against some of the marketing of recently built downtown housing.