What has been described as, “a worn-out, wasted space,” and, “a symbol of urban decay” in downtown Newark, NJ, is now an award-winning “outdoor living room” for city center residents, employees, and visitors.
To first redevelop, and later manage, the space, the nonprofit Military Park Partnership was formed. “We also negotiated a 24-year lease of the park with the city,” says Ben Donsky, vice president of the Military Park Partnership.
The goal of the project, says Donsky, “was to create a long-term, sustainable town square, one that welcomes and embraces the people who live there and work throughout the district, as well as visitors to the performing arts center, the arena, and the other area attractions.”
“Residents embraced the park immediately, but it took a couple of months to convince office workers that it was a safe place and a place where they were going to have fun,” says Donsky.
Today, the park is a marketing asset for everyone in the downtown district. “If you look at any of the marketing materials from the office buildings around the park, they all heavily promote the park in their leasing materials,” Donsky says. “One of the owners starts his tours in the park! It’s such a huge asset for tenants and employees. “It’s also catalyzed some of the development that was planned; the park had a role in making it happen more quickly.”
The full article appeared in our print edition. To always get the full story, read Downtown Idea Exchange.