Jersey City officials, local community groups, and small business owners recently gathered to celebrate the commencement of a $6.7 million makeover of the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza. The plaza, or pedestrian mall, is located on Newark Avenue between Grove Street and Erie Street, and partially extends down Bay Street.
When complete, the expanded plaza will span roughly a third of a mile.
Site plans presented in 2019 for the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza – Maser Consulting
The plaza was first created in 2015 as an experiment to create a public outdoor destination. City planners closely monitored the mall’s impact on traffic flow and affected businesses within the area. In 2018, the mall was extended an additional block in response to overwhelming support from the small business community and local residents.
During the pandemic, the creation of quality outdoor spaces and passive recreation areas was recognized as an even greater necessity and the city acted quickly to put a plan in motion.
Evening rendering of Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza – Maser Consulting
Evening rendering of Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza – Maser Consulting
The $6.7 million investment will make the plaza a permanent fixture in the neighborhood and will fund the installation of stone pavers, larger planters, benches, pedestrian safety bollards, and area for a stage, among other public space features.
Construction is expected to wrap as early as October.
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Nice
The idea of a “Pedestrian Mall” was based on that area becoming a “Restaurant Row,” which did not materialize. Even before the “pandemic,” restaurants and barss were closing, and continue to do so today, being replaced by medical offices (“Medicaid OK”), an expensive cookie store, and one store that sells breakfast cereal with ice cream, along with now-vacant storefronts, and a “detachment” of homeless individuals who were recently given their own Porto-John in the parking lot.
What’s worse, getting to this area is almost impossible, since automobile travel and parking throughout the area is dismal at best. And “For Rent” signs continue to pop up as former NYC workers can now work from home…wherever home is…with some returning to south Jersey and former residences out of state.
This was another great campaign promise by the sitting city administration, but like the much-heralded “Public Safety Headquarters” building promised to be built on MLK Blvd, this will never materialize, either.
Not sure why pandemic is in quotations… Further, this area is right by the Grove st. PATH station and just a bit further from the light rail, so it absolutely is accessible.
It’s only “accessible” by PATH if you live near Exchange Place or Journal Square, and the nearest light rail station is at Exchange Place.
I doubt if anyone living in a “two-fare zone” of PATH and the light rail, then have to walk a distances is going to do all that just to get a hamburger.
What a sunshiny fella you are
Looks nice. My wife and I will need to plan a day trip over to Jersey to check out the area.
If Jersey City spends $6.7 million on an already expensive area (& very financially supportive residents to local politicians), what other less expensive or well-to-do area will get the next “gift” from the rest of the city (which uses public funds collected from “all” city residents)?