Newark Ironbound former industrial site is transformed with new preschool, apartments
Published: Monday, October 25, 2010, 6:44 PM Updated: Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 5:16 AM
The former industrial site at South and Pacific streets in the Newark Ironbound has been turned into a pre-school and apartment buildings. NEWARK -- A new life began today for an old industrial site in Newark’s Ironbound with the formal opening of a combined preschool/residential site.
The people who had a hand in the transformation converged on its South Street location to herald several aspects of the project.
There is a new school for 90 preschoolers and there are 36 new rental apartments on upper floors. What gained particular mention, though, was the unusually fast pace of transforming a contaminated brownfields site.
Not along ago, a cluster of 19th Century structures stood at the site at South and Pacific streets. Purportedly, it was once occupied by manufacturers of clothing, light fixtures, even sails.
The transformation into its new use had an unusually fast timeline, as told by Frank Golon, a principal of the builders, Davidson-Wayne Developers. His slide show recounted demolition in February, excavation in March, permits in April, floors in May, roofing in July and painting in August.
By September, the new four-story facility’s main tenant, St. Justine II Pre-School & Learning Center, had its temporary certificate of occupancy. "That’s what we call a fast-track project," Golon said.
"A lot of coordination," said Maria Coler, president of the project’s environmental overseers, Hydrotechnology Consultants of Hoboken. "Sometimes, a lot of yelling and screaming." She recalled her reaction to the $8.5 million project’s timeline, one intended to enable the preschool to open: "You’re asking for a miracle."
By Coler’s side today was Gerry Hahn, the case manager for the state Department of Environmental Protection. His eyes focused on the vapor barriers, the contamination mitigation and the well-ventilated underground parking garage.
"You’re sitting on one of the cleanest sites in Newark," Coler said.
Also on hand were the Cerqueira brothers — Albino, Manuel and Anthony — who came together in their old neighborhood to mark the unveiling of the new venture. Their South Street Development owns the location. "We needed some change here," said Manuel Cerqueira, who grew up on Ferguson and Niagara streets in the Ironbound.
The 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments are to rent from $1,100 to $1,800 a month, including one or more of the 68 garage parking spaces — a scarcity in the Ironbound.
Yet most of the activity today was at the St. Justine II Pre-School, whose long-term lease comprises 13,000 square feet with six classrooms, a multi-purpose room, greenhouse, kitchen, outside playground and administrative offices. That, said Mayor Cory Booker and others, was the other "miracle" story.
"It’s a miracle that has been born out of love," Booker said. "The first seed of love came from the Birotte family."
Patrick Birotte, the Haitian-American director who is known as "Mr. B" to the preschoolers, chose to honor his mother, Grace, who founded the preschool in the Ironbound 27 years ago.
"This one’s for you," he said in naming the school’s greenhouse after his mother, who joined in today’s celebration. "Grace’s Garden."
St. Justine’s now has two locations, the other a few blocks away on Clifford Street, with a combined total of 180 children.
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