New Jersey Performing Arts Center​

Prudential Tower​

The parking lot in the back will soon be replaced with a Hotel and Conference Center. It will likely be in the 20-something story range, and the size of the conference center is unknown. The site is quite large and directly adjacent to the NJPAC Light Rail station (Served in both directions), so it could easily handle a very large conference center. The project is still in the conceptual massing stage, so it will still be several years away. NJPAC was always designed as part of an arts district with it catalyzing numerous new buildings adjacent to it.Shaq's tower at 40 Rector Street will actually break ground in the Summer, according to Schreiber. He was quite hopeful of that, having been in conversation with them about it. It will actually benefit NJPAC's projects by being a part of the larger arts district, which would be more inviting.NJPAC's tower was originally supposed to be 44 stories high, but was cut in half because they could never work out the financing. As a 22 story tower with 244 apartments, it will cost $106 Million. It received a $33 Million Transit Hub tax credit and $12 Million in funding through the rental car tax from the airport. With private financing, it is now 100% funded.I specifically asked Schreiber about the 30 day deadline given during the Economic Development town hall meeting, and he says that they were given the wrong information. Many of the recent delays relate to the redesign of the building, specifically the recent change of an entire floor from market rate to more affordable apartments. The market rate apartments will be about the most expensive ones in Newark, with the exception of the large units in Packard Lofts and Eleven80 Raymond. The project will take 2 years to complete.That mysterious green wall. Each section has an individual planter with the plants already in place. The vines should quickly cover the fences and create a huge wall of leafy greenery, one of the largest in the state. Black hoses can be seen for the irrigation system.The second external elevator location has been almost completely covered. You can see the mounting brackets for the Prudential Logo signage.NJIT is in the process of a large building spree. The Gateway project is not included because of the difficulties involving Saint Michael's Medical Center, which is a partner in the project. They are looking to get themselves purchased by a large hospital operator, so it is unknown if they will have any investing power at all. Instead, they are looking at several smaller "campus gateway" projects in the form of renovating a large building by I-280 on Orange Avenue into apartments and installing sculptures in several locations. Also, they are building the 950 space, 7 level parking garage and a $100 Million events center for sporting events. That was kicked off due to the huge need to concentrate the parking on campus, and to create a proper 4500 seat gymnasium for the basketball team, which has recently won several major games and beating all odds, specifically against a number of unbeatable teams.A third project is the construction of a "Life Sciences and Engineering Center" between the existing parking deck and the Environmental Engineering building. I have know hope for the architecture and like the existing building, I would not be surprised if it does everything except stick up its middle finger to the Martin Luther King Boulevard side of the site. The site slopes down about 20 feet, which the other building responded to by having 20 feet of solid vertical wall before the first windows, a move that characterizes the entire remainder of the campus's outer perimeter. The project will cost an abnormally low $13.5 Million (The Honors Dorm and Greek Village, although larger, cost over $80 Million), with $5.5 Million more spent on lab equipment.This is the conceptual massing from the Vector student newspaper.It will replace the surface lot on the right side, but must maintain access to the offices on the side of the Parking Garage. NJIT's Bursar's, Financial Aid, and Registrar's offices are located down there, with no usable alternative entrance, as well as one of the two entrances to the "Student Mall" computer labs. The other is on MLK Boulevard (itself seen in the background of the image) and is rarely used. For an idea of the difference between campus interior and outer perimeter entrances, The parking deck has two pedestrian entrances. One is by the vehicle entrance on the Summit Street side and does not have a door. between outside and inside. It was removed because of the hassle of holding it open, particularly in the wind. The other side, on MLK, has a side entrance and a narrow meandering path leading to it. You can see it in the far corner of the parking deck. You have to swipe your NJIT ID card to get in or out there (which has an override that sets of an alarm and releases after 15 seconds in case of an emergency). The same applies to Weston Hall and the GITC building, which both have campus interior and street-side doors. The Honors Residence that was recently constructed requires a card swipe from both sides, and fake card swipers were added to the convenience store and pizza restaurant entrances. The convenience store's Warren Street side door locks 3 hours before the store closes, forcing you to walk around to the back from 10 pm to 1 am. With this mindset, expect a walled off monstrosity from all three of NJIT's imminent expansion projects.