In the most recent U.S. Census, Newark’s population grew for the first time since tens of thousands of Newarkers moved to suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s. With new apartment buildings being announced every month, the number of people living in the city will likely continue to rise.

In the past five years, most new development projects have been in Downtown Newark or in the neighboring Ironbound neighborhood. However, construction on new projects is beginning in several of Newark’s other areas.

Several new developments are proposed for the Springfield Avenue corridor. According to an agenda for a City meeting, a new “mixed-use development with retail, affordable and market rate housing, and parking” is proposed for 247-251 Springfield Avenue in Springfield/Belmont, between Livingston Street and Irvine Turner Boulevard. The development by Springfield Renaissance will be built on land that was sold to it by the City of Newark for $43,272,92. The go25 bus to Newark Penn Station stops directly in front of the lot.

Other planned projects along the avenue include a new 30-unit apartment building near South Jacob Street, a 77-unit retail and residential building at 269 Springfield near Boyd Street, 122-unit project at 521 Springfield, and a new building with 54 units called Rita Gardens near the Irvington border. A recent presentation by the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation stated that GS Developers and Queen Latifah were partners in the Rita Gardens project.

Nearby, the new Springfield Avenue Marketplace complex, near Jones and Prince Streets, was completed in 2015 by Tucker Development. The center contains a ShopRite supermarket, restaurants, and the new 24 Jones apartment building, which opened this year.

For decades since the 1967 Newark Riots/Rebellion, the avenue had been lined with unused lots, many of which were owned by the City, but new complexes are starting to change that.

In addition, according to documents from a recent Newark Municipal Council meeting, a new apartment building is planned for the University Heights section of the Central Ward. The four-story market rate apartment building is proposed for 46 Burnet Street, between James Street and Orange Street. The City of Newark currently owns the lot, but the Department of Economic and Housing Development is recommending that it be sold to a Passaic-based developer for $37,103.52. The resolution states that the properties “are no longer needed for public use”, and that the City “received a proposal for the purchase and redevelopment of the properties from Newark Burnet, LLC” for 25 to 50 units.

The tract, which is surrounded by the brownstones that make up the James Street Commons Historic District, is currently vacant.

University Heights is home to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers-Newark, and Essex County College. A new building containing apartments and a restaurant was recently completed on Norfolk Street in the neighborhood, and the same developer is in the process of constructing another building where the Armory Tavern once stood.

What do you think of the increase in development in Newark? Has Newark’s renaissance officially begun?