Artwork in lobby. The NJ Bell building was designed by famed architect Ralph Thomas Walker and opened in 1929. It is known for its majestic lobby and brick-and-sandstone exterior. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

They don’t make buildings like this anymore.

A marble-walled lobby coated in decorative bronze filigree. Ornate figurines lining the sandstone exterior. The sharp and bold Art Deco patterns infusing everything from wall sconces to ceilings.

At its peak, the New Jersey Bell Headquarters Building in Newark once welcomed more than 3,000 telephone employees to its 21-story building. It's a reminder of what once was in Newark.

But now the torch lights have been restored, the filigree polished and the building’s majestic interior illuminated as a reminder of what could still be.

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Two bedroom, one bath unit. Wednesday, May, 8, 2019. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Early next month, the newly renovated bell building, renamed the Walker House in honor of the building’s architect, Ralph Walker, will begin welcoming tenants to its 264 luxury apartments. Leasing is officially open.

"We're in this moment in downtown Newark's history now where there's a lot of momentum," said Sam Chapin, director at L+M Development Partners, which renovated the historic building for $120 million. NJ Advance Media got an exclusive first look at the nearly completed building on 540 Broad Street.

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Studio unit at The Walker House. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

The first five floors will house office and commercial space. Verizon, which sold the building in 2016, will keep its offices on the fourth floor. Other existing tenants include Sen. Cory Booker's presidential campaign headquarters and Per Scholas, a career training program. A new rock climbing facility will also open soon, as well as a UPS Store.

Luxury apartments are available to lease with monthly rents ranging from $1,875 for a studio to $3,650 for a three-bedroom. Fifty-four units (20 percent) will be affordable for residents earning 40 to 50 percent of area median income.

Prices for the affordable units will vary based on a person’s income but for a person earning 40 percent area median income, rents range from $668 a month for a studio to $992 for a three-bedroom.

More than 400 applicants applied for the affordable housing lottery.

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The Walker House, the renovated NJ Bell Building in Newark. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

All apartments are equipped with a washer/dryer in every unit and central air conditioning, offering views of the Manhattan skyline and Newark’s downtown.

“The fact that Newark has one of these buildings represents the city’s economic prominence at the beginning of the 20th century,” said Reuben Teague, vice president of impact and responsible investing at Prudential, which helped finance the project along with the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group.

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The Walker House, view from the renovated NJ Bell Building. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

He said the Walker House will bring “downtown Newark back to a place of real excellence” and create a more vibrant residential community in the downtown that has long suffered from an influx of employees coming in for work and leaving the streets -- and businesses -- emptied by 5 p.m.

The Walker House includes a gym, a co-working space and an amenities lounge on the top floor with a pool table and outside grills on the terrace.

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Looking out on Washington Park from The Walker House, the renovated NJ Bell Building in Newark, N.J., Wednesday, May, 8, 2019. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Chapin said the building was entirely office space and when they acquired it was only partially occupied by Verizon. He said L+M, which also developed the nearby Hahne building that houses Whole Foods, is trying to bring both new housing and amenities for new tenants to the city's downtown at the same time.

“Part of the overall strategy here is for us to build a pool of supply in downtown Newark,” he said. “The most supply that Newark can put on the market will help in building a healthy, thriving downtown district.”

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Amenities area at The Walker House. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Get more information on leasing options here, more information on affordable housing opportunities here, and see more photos of the new Walker House below.

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Two bedroom, one bath unit. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Two bedroom, one bath unit. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Elevator in The Walker House. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Two bedroom, one bath unit. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Two bedroom, one bath unit. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Two bedroom, one bath unit. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Sculpture on the exterior of The Walker House. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. Ed Murray may be reached at emurray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Ed on Twitter at @EdMurrayphoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

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