A digital rendering of the proposed development project located at the former Newark Bears Stadium site in the Central Ward.

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NEWARK, NJ — An application proposing to redevelop the former Newark Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium site into a thriving hub for residential, retail and small business spaces will come before the city’s Planning Board next week. 

May Newark LLC, a Lakewood-based developer and affiliate of Accurate Builders and Developers, is proposing to construct a mixed-use development on the property in nine phases. The project consists of 4,200 residential units, approximately 100,000-square-feet of commercial space, amenity space, and 1,998 parking spaces. The project encompasses the properties located on 1155-1157 McCarter Highway; 450-466 Broad St.;  5-55 Division St.; 2-28 Division St.; 30-42 Division St.; and 44-56 Division St.

May Newark’s preliminary major site plan for phases one to nine will come before the board on Monday, Dec. 13 in addition to a final major site plan for the first phase of the project. Phase one of the project is located at the northwestern corner of the former Bears Stadium site at the intersection of Division Street and the Light Rail tracks. The applicant proposes in the first phase of the project to construct two 18-story buildings with a one-story retail and amenity space between them.

NEWARK, NJ — Newark Working Kitchens’ efforts to deliver nutritious meals to low-income seniors and families will be expanded to better serve the community after the program received a $2 million grant award, adding five more local restaurants to the initiative. 

The Newark Working Kitchens program, which was founded by Newark-based audiobook seller and producer Audible, launched in April 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program brings together more than 30 participating restaurants to deliver meals to many of the city’s most vulnerable residents.

The program will use its grant monies awarded from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) as part of its Sustain and Serve NJ Program to add five more Newark businesses to the effort: 9 Thai Cuisine; Casa d’Paco; La Tienda Tapas; Queen Pizza; and Sihana Café. 

SHIFT Capital, Hanini Group and CoInvestment Partners recently announced the acquisition and purchase of three buildings integral to Newark’s Central Business District.

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NEWARK, NJ — Two prominent office buildings and an adjacent parking garage located in the heart of downtown Newark were recently acquired by a partnership between developers, SHIFT Capital, Hanini Group and CoInvestment Partners (CoIP), with millions of dollars planned to be invested into upgrading the properties. 

Officials from SHIFT, a Philadelphia-based developer, teamed up with the Newark-based Hanini Group and CoIP to acquire and purchase two office towers totaling over 816,000-square-feet, located at 707 Broad and 153 Halsey streets, and an adjacent 900-space parking garage located at 261 University Ave. The property portfolio totaled $80 million, according to a statement released by SHIFT. 

The two historic office buildings sit in the throes of Newark’s booming downtown area, where a mix of economic, social, and cultural institutions collide. The properties, officials said, are planned to be the “home for businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to build on Newark’s rich history of innovation and civic engagement.” Both buildings sit among the city’s bustling downtown shops and restaurants.