This master plan offers a comprehensive vision for the growth and regeneration of Newark’s downtown district South of Market Street (SoMa). The proposal’s focus is trained on the revitalization of the area, maintaining a respectful approach to the city’s history while building a longstanding foundation for future growth in housing as well as ongoing economic and cultural development. By combining a cluster of tall towers with low rise volumes to create a series of critical public greenspaces, the scope of the master plan is intended to activate not only the area it occupies but the greater urban context as well, functioning as the first stage in a process of renewal for downtown Newark.
The unusually wide scope of this master plan—which totals over 20,000,000 square feet of proposed space—is comprised of four main areas: at the heart of the development a low and mid-rise group of buildings defines the streetscape around a central public space, establishing the spirit behind the entire project. Also proposed are a row of mid-size towers scaled in proportion to the wider expanse of the adjacent thoroughfares of Washington Street and Broad Street; a group of tall towers fronting Market Street, one of the city’s busiest commercial corridors, will create the future skyline of Newark. The resulting variety of function, scale, and density infuses the area with a vibrant presence designed to address both the community’s current needs and future potential.
The heart of the SoMA development is a group of low and mid-rise buildings that defines the streetscape around a central public space. This inviting plaza establishes the spirit behind the entire project with its emphasis on human scale and on providing a variety of venues for social interaction. In concert with other critically important greenspaces integrated throughout the project, this civic amenity is intended to activate not only the area it occupies but the surrounding blocks as well, functioning as one of the first stages in an ongoing process of revitalization for downtown Newark. Teachers Village is the first phase of the Master Plan that has been completed and has been recognized with certification as one of the first LEED Neighborhood Development (ND) projects in the nation
