Project Description
After more than a decade of planning, failed negotiations, and false starts, the city of Newark embarked on the realization of a long-held vision to transform a 2.8-acre area between Newark Penn Station and the Prudential Arena from a series of underutilized parking lots to a lively downtown destination.
Envisioned as a series of rooms that offer a range of experiences between Prudential Arena and Newark Penn Station, the park was designed to provide broad appeal to both residents and visitors, the functionality of accommodating large volumes of people moving between Penn Station and the Prudential Arena, and the flexibility of adapting to future development. The park will serve as a critical pedestrian linkage between downtown Newark, Penn Station, the Ironbound neighborhood, and eventually the new riverfront along the Passaic River.
Mulberry Commons Park is a centerpiece and the first to be developed within the larger proposed 22-acre downtown development. The park’s creation presents significant opportunities to enhance much-needed pedestrian activity and mobility in the area. The opening of the Ironside Newark building as an office/retail space directly adjacent to the park sets an important precedent for future interfaces between private development and the public realm in Newark.
