Downtown Newark | |
|---|---|
Central business district and neighborhood | |
 Aerial view of Downtown Newark in 2025 | |
 Interactive map of Downtown Newark | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| City | Newark |
| County | Essex |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 13,581[1] |
| ZIP Codes | 07102 |
| Area codes | 862 and 973 |
Downtown Newark is thecentral business district ofNewark inEssex County, in theU.S. state ofNew Jersey.
Downtown is the site of the originalPuritan settlement of Newark located at a bend in thePassaic River. The first settlers, led byRobert Treat, landed not far from the present site of theNew Jersey Performing Arts Center. The intersection of Broad and Market Streets, known as theFour Corners was once considered the busiest intersection in the nation, and is the heart of traditional downtown.[2]
Most of Newark's office buildings are located in this area including Prudential Financial's Headquarters (also known as Prudential Plaza) and their new office tower that was recently constructed on Broad Street across from Military Park. In the post-World War II era, downtown seemed to be moving north during theNew Newark architectural period, in the direction ofWashington Park. Since the 1967 civil unrest, it has been shifting slightly east in the direction ofNewark Penn Station, theGateway Center and thePassaic River. Panasonic constructed their North American HQ building on Raymond Blvd near McCarter Hwy. There are several more new office buildings including One Newark Center, The Legal And Communications Building, The two Penn Plaza office buildings, which are home to NJ Transit and Horizon Blue Cross, the Claremont building on McCarter Hwy, which is office space for the FBI and several other federal agencies, and a few other office buildings. There is also several projects in the design stages for this area.
Downtown Newark is the home to Newark's major cultural venues - the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the 3,000-seatNewark Symphony Hall,Prudential Center, the critically acclaimedNewark Museum of Art,Military Park, and theNew Jersey Historical Society. Downtown is also home toSeton Hall University School of Law and Aljira, an emerging artist's gallery. It is also home to historicGrace Church (Episcopal), and theGovernment Center, an area of municipal and federal government offices, as well as theNewark Convention and Visitors Bureau, where visitors can find out all things happening in the city of Newark. It was once home to aChinatown neighborhood centered on Mulberry Arcade, which was off of Mulberry Street, near Lafayette and Green Streets. At the intersection of Mulberry St & Green St the Newark Parking Authority is building a five floor parking deck which will also feature office space for the Parking Authority and a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Many of downtown's cultural and historical sites are linked by the unmarkedLenape Trail, which also leads toBranch Brook Park, theWatchung Mountains and thePassaic Meadows on this yellow-blazed trail.
The $375 million Prudential Center, home to theNew Jersey Devils, opened on October 25, 2007, with the first of ten concerts byBon Jovi. Since then numerous "big name" acts have performed there, the Rolling Stones pay per view 50th anniversary concert in 2013 was broadcast from the Prudential Center. At the time, the arena was theNew York metropolitan area's first all-new professional sports venue in over two decades. The 2019 MTV Video Music Awards show took place there on August 26.[3]
Much of the city's retail and commercial developments is centered on Broad Street andMarket Street. The intersection of the two streets, known asFour Corners is widely considered to be one of the busiest in the state and at one time was considered the busiest in the country.[4]
Both Broad Street and Market Street are a bustle of activity crowded with numerous shops. Broad Street has many street vendors as well. At night, however, the streets are vacant and shops are closed. The City of Newark is committed to turning downtown into a "24-hour city" and the downtown area is slowly beginning to develop a 24-hour presence. The former Hahne's and Lefcourt buildings have been converted into mixed use developments and other retail establishments including restaurants, bookstore, bank, doctors office, and over one hundred residential apartments beginning in 2014. A six-story addition and underground parking was built on the Halsey St side of the complex. Also, two brand new luxury high rise apartment buildings have recently opened. One Theatre Square, which is directly opposite the NJPAC, developed by Dranoff Properties, it is 23 stories and features private balconies/terraces, parking deck, rooftop swimming pool, and other amenities. Nearby, Boraie Development constructed the 21 story luxury apartment building known as 50 Rector Street. It was constructed on the former site of Science High School. It also has many amenities including underground parking, rooftop swimming pool and tiki bar, etc..[needs update]Rutgers–Newark has built two dormitories on Central Avenue, and an Honors Living/Learning Center on Halsey St between New and Linden Sts. An old office building on Clinton Street has already successfully been converted to luxury lofts. Additionally, 1180 Raymond, which is across from Military Park and Newark's second tallest building, completed a $150 million conversion to luxury apartments in 2006. Recently, the former home of New Jersey Bell at 540 Broad St has been converted into market rate apartments. Verizon will still lease three floors in the building. The structure is named Walker House, after the building's original architect Leyland Walker. The former Kislak building at 579 Broad St near Central Ave has recently been converted into market rate apartments.
Aided by the presence of theNew Jersey Performing Arts Center, new apartments, and its proximity to the Newark's colleges and universities, includingNew Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers-Newark, downtown has seen a variety of restaurants and bars open their doors in the past several years. In addition to several high end restaurants catering to the theater crowd, downtown Newark is home to twoIrish pubs, aSoHo style bistro, a gourmet soup restaurant, and an increasing number of other establishments.
Most buses pass through Downtown and it is a principalshopping district of most Newark area residents.Washington Street Station,Penn Station,Military Park Station and all the stops on theNewark Light Rail serve the downtown area.Interstate 280 lies just north of Downtown, running parallel toNew Jersey Transit rail operations.
TheMain Library is on Washington Park and served by theNewark Light Rail.
40°44′10″N74°10′19″W / 40.73611°N 74.17194°W /40.73611; -74.17194
Municipalities and communities ofEssex County, New Jersey,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |