New Brunswick, NJ (December 11, 2008) – First Avenue Elementary School in Newark has been recognized by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) of Northern New Jersey for sustainable design and New York Construction magazine for green-design features. It is Newark’s first new elementary school project to be managed by New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA).
The project was designed by Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor Engineering and built by Hall Construction Company Inc. PB+3DI managed the project for the SDA. They received ULI’s Fourth Annual Land Use Award for Sustainable Design Development at a dinner tonight at the Heldrich Center in New Brunswick. ULI is a publication that sponsors the development of urban areas and sustainable design in providing students with a healthy educational environment.
First Avenue School also earned an Award of Merit from New York Construction magazine in the publication’s “Best of ‘08” awards program. It was among 36 winners selected from 268 projects from across the New York City metropolitan area. The school includes green-design features that would qualify it for 31 different Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design credits. The district, due to cost considerations, chose not to pursue LEED certification. The winners were recognized at an awards breakfast yesterday in Times Square.
Kris Kolluri, who assumed the reins as CEO of the SDA on December 1, stated, “On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to congratulate the firms who designed, built and managed this award-winning project in partnership with the SDA and the Newark school district. Not only are the awards well-deserved, but they underscore what the SDA can accomplish to benefit our students and communities in collaboration with the districts we serve.”
Barry Zubrow, SDA board chairman, stated, “On behalf of the SDA, I am honored by the recognition First Avenue School has received. This school, as well as others the completed and under way in Newark, are examples of the strides the SDA – in step with district officials and the building trades – is making toward realizing the Governor’s goal of providing top academic offerings for students while stimulating the growth of communities statewide.”
The school, which opened in September 2007, provides 21st century educational opportunities to 850 pre-kindergarten to 8th grade students. It enhances academic achievement, provides much-needed preschool educational programs and helps to alleviate overcrowding in the district. The new First Avenue School nearly doubled the student capacity of the original First Avenue School. Built in 1928, the old school had a capacity for 450 students.
The new 183,200-square-foot school includes a library, auditorium, computer and science labs, and a cafeteria with a kitchen. The recreation space is in a courtyard area off the gym and cafeteria. There is also recreation space for the pre-kindergarten classes. The school is energy efficient, with a geothermal system providing most of the heating and cooling needs. Limited on-site space for parking was addressed through construction of an underground garage.
The old First Avenue School is housing students from Elliott Street School, destroyed by lightning in 2005. Construction on a new Elliott Street School will begin shortly.
Other new schools constructed by the SDA in Newark are Science Park High School and Central High School. Currently, Park Elementary School and Speedway Elementary School are under construction. Five other new school projects are on tap for the district over the next three years.
The SDA currently has 18 active construction projects in SDA (formerly Abbott) Districts, three active Demonstration Projects and seven ongoing projects in Regular Operating Districts (ROD). Overall the SDA has completed 585 projects: 44 new schools; 41 extensive additions, renovations and/or rehabilitations; three demonstration projects and nearly 400 other projects.