FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  


PressRelease


NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BREAKS GROUND ON DAYTON AVENUE EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS


FEBRUARY 11, 2019 – PASSAIC, NJ – Today, the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA), joined by students, legislative representatives and school officials, hosted a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the start of construction of the Dayton Avenue Educational Campus.

"This new educational campus is a solid investment in our communities and the foundation for our children's educational future," said Lizette Delgado-Polanco, CEO of the Schools Development Authority. "We are pleased to build this state-of the art facility, which will help address the District's overpopulation, while providing space for high quality educational programs that will help prepare students for the next decades of learning."

The new, $240.9 million Dayton Avenue project, consists of the construction of an approximately 448,000 square feet, 4-story educational campus that will include four school facilities located in a unified structure, with shared central facilities. Centralized facilities include food service and central plant operations. The campus has been designed to educate approximately, 2,760 students (with a maximum of 3,020) in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8.

"Passaic Public Schools is happy to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Dayton Avenue Education Campus," said Pablo Muñoz, Passaic Public Schools Superintendent. "These four new schools will provide our students with state-of-the-art classrooms that support active and engaged learning. We are thankful for the ongoing support of the Schools Development Authority, the New Jersey State Legislature, and the Mayor and City Council for working to give our children schools that will make a difference."

Each of the Dayton Avenue facilities will include a complement of instructional spaces, large group spaces, as well as administrative and support areas.


  • The Pre-K school program will include: 28 classrooms, three (3) specialized rooms and a courtyard play area.
  • The Elementary School program includes: 33 general classrooms, five (5) self-contained special education classrooms, three (3) science labs, media center, music room and gym.

  • The Magnet School program will include: 28 general classrooms, three (3) self-contained special educational classrooms, three (3) science labs, art room, dance studio, vocal music room, media center, 2 Teach to One Learning Areas and cafeteria.
  • The Middle School Program will include: 27 general classrooms, six (6) self-contained special education classrooms, three (3) science labs, four (4) project labs, three (3) Teach to One Learning Areas, gym, cafeteria as well as classrooms dedicated to the arts.

The Dayton Avenue Educational Campus project will help address the Passaic school district's overcrowding needs for grades Pre-kindergarten through 8. Since the SDA’s inception, more than $193 million has been invested in Passaic City schools alone. This will be the fourth new facility in Passaic completed by the SDA, after the opening of the $55.9 million Leonard Place School in September of 2019 and the opening of the Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy in Passaic in 2015.

Terminal Construction Corp. of Wood Ridge was awarded the design-build contract. They are working with RSC Architects of Hackensack on the design. Gilbane Building Company of New Brunswick/EPIC Management Inc. of Piscataway is managing the project. The project is anticipated for completion and opening to students in September 2022.

About the New Jersey Schools Development Authority

The SDA is the State agency responsible for fully funding and managing the new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects in 31 SDA Districts. Its current portfolio of active projects is valued at approximately $2 billion – including the Capital Project portfolio, emergent projects and Regular Operating District grants. Since the program’s inception, the SDA has provided funding for and management oversight of more than 850 completed school facilities projects in SDA Districts and has executed more than 5,400 grants for Regular Operating Districts throughout the State of New Jersey. For more information about the SDA, please visit our website at: www.njsda.gov or follow us on social media at: Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn; or Twitter.