Introduction

Registration

Submission

Schedule

Programme

Prizes

Jury

Questions

REQUIREMENTS

Based on the Conditions and Challenges outlined below, competitors are asked to address the site on a variety of issues. Designers are asked to develop a new strategy for creating a unified experience when visiting the Broad Street train station area. Proposals should link the diverse historic and urban opportunities located within the area.

CONDITIONS AND CHALLENGES

Condition: Located between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Broad Street, the site is a critical part of the downtown Broad Street commuter and local community.

Challenge: Establish a relationship between the new multi-family housing and the existing historical conditions and propose new opportunities for local businesses in a mixed-use building proposal.

Condition: The site originally contained the Westinghouse Building, which was part of Newark's manufacturing since 1882. The Westinghouse closed down in the late 1970's. The building is in the midst of demolition. (Do not consider bldg. as part of project)

Challenge: Evaluate potential development options which embrace the scale of the site and the proximity to the train station, the baseball field and the downtown area.

HISTORICAL

Condition: While many of the surrounding building have benefitted from restoration (i.e., the Broad Street Train Station), a great number of buildings nearby lie abandoned and in disrepair. The existing building on the is currently being cleared/removed.

Challenge: Address the value of these structures and the industrial heritage that they represent, outlining an approach not necessarily bound by a preservation attitude.

ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION

Condition: While the project has sufficient access via the Broad Street Train Station, many occupants will own vehicles.

Challenge: Rethink options for on-site vehicular parking. Propose innovative solutions to existing parking conditions. Consider the significance of the site as a threshold or transition between the urban fabric of Newark, the metropolitan area and the occupants of the site.

ECONOMIC STRATEGIES

Condition: The financial stability of Newark, NJ often depends on the proximity of Newark to New York City. Commuter /Business operations generate revenue that can sustain Newark and the local community.

Challenge: Consider Newark's need for additional financial resources when developing programmatic elements for the new multi-family, mixed-use building. Rethink mixed- use and/or envision other economic strategies that may strengthen your proposal. (i.e., public-private partnerships)

CRITERIA

The jury will seek out powerful, transforming proposals that inspire new ways of thinking about not only the role of the multi-family, mixed -use building relative to the downtown Broad Street landscape, but ways in which the new structure can co-exist and enrich the existing fabric.

The jury will be guided by the following objectives in evaluating submissions and recommending winning design proposals for presentation to the City of Newark:

1. Rethink what the term "multi-family" means when defining housing in post-industrial urban conditions.
2. Create a clear identity for Newark that celebrates its unique urban and historical heritage.
3. Reinforce the identity of Newark as a 'gateway' to the wider metropolitan experience, as well as the initial aspirations of Newark founders "to bring the city closer to the people."
4. Reinforce the city's ethic of stewardship of historical and urban sites by maintaining and integrating existing business and interests into the new housing development at the site.
5. Consider the utilization of panels and pieces that have been cut out or removed to be reused in imaginative ways.
6. Recognize that the number of units, height and density is at the discretion of the entrant. The multi-family, mixed-use project should help ensure the long-term viability of Newark.