Riverbank Park Building Renovated In Newark After Fire – Newark, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A project to restore and modernize the Essex County Riverbank Park Community Center in Newark has reached the finish line, officials announced Monday.

A focal point for recreation and academic enrichment before the pandemic, the one-story building was severely damaged by a fire in 2018.

Parts of the exterior brick walls of the building were salvaged to preserve the historical appearance of the community center. The remaining walls were reinforced and the building was reconstructed from the ground up, county officials said.

“It’s great to get this building back,” Nancy Zak of SPARK and the Ironbound Community Corp. said.

“People are emotionally attached to Riverbank Park and our hearts were broken when the fire occurred,” Zak said. “This is a wonderful thing and it makes my heart beat again.”

According to a statement from county officials:

“OCA Architects from Newark was awarded a professional services contract $85,000 to design the new building. APS Contracting Inc. from Paterson was awarded a publicly bid contract for $1,119,000 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. Proceeds from insurance and a grant was used to fund the reconstruction of the community center. Work started in January and was completed in six months.”

Essex County Freeholder President Brendan Gill said it was great to see the facility rebuilt, especially in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“It provides us with a sense of normalcy during the pandemic and shows government can continue to deliver our community during challenging times,” Gill said.

“We are pleased to have partnered with SPARK and the Ironbound Community Corp. to transform the Riverbank Park building into a vibrant community center where residents of all ages gather and children receive academic enrichment, learn about the environment and participate in recreation programs,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“When the building was damaged by fire, we knew it had to be replaced,” DiVincenzo said. “We are proud that some of the historic features of the old building were recreated and pleased to provide our residents with a new, state-of-the-art building that will enhance residents’ usage of the park.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.