By Lisa Kopochinski

PATERSON, N.J.—The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) began site preparation work in June for the new Union Avenue Middle School project in Paterson, a city of approximately 145,000 located in Passaic County.

The new four-story educational facility will span 160,000 square feet and educate approximately 1,100 6^th to 8^th grade students. Designed to address the city’s overcrowding issues—particularly in middle school grades—the new middle school will feature 36 general classrooms, nine science labs, six special education classrooms, three art rooms, three science/math/tech project labs, six small group instruction rooms, an occupational therapy room, physical therapy sensory room, cafetorium, stage/dance studio, gymnasium, music/instrument room, computer lab and media center.

In June, the SDA (which is a state agency responsible for fully funding and managing new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects) authorized Epic Management, Inc. of Piscataway, New Jersey to begin site preparation work on the $57.9 million project. Work includes layout and surveying, fence modification, soil erosion controls, site grading, and temporary electrical service installation.

“The SDA is committed to improving the educational facilities in the 31 SDA districts and we look forward to advancing this goal in the Paterson Public School District with our partners in the school district and community,” said SDA Interim Chief Executive Officer Manuel Da Silva.

“The new Union Avenue Middle School will not only help alleviate overcrowding in Paterson’s schools, but will also provide a safe state-of-the-art learning experience where the children of this community can thrive.” 

At an SDA board meeting on June 5, a $1.79 million contract was also approved for Cambridge Construction Management of Clinton New Jersey to provide construction management services for this project. 

“We owe it to our students to provide them with first-class educational facilities,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh. “Paterson is in dire need of new schools and we appreciate SDA’s commitment to our children.” 

Added Eileen Shafer, superintendent of the Paterson Public School District, “We are very pleased that the SDA has moved forward on the Union Avenue Middle School project. The need for new public school facilities cannot be overstated in a district that is educating children in too many buildings that are more than 100 years old. We look forward to working in partnership with the SDA on this and other future school facility projects to help ensure we are doing everything we can to provide Paterson students the best education possible.” 

Union Avenue Middle School is expected to open to students in September 2021.

Since its inception in 2007, the New Jersey Schools Development Authority has invested nearly $525 million in active and completed projects in the Paterson School District. This amount also includes monies invested by the School Construction Corporation. Prior to becoming the SDA, the Schools Development Authority was the SCC.

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 ORANGE, N.J.—The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) recently awarded an $18.4 million contract for construction services at the Cleveland Street Elementary School in Orange to Brockwell & Carrington Contractors, Inc. The architect on the project is LAN Associates, Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Surveying, Inc. Construction is set to begin this fall.

The project will address overcrowding and facility condition deficiencies at the Cleveland Street Elementary School. Built in 1898, this project is long overdue and will involve an approximate 12,000-square-foot, single-story addition to the existing school, which includes a security lobby, multi-purpose room, kitchen, servery, support facilities, and a three-story link connecting the addition to the existing facility.

Extensive renovations to the currently facility (which is approximately 38,750 square feet) will include lighting updates, boiler rehabilitation, abatement and work on interior and exterior doors among other items. These renovations will also involve system upgrades and repairs to accommodate existing and planned educational programs.

“The new Cleveland Street Elementary School will include significant renovations and state-of-the-art technology to improve learning opportunities for NJ students,” says SDA Interim Chief Executive Officer Manuel Da Silva. “Our professional staff looks forward to working with our contractors to complete this project on time and on budget.”

With a completion date slated for September 2021, the renovated Cleveland Street Elementary School has been designed to educate approximately 316 students (with a maximum of 348) in pre-Kindergarten to 6^th grade.

“The expansion of our elementary school is a much needed and important project for the Orange School District,” says Ronald Lee, interim superintendent of the Orange School District. “Our students will now study in a high-quality facility that they can be proud of and is conducive to their learning and success. As a district, we are grateful and look forward to our continued collaboration with the SDA.”

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. 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 New Jersey.

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PERTH AMBOY, N.J. — New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) CEO Charles McKenna celebrated alongside city school students and local officials at a ceremonial beam signing for the new Seaman Avenue Elementary School on May 24.

The three-story, 128,000-square-foot school will accommodate nearly 800 students in grades K-5 and is expected to cost nearly $56.4 million.  The new elementary school design will bring 38 classrooms, six small group instruction rooms, four basic skills/ESL/resource rooms, science demonstration room, speech room, vocal and instrumental music rooms, computer lab, gymnasium, media center, cafeteria, multipurpose room with stage, outdoor play and learning areas.

EPIC Management Inc., of Piscataway, N.J., was granted a $43.6 million contract for the design and construction of the school. EPIC is working with DIGroupArchitecture, of New Brunswick, N.J., on the design, with GREYHAWK North America LLC, of Mt. Laurel, as the project manager. SDA has invested nearly $93 million in completed projects in Perth Amboy since the start of the school construction program, with its current portfolio of working projects estimated to be approximately $2 billion — including the Capital Project portfolio, emergent projects and Regular Operating District grants.

The school design process also applied a design-build approach, which diverges from the traditional approach in that SDA contracts with one firm for both design and construction of a school facilities project. This method allows for some design and construction portions of the project to proceed simultaneously with advanced or completed phases, an approach that could make way for improvements upon the original project timeline.

The groundbreaking on the project commenced in October on district-owned land, and the school is scheduled to welcome students for the 2019-2020 school year.

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