Martin Architectural Group has completed the design process on a new five-story mixed-use 95,866-square-foot building, owned by CitiBay, located at 360 New York Avenue in Newark, NJ. The unique design includes plans for a preschool, with a drive-through drop off, on the bottom two floors with the top three floors offering residential living with new sustainable design materials. The superstructure for the project is currently being raised out of the ground as the project enters its construction phase.
“We are extremely proud of our work on this new building,” says president and managing partner James Riviello, Martin Architectural Group. “Being able to create a cooperative design that positions the building to act as a community center for this area in Newark is a fantastic opportunity for us.”
The existing half-acre of land where the new building will sit was formerly home to a dilapidated warehouse.
“Completing the design was challenging because we had to combine intrinsically different types of uses with unique requisites and make them work on a half-acre of land, in a residential district, without negatively impacting the community,” continues Riviello.
The new day care will allow easy access to childcare for residents, and the building’s location offers proximity to public transportation for people commuting to New York City. The townhomes will vary in size from 1,200 square feet to 1,350 square-feet, providing one, two and three bedroom options for potential occupants. The building will offer amenities that include game rooms, a gym, lounge and off-street parking.
The project at 360 New York Avenue is expected to be complete before the end of this year.
CitiBay hired Martin Architectural Group to work on this project after the success of their collaboration on “Station Commons,” the first transit-oriented luxury apartment building in Elizabeth, NJ, that opened in 2015. The new seven-story building located at 727 Pennsylvania Avenue stands adjacent to the North Elizabeth train station, minutes away from U.S. Highway 22, major New Jersey Transit bus lines and the Newark Airport.
The firm took full advantage of the location of the Elizabeth complex, drawing up plans for most apartments to have views of the lower Manhattan skyline, an outdoor terrace atop the parking structure integrated with the first level of apartments, and a small retail space for the convenience and inclusion of commuters who travel by car to use the transit stop. Station Commons has 100 apartment units on its top five floors, ranging from 1,100 to 1,340 square feet, starting at $1,700 per month to rent. The building is close to being fully leased.
“We chose Martin Architectural for the Station Commons and New York Ave projects because of the firm’s rich experience in urban planning and expertise in residential development,” says Albino Cerqueira, Principal of CitiBay, L.L.C. “They are ahead of the curve on trends like transit oriented designs, creating residential centers that offer ample connectivity for commuters, pedestrians and bicycle riders. They were able to create an unrivaled sense of community in the middle of a transportation hub with a walkable design.”
