We have an update about the planned move of diocesan headquarters, as well as NJPAC’s plans for 31 Mulberry.
NJPAC is acquiring 31 Mulberry as part of a major expansion of its campus. A new 53,000-square-foot facility, to be called the Cooperman Center, will be built on the parking lot next to 31 Mulberry to house NJPAC’s arts education and community programming. They plan to renovate 31 Mulberry itself to serve as office space for the NJPAC complex.
For more about NJPAC’s project, see:
NJPAC’s New Center Could Give Newark’s Arts Scene What it Needs Most: Theater Space
EDA pledges $200 million Aspire tax credit for mixed-use ‘NJPAC District’ project in Newark
Meanwhile, the Bishop’s staff and the Building Committee are busy preparing for the relocation to Livingston.
Renovation plans for the former St. Peter’s Church in Livingston are complete and have been submitted for bids. Once bids are received, the completion date can be estimated. Preparatory demolition work is already underway, and it is hoped that construction can begin this month.
Moving preparations have started at 31 Mulberry. A shipment of 490 packing bins was delivered on Friday, February 23, and a group of 13 volunteers joined John King and Cecil Broner, Jim Caputo, Jane Jubilee, Sam Reckford and Canon Andrew Wright to move the empty bins from the parking lot to inside the building. John wants to thank the volunteers for coming to Episcopal House and very rapidly teaming up to move the bins into a few key locations for the next phase of the packing. John says, “It was wonderful to have a diverse group of volunteers who came from all over – I mean ALL OVER the diocese to take time out of their busy lives to get this job done and share a meal. We formed a fire-bucket brigade and moved all of the bins quickly and efficiently, and as far as this phase of the process goes, now we can say, ‘Bin there, done that! What a crate experience! Thanks, everyone!’”
John also thanks the Trustees of the Episcopal Fund and Diocesan Properties for agreeing to fund this important effort to safeguard the Diocesan Archives during the upcoming move and into the future.
