By Isiah Christie
Newark, much like its sister, Jersey City, is aggressively fixated on the idea of growth. Development. Gentrification. Renovation.
And to achieve its biggest goal of obtaining the newfound identity it so desperately desires, city developers have taken interest in remodeling Newark blocks to accommodate high-rise, skyline-savvy buildings and commercially beneficial establishments that will give the city a fresh, pristine reputation and image. Due to the historically poor view of Newark – being seen as a dirty, industrial, violent headquarters to outsiders unfamiliar with its recent evolution – those in charge of its architecture and presentation figure that if the improvements are in-sight, they’re in-mind. And as a result, they’ve taken some ambitious projects under their wings.
The only problem is – they’re buildings full of nothing but false promises.
Back in late-2018 to early-2019, the municipal government of Newark made a major agreement – developing Riverfront Square, an area set in the city’s downtown with the intention of introducing brand new housing, plazas, parking garages, and more. It occupied the space of the Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, a twenty-year-old baseball park home to several local teams in North Jersey. In 2019, the park was demolished to set up the construction of Riverfront Square – but two years later, nothing of note had occurred.
That is because it was then retconned as “CitiSquare”, a remade vision on expanding Newark’s architecture and utilizing the space Riverfront Stadium originally occupied. CitiSquare was proposed in 2021, two years after the original Riverfront Square plan gained traction. And much like its predecessor, it has resulted in absolutely nothing. Citizens aware of the plans are becoming increasingly impatient and frustrated with the city’s process behind this project, claiming that a good, family-friendly stadium with value was uprooted for no reason and the entire deal was rooted in alleged malpractice.
Lotus Equity Group (LEG), who was originally in charge of the redevelopment, was accused of mismanaging the land where Riverfront Stadium once stood in favor of financial gain. Because the group specialized in asset management – as opposed to development – the land was eventually sold to Accurate Builders and Developers, a real estate development team that hasn’t done anything greater.
Some theorize that Accurate is not actually capable of sustaining the volume of this project financially, and are ultimately looking to sell it off to somebody else with an alternative vision. It’s not a far-fetched assumption, given that over half-a-decade’s worth of innovation and promises have been dished out to the Newark population with absolutely no tangible success. Ultimately, the future of CitiSquare is out of residents’ hands, but locals can only hope their city is creating visions for genuine growth, rather than to save face.
