South Ward Industrial Park enhances local economy.

Mayor Sharpe James recently presided over the official opening of Newark's South Ward Industrial Park, located at 804-814 Bergen Street, near Interstate Route 78. Invited guests in attendance included corporate and community gatekeepers and government officials.

"This is a memorable day for the City of Newark," noted Mayor James. "The South Ward Industrial Park is the first industrial building built in the city in over 30 years and promises to be a catalyst for change in this community by providing a round-the-clock workforce presence. Additionally, this will encourage other business ventures in the area, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for residents living in the South Ward."

York Hunter served as the construction manager for the project. "We are proud to be here at the opening of this new industrial facility just 10 months after we began the constructionprocess," said Ted Domuracki, president of York Hunter's Atlantic Region. "Using a laser screed to pour the concrete slab on grade, workers were able to complete the entire 100,000 square-foot slab in only four days, with half the manpower than it would have taken to perform the job the conventional way.

Funding for the project was provided by the Newark Economic Development Corporation (NEDC), The City of Newark, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, PSE&G, the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Department Housing Development. NEDC was the lead developer for the project.

"Our goal was to incorporate an industrial park into a sensitive residential area," explained Joseph F. Galea, the project's architect. "Placing the building centrally in a two block area isolated it as far as possible from adjacent housing. The exterior construction is a light colorful structure, pleasing to the eye and surrounded by landscaping which helps minimize the sense of busy commercial activity. We believe the City of Newark, residents and tenants are pleased with the results."

The 100,000 square-foot light industrial complex is located in an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). Forward Air, Inc., the largest airport-to-airport network for surface transportation of air freight in the country, is the first tenant to occupy space in the facility.

"By creating an attractive new facility, the private sector is clamoring to attract more labor-intensive employees to the South Ward," noted Alfred Faiella, deputy mayor of Economic Development and Housing. "We built a state-of-the-art building to make a positive statement for the neighborhood."