Newark’s $10M Mulberry Commons Will Empower City, Mayor Says

NEWARK, NJ — It's much more than a $10 million park; it’s a “defining development” for the entire city, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka says.

On Thursday, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the official opening of Mulberry Commons, a $10 million private/public development project on Mulberry Street between Lafayette Street and Edison Place.

A sprawling, outdoor public space, Mulberry Commons will serve as a link between Newark Penn Station and the Prudential Center, both among the nation’s busiest rail stations and entertainment arenas, respectively.

The new space will also open a large area of undeveloped land to residential and office development, city officials stated.

That development will include nearby projects such as Ironside Newark, a long-vacant warehouse that’s been transformed into a seven-story, 450,000 square-foot mixed-use building with a glass penthouse, rooftop green spaces and a two-story public atrium with retail and restaurant destinations.

Despite the influx of development expected to hit Mulberry, it will also provide local residents and visitors a welcome “green park” to relax in, officials said.

“Mulberry Commons is more than a park and a construction project for our downtown… it is a defining development for our entire city,” Mayor Baraka said. “It will be the direct link between Penn Station and our premier entertainment facility, Prudential Center, providing these visitors with a world-class entrance to our world-class city.”

Baraka said Mulberry Commons will also create jobs, career and entrepreneurship opportunities, and housing in the downtown area.

“It will energize this entire area, and in doing so, empower and strengthen our entire city,” Baraka enthused. “This is a transformative moment for Newark, and I commend everyone who made this day possible.”

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