Sal Bontempo Park
Key Stats
Client
Bloomfield Ave/Lower Broadway BID
Location
Newark, NJ
Key Staff
James Ribaudo, Principal in Charge
James Bykowski, Project Manager
Design Team
Arterial
Project Status
Under Construction
Total Project Size
0.1 Acre
Construction Cost
N/A
Services
Concept Design, Construction Documentation
The Bloomfield Avenue/Lower Broadway BID is seeking to transform a small space along Bloomfield Avenue into a vibrant community plaza for the residents of this Newark neighborhood. Located adjacent to a school and bounded by a variety of retail establishments, the plaza has untapped potential to highlight a great piece of history, while providing a flexible space for programming and events.
The concept that Arterial developed calls for the celebretion of the historic tower in the middle of the plaza by highlighting it with seasonal planting, architectural lighting and a low seatwall discouraging direct access to the base of the tower, but providing ample seating. A series of intimate spaces with sitting support a larger, flexible space that include overhead string lighting and a variety of seating. Green infrastructure relieves the city’s combined sewer system while bringing pops of color and textures that attract different types of wildlife. A street quilt surrounded by continental crosswalks connects the plaza to the adjacent school and acts as a traffic calming measure along with community art piece.