Essex County Parks HQ Reopens After $12M Renovation

Essex County officials cut the ribbon Thursday on the Parks Administration Building in Newark. The $12 million project breathed new life into the structure at 115 Clifton Ave., which has anchored the county’s parks system for over 100 years.

County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. spoke at the dedication on April 23. The work addressed years of decay while meeting state and national historic preservation rules.

“The building at 115 Clifton Ave. in Newark has been the epicenter of the administration of and planning for our historic parks system for more than a century. After more than a century of service, the building was showing signs of regular wear and tear and needed to be updated to provide staff and visitors with up-to-date working conditions,” DiVincenzo said, according to RLS Media.

Construction teams replaced the roof. They installed fresh doors and windows. HVAC, electrical, elevator, and technology systems got complete overhauls.

The first floor received a makeover that brought in a waiting space for the permit division and expanded the museum. Teams protected important features on the outside and inside the Director’s Office and Archives Office.

The Parks Administration Building opened its doors in 1916. Since then, it has served without interruption as the department’s main base.

Both state and national registers list the site as historic, which meant all construction had to comply with New Jersey Historic Preservation guidelines.

Crews brightened exterior lighting. The garden and parking zones got facelifts. New signs, wayfinding tools, and plantings wrapped up the improvements.

Staff and visitors now move through a friendlier space. The updates boosted working conditions but didn’t erase what makes the building special.

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