Extensive Upgrade for Historic New Jersey School

By Lisa Kopochinski

 ORANGE, N.J.—The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) recently awarded an $18.4 million contract for construction services at the Cleveland Street Elementary School in Orange to Brockwell & Carrington Contractors, Inc. The architect on the project is LAN Associates, Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Surveying, Inc. Construction is set to begin this fall.

The project will address overcrowding and facility condition deficiencies at the Cleveland Street Elementary School. Built in 1898, this project is long overdue and will involve an approximate 12,000-square-foot, single-story addition to the existing school, which includes a security lobby, multi-purpose room, kitchen, servery, support facilities, and a three-story link connecting the addition to the existing facility.

Extensive renovations to the currently facility (which is approximately 38,750 square feet) will include lighting updates, boiler rehabilitation, abatement and work on interior and exterior doors among other items. These renovations will also involve system upgrades and repairs to accommodate existing and planned educational programs.

“The new Cleveland Street Elementary School will include significant renovations and state-of-the-art technology to improve learning opportunities for NJ students,” says SDA Interim Chief Executive Officer Manuel Da Silva. “Our professional staff looks forward to working with our contractors to complete this project on time and on budget.”

With a completion date slated for September 2021, the renovated Cleveland Street Elementary School has been designed to educate approximately 316 students (with a maximum of 348) in pre-Kindergarten to 6th grade.

“The expansion of our elementary school is a much needed and important project for the Orange School District,” says Ronald Lee, interim superintendent of the Orange School District. “Our students will now study in a high-quality facility that they can be proud of and is conducive to their learning and success. As a district, we are grateful and look forward to our continued collaboration with the SDA.”

The SDA is the state agency responsible for fully funding and managing the new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects in 31 SDA districts. Its current portfolio of active projects is valued at approximately $2 billion. Since the program’s inception, the SDA has provided funding for and management oversight of more than 850 completed school facilities projects in SDA districts and has executed more than 5,400 grants for Regular Operating Districts throughout New Jersey.