Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. opened the Essex County Veterans Memorial Park and dedicated the Armed Forces Monument on Monday, September 21st. The 2.7 acres of open space was the former site of an antiquated parking garage and is the first county park developed in Newark in over 80 years. More than 500 people attended the dedication ceremony.
"This beautiful park is dedicated to the men and women who serve our country abroad and at home. Their bravery and heroism keep our country safe and protect the freedom and liberties we enjoy," DiVincenzo said. "We are proud of our veterans and armed forces personnel for putting their lives on the line for our country. We hope our Veterans Memorial Park serves as a reminder to us all of their sacrifice and dedication and becomes a place where veterans can reflect and find peace," he added.
"This park represents the respect we have for the men and women who have served and currently serve in our armed forces," Governor Jon Corzine said. "Joe DiVincenzo has brought vision to this county and under his leadership Essex County has done more than any other in moving us forward," he added.
"There is no greater group of people that deserve having a park named in their honor," Congressman Donald Payne said. "I am so proud and appreciative of what our veterans have done," he added.
"This is a perfect blend of nature and our national symbols," said J. Scott Gration, a retired Major General and currently Presidential Special Envoy to Sudan. "To dedicate a park to those who served our nation is a perfect way to honor their dedication and recognize their sacrifice so we can enjoy our freedoms today. The County Executive built a first class park and it is the first of its kind to honor our service men and women past and present. I hope it will inspire the next generation of those who serve," he added.
"I am so proud to stand here as part of a team that continues to build fantastic facilities that fill the needs of our community and recognize the contributions of our residents," NJ Senator M. Teresa Ruiz said. "This complex has been completely transformed. The County Executive has named the parks, plazas and buildings after people who have made tremendous contributions to our County and our Country," she noted.
DiVincenzo also noted the newly created open space will be a tremendous benefit to the surrounding community, which includes the Essex County Government Complex, several colleges and high schools, a hospital and the Society Hill residential neighborhood. "We removed a tremendous eyesore by tearing down the old parking deck and created a jewel in the middle of the bustling and vibrant community that surrounds our County Government Complex," the County Executive said. "We thank Governor Corzine, the Department of Environmental Protection and our own Open Space Trust Fund for sharing our vision of transforming this city block into an urban oasis that everyone can enjoy," he added.
"Essex County has taken a leading role in preserving and developing open space in New Jersey," Freeholder President Blonnie Watson said. "This park will serve our neighbors at Society Hill, the students at the nearby schools, the jurors and employees who come to this complex and, most importantly, the veterans who we are honoring," she added.
"This may be your crowning jewel. You took a parking garage that was an eyesore and turned it into an oasis and serene place," Sheriff Armando Fontoura said. "You also had the good sense to name it after people who sacrificed the most for our country," he added.
"Joe has been transforming our county and bringing beauty to our neighborhoods," Newark Mayor Cory Booker said. "Today we celebrate with humble gratitude the contributions of our veterans. This serene park is being dedicated to the most special group of people. They stood up and went into battle, and this space is for them," he noted.
"We want to thank the County Executive for recognizing the residents of Society Hill as partners in making our neighborhood safer and better," said John Austin, Chairman of the Society Hill Homeowners’ Association. "This dedication for the men and women who fought for our country is befitting and timely, and we are proud to be part of this worthy cause," he added.
Essex County Veterans Memorial Park is bounded by West Market Street, Howard Street, 13th Avenue and Wickliffe Street. There are about 400 trees, shrubs and perennials planted throughout the 2.7-acre park and two small meadow areas are located on either side of the Armed Forces Memorial. Walking paths with ornamental brick pavers travel through the park and decorative metal archways are at the entrances on Howard Street and West Market Street. The entrances are enhanced with landscaping and ornamental brick pavers.
The last Essex County Park developed in the City of Newark was Ivy Hill Park, which was opened in 1925. In the middle of the park is the Armed Forces Memorial, which includes a circular water fountain surrounded by ten flagpoles and a short granite wall. The flags of the seven branches of the military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Army National Guard and Air Force National Guard – fly from 25-foot poles while the New Jersey State flag and Essex County flag fly from 30-foot poles and the American flag flies from a 35-foot pole at the center of the display. At the base of each flag pole on the granite wall will be the official agency or government seal.
Hatch Mott MacDonald, an engineering firm in Millburn, received a $239,000 contract to design the park and memorial. Shauger Property Services of East Orange received a competitively bid contract for $3,075,233 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. The development of the park was funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.
Construction of the park began in January and was completed in less than nine months. The parking garage that was removed from the site was built in the 1960s and closed in August 2008 when a new 1,000-car parking facility was opened on the Essex County Jurors’ Parking Lot on South Orange Avenue. Removal of the structure began in August 2008 and was completed in December 2008. The demolition was conducted by Mazzocchi Wrecking of East Hanover, which received a competitively bid contract for $979,000.
The structure was dismantled in sections. Recycling was a priority in the project and materials were salvaged at every step. Before demolition, all fixtures, elevators and piping were removed. As the brick and concrete structure was razed, steel from the reinforced concrete was extracted. In addition, the brick and concrete was pulverized on site and used as fill. Excess brick and concrete was sold as fill to other construction sites.