NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BEGINS WORK ON UNION AVENUE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PATERSON

July 2, 2019 – TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) is commencing with site preparation work for the new Union Avenue Middle School project in Paterson.

The new four-story educational facility will be approximately 160,000 square-feet and educate approximately 1,100 students from 6th to 8th grade. The school is designed to address Paterson’s overcrowding issues, particularly in middle school grades. It will feature 36 general classrooms, nine science labs, six special education classrooms, three art rooms, three science/math/tech project labs, six small group instruction rooms, an occupational therapy room, physical therapy sensory room, cafetorium, stage/dance studio, gymnasium, music/instrument room, computer lab and media center. The school is expected to open to students in September 2021.

In June, the SDA authorized Epic Management, Inc. to begin site preparation work on the project. This work includes: layout and surveying; fence modification; soil erosion controls; site grading; and temporary electrical service installation. This preliminary work is part of the $ 57.9 million contract with Epic for Design-Build Services for this important project.

“The SDA is committed to improving the educational facilities in the 31 SDA Districts and we look forward to advancing this goal in the Paterson Public School District with our partners in the school district and community,” said Manuel Da Silva, SDA Interim Chief Executive Officer. “The new Union Avenue Middle School will not only help alleviate overcrowding in Paterson’s schools, but will also provide a safe, state-of-the-art learning experience where the children of this community can thrive.”

In addition, at the June 5th SDA Board meeting, the Board of Directors approved a $1.79 million contract for Cambridge Construction Management to provide Construction Management Services for the project.

“We owe it to our students to provide them with first-class educational facilities,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh. “Paterson is in dire need of new schools and we appreciate SDA’s commitment to our children.”

“We are very pleased that the SDA has moved forward on the Union Avenue Middle School project. The need for new public school facilities cannot be overstated in a district that is educating children in too many buildings that are more than 100 years old,” said Eileen Shafer, Superintendent of the Paterson Public School District. “We look forward to working in partnership with the SDA on this and other future school facility projects to help ensure we are doing everything we can to provide Paterson students the best education possible.” Since inception – including the Union Avenue Middle School project – the SDA has invested nearly $525 million in active and completed projects in the Paterson School District.

About the New Jersey Schools Development Authority

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 – including the Capital Project portfolio, emergent projects and Regular Operating District grants. 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 the State of New Jersey. For more information about the SDA, please visit our website at: www.njsda.gov or follow us on social media at: Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn; or Twitter.