Plans to redevelop the site of Riverfront Stadium in Newark are moving forward, as the city has scheduled a public hearing on the proposal.
Earlier this year, Riverfront Stadium was sold to Lotus Equity Group, which intends to demolish the ballpark. In its place, a high-rise apartment tower would be built at a cost of $23.5 million. On August 10, the city will hear public comment on the plan, which intends to market the advantages of the site to prospective residents. More from PlaceNJ.com:
There are views of the Manhattan and Newark skylines from Riverfront Stadium, which is located just across the street from the Newark Broad Street Station. The 10-year-old Riverfront Stadium station on the Newark Light Rail is located directly in front.
In March, NJ Transit spokesperson Nancy Snyder told Essex County Place that despite the expected construction, “service should not be impacted as long as Newark Light Rail can operate safety at this location”.
“Should construction necessitate the closure of this station, Newark Light Rail is able to accommodate customers at Newark Broad Street and Washington Park stations on an alternate track in both directions”, she added.
If this plan goes forward, it will bring an end to a short, but eventful history for Riverfront Stadium. Also known as Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, the ballpark opened in 1999 to host the Atlantic League’s Newark Bears, which proved to be a successful venture for the first few seasons. However, attendance began to dip in the mid-2000’s and a move to the Can-Am League could not help the struggling franchise, which folded after the 2013 season. More recently, the ballpark has hosted the Rutgers University–Newark and New Jersey Institute of Technology baseball programs.
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