Like any urban project it takes years of planning, negotiating, designing, and building. But there was a group of four special people who had a vision and utter faith in the project. Their collective imagination created an evolution for downtown Newark.
I'll start with Newark Mayor, Cory Booker. This man can move mountains. He descended upon Newark with his positive attitude, persistence, and sheer love for his city, all of which makes him a very special person. My first encounter with him was when he gave the commencement speech at Bard College this spring (where my son is a sophomore). His words were not only inspiring for the graduates, but for everyone. He is a remarkable speaker. My favorite line in his speech was, "Live life as if you cannot fail."
When I discovered that the creation of Teacher's Village also involved Nicolas Berggruen, another visionary whom I admire, I wasn't surprised. Berggruen is the president of Berggruen Holdings, a global investment firm, as well as of The Berggruen Institute, a think tank for global issues.
Six years ago Berggruen and Booker and others were talking about their vision of downtown Newark. Berggruen's passion for the Teacher's Village project was relentless. This man, too, is a statesman of the world and is always involved in some form of civic activism; another angel gracefully sent from heaven.
Then there's the lead developer, Ron Beit of RBH Group. Berggruen was responsible for bringing Beit into the project. As Booker put it, Beit came in as "the Alaskan Husky dog of developers." Mr. Beit made sure that through this project the community would be served, the construction would be green, the hires would be local, and the unions would be partnered with. Beit never gave up; he did everything that the city asked of him, which is unusual for a developer.
Then we have the "starchitect" Richard Meier. Archdaily.com says:
"As the Teachers Village occupies a large area south of Market Street and west of Broad Street, each new building of the project is site specific and is designed relative to its context to provide a rich variety of street conditions. The new Halsey Street retail corridor is at the heart of the development and offers a mix of venues for vibrant street life. The residential spaces and schools are designed with generous windows that are open to the light, energy, and activity of the streets below. And, a portion of the roofs and elevated courtyards will serve as green terraces with gardens."I remember Meier's project from years ago in the Bronx--a cluster of small modern buildings not far from the Whitestone Bridge. (That's my favorite bridge, by the way--ultra minimal.) It's so unusual to see those buildings, near Co-op City, because they are in stark contrast to their surroundings. Meier's building on Eastern Parkway near Grand Army Plaza and the Brooklyn Public Library in Park Slope, is a masterpiece of light and glass. I love the modern look against the neighboring turn-of-the-century buildings. How did you get past Landmarks?!
Thank you, Mr. Meier, for bringing your great talent to downtown Newark (and to Brooklyn). And thank you to Ron Beit, Nicolas Berggruen and Cory Booker for their dedication. It's so exciting. And I don't even live in Newark!
Cory Booker gives a great speech at the groundbreaking of Teacher's Village:
