Oliver Street School to Get New $38.8M Facility

Oliver Street Elementary School is about to get a whole new look.

The state's Schools Development Authority announced last week the Ironbound school is set to get a brand new roughly $38.8 million facility to ease overcrowding, accommodating 850 students from pre-K to grade eight over 130,000 square feet. Currently, some classes are being held in hallways, closets and the auditorium due to lack of space.

The new building will be located on the west side of the existing school, on a block bounded by Oliver Street, New Jersey Railroad Avenue, East Kinney Street and McWhorter Street.

“We are proud that the program is finally bringing the first new school replacement project to the Newark Ironbound community,” said CEO Marc Larkins. “This project has enjoyed overwhelming community support and this advertisement represents the next step towards the new school becoming a reality.”

Constructed in 1869, Oliver Street school is one of six in Newark's Ironbound that is more than 100 years old.

The new facility will include general classrooms, specialized instructional classrooms and labs, a media center, multipurpose assembly room, cafeteria and gymnasium and administrative and support facilities.

The school will be the sixth new facility build in Newark by the SDA, which has completed construction of Science Park High School (2006), First Avenue School (2007), Central High School (2008), Park School (2009) and Speedway Avenue Elementary School (2010).