Elliot Beam Signing Ceremony from Ron Scott on Vimeo.

NEWARK, NJ - New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) CEO Charles McKenna joined Newark students and school district and local officials for a “beam signing” ceremony to highlight the progress of construction on the new Elliott Street Elementary School. The students, teachers and officials celebrated the ongoing construction of the facility by signing steel that will be hoisted into place as a permanent part of the new facility.

“Every project milestone brings us one step closer to providing a new community school for Elliott Street Elementary School students,” said SDA CEO McKenna. “Being here today with the kids and together signing steel that will become a lasting part of this school for generations to come is symbolically important. These students are making a permanent mark on a building that will provide countless educational opportunities for its students.”

Located in the North Ward, the new 138,000 square foot Elliott Street Elementary School is being built on the site of the former school which was demolished following fire damage caused by a lightning strike. For several years the student population was divided among three building sites, however since September 2011 the students have been housed at the former First Avenue School. The new school will provide 848 students in Pre-K through eighth grades with 30 general use classrooms, four kindergarten classrooms, six pre-kindergarten classrooms, specialized instruction classrooms and labs, a media center, separate cafeteria, gymnasium and a multipurpose room with stage.

“It is exciting to see the progress for what will be a new home for all of Elliott Street Elementary School families,” said Superintendent Cami Anderson. “Every student deserves a modern 21st century learning environment, and today’s beam signing reflects another step forward to realizing 100 excellent schools in Newark.”

The school is being built using a design-build approach. Hall Construction Company of Howell, NJ is the design-build contractor, working in partnership with Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor, LLC of Warren, NJ. The project is being managed by Gilbane Building Company, of New Brunswick, NJ. The total estimated project costs are $46.7 million.

The SDA has invested more than $562 million in completed projects in Newark. This includes 11 capital projects and 121 Health and Safety/Grants/Emergent Projects. In addition to the Elliott Street School, two other new school construction projects are ongoing in Newark – Oliver Street School and the South Street School.

The SDA’s current portfolio of active projects is valued at $2 billion – including the Capital Project Portfolio (more than $1.5 billion), emergent projects ($100 million) and Regular Operating District grants ($430 million state share).