FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi
August 18, 2008 973-621-2542
Lauren Shears
973-621-1590
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO DEDICATES
NEW ESSEX COUNTY GOVERNMENT COMPLEX PROMENADE AS THE
“GOVERNOR BRENDAN T. BYRNE PLAZA” IN HONOR OF BRENDAN T. BYRNE
Tribute Recognizes the Numerous Contributions of Former New Jersey Governor
and Essex County Prosecutor
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. dedicated the promenade along the southern side of the Veterans Courthouse and Hall of Records, formerly 13th Avenue, as the “Governor Brendan T. Byrne Plaza” in honor of former New Jersey Governor and Essex County Prosecutor Brendan T. Byrne on Monday, August 18th. In addition, the Executive officially opened a new public entranceway to the Veterans Courthouse that provides direct access from the Jurors’ Parking Lot.
“Governor Byrne’s life is synonymous with great public service. His policy decisions have shaped our County and State, and greatly benefited generations of residents. The only thing that influenced this modern day leader was doing what was best for our residents,” DiVincenzo said. “The improvements we are undertaking make our government complex more accessible and easier to navigate. The Brendan Byrne Plaza is a fitting tribute and the perfect way to thank a remarkable individual and role model,” he added.
“I really am overwhelmed. It just bothers me that we are gathered here today to honor me because I’m honest,” said Byrne, who recognized his family and former co-workers during a humorous speech. “I didn’t ask for this honor. All the other things I received I asked for. I thank Joe DiVincenzo. He is a remarkable man and has done such a remarkable job,” Byrne said.
“Brendan Byrne dedicated his life to public service and made our lives better because of what he did,” Governor Jon Corzine said. “He is an extraordinary person. This plaza bearing his name is the perfect place because his life has been about integrity and excellence,” he added.
“Brendan Byrne served two terms as Governor and he won both elections in a landslide. He was successful because he did the right things,” Senate President Richard Codey said. “Over the years, Brendan’s popularity has grown and it is because of the great things he did for New Jersey,” he added.
During his tenure as New Jersey Governor from 1974 to 1982, Byrne was at the forefront of shaping policy that positively impacted the quality of life throughout the State. He implemented fiscal reform in the financing and oversight of public education, fought to protect the resources of the New Jersey Pinelands, restored the waterfront and enacted a national model for environmental cleanup, assisted in the redevelopment of Atlantic City by approving casino gambling, upheld the public interest in consumer issues, housing and access to public resources by creating the Department of the Public Advocate, and established New Jersey Transit, the first statewide public transportation agency in America. He also developed the financing program for the initial construction of Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands, updated New Jersey’s criminal code and sentencing guidelines, formulated the State’s first water supply plan, championed the Sunshine Law for open public records and created the Economic Development Authority to attract businesses and jobs to New Jersey.
His career in public service started in 1959 when he was appointed by Governor Robert B. Meyner as Essex County Prosecutor and it continued in 1964 when he was reappointed by Governor Richard J. Hughes. As Essex County’s top law enforcement officer, Byrne gained the reputation as an effective and relentless crime fighter, instituted a program for filming drunk drivers for criminal prosecutions and was known among organized crime fighters as a law enforcement official “who couldn’t be bought.”
“Governor Byrne has become a symbol of good public service,” Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said. “He was incorruptible as a Prosecutor and Governor. It is fitting for citizens and attorneys coming here to be inspired by someone of your stature,” he added.
“Today is special for us because we have the opportunity to honor a man of character and justice,” Freeholder President Blonnie Watson said.
Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow noted that Byrne started his public service career in Essex County and described the former Governor as a “hero and crusader of justice.” She said: “As Essex Prosecutor, you fought corruption, combated drunken driving and so many other law enforcement issues. You were known for your passion but also for your compassion.”
“Brendan is a very compassionate person. He was always more concerned about the welfare of others. This is well-deserved and I congratulate you,” Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Philip Thigpen said.
Byrne also served as President of the Board of Public Utilities and as a New Jersey Superior Court Judge. Since leaving the Statehouse in 1982, Byrne has been a senior partner in the law firm of Carella, Byrne, Bain, Gilfillan, Cecchi, Stewart & Olstein and is a member of the board of the Carvel Foundation.
Byrne was born and raised in West Orange and was the youngest squadron navigator in his bomb group when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He attained the rank of Lieutenant with the 414th Bomb Squadron of the 15th Air Force and earned the Distinguished Flying Medal and four Air Medals. After his discharge from the Army in 1945, he completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs in just two years and earned a law degree from Harvard University.
The “Governor Brendan T. Byrne Plaza” is on the southern side of the Veterans Courthouse on what was formerly known as 13th Avenue. The two-lane road is closed to vehicular traffic and was transformed into a beautiful promenade with green lawns, shrubbery, trees and walkways paved with ornamental brick pavers. At the eastern end of the promenade, near Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., is a fountain. A plaque recognizes the numerous contributions Byrne made as Essex County Prosecutor and New Jersey Governor and concludes that “Past, present and future generations will benefit from the many contributions of Brendan T. Byrne, a trailblazer whose visionary leadership will always have a lasting impact on safeguarding our rights and enhancing our quality of life.”
The construction of the “Governor Brendan T. Byrne Plaza” is part of a comprehensive project to build a 1,000-car parking garage and modernize the Juror’s Parking Lot. The Plaza was designed by Gregory Comito and Associates from Newark and was built by Century 21 Construction of Clifton.
Creating a New Public Entranceway to the Veterans Courthouse
During the dedication ceremony, County Executive DiVincenzo officially opened a new public entranceway that provides easy and secure access into the Essex County Veterans Courthouse and Hall of Records from the Jurors’ Parking Lot on South Orange Avenue and the 1,000-car parking garage currently under construction.
“The new public entrance links our parking facilities with the Veterans Courthouse and Hall of Records. It is a grand pedestrian gateway that shifts most of the public activity to the south side of the building and significantly alters how the public sees our County complex,” DiVincenzo said. “The construction projects we are undertaking will make our buildings more accessible, create much needed open space and enhance safety. When it is finished, our complex will be completely transformed with new facilities, state-of-the-art security equipment, and modern amenities for our visitors and jurors,” the Executive said.
The two-story addition has glass walls that allow natural light into the building and enable pedestrians to look through and see the Rosa Parks Plaza on the north side of the complex. The structure is constructed of pre-cast concrete and glass and is accented by a curved roof. The entrance is located in an area that was formerly used as a loading dock and incorporates an old enclosed walkway that links the Veterans Courthouse and Hall of Records.
Visitors and jurors coming from the Jurors Lot and Parking Garage will walk into the new addition from the “Governor Brendan T. Byrne Plaza” (formerly 13th Avenue). State-of-the-art security stations will be located on the ground floor. “Monumental” stairs and two elevators will provide access to the mezzanine, where there will be separate entrances for jurors heading to the new Juror Waiting Room and visitors coming to the complex to conduct business. The distinct entrances will enhance the safety of jurors and prevent them from interacting with attorneys, witnesses and defendants.
Additional improvements were made to beautify the existing first floor lobby of the Essex County Veterans Courthouse. New lighting was installed, the terrazzo floors were sanded and refinished, and marble features were cleaned and repaired.
The new entrance addition was designed by Gregory Comito and Associates of Newark. Century 21 Construction of Clifton was awarded a competitively bid contract for $4,858,000 to construct the entrance addition. The Essex County Department of Public Works supervised the construction project. Funding was provided through the Essex County Capital Budget. Work began in October 2007 and was completed in 11 months.
Revitalizing the Hall of Records Complex
Currently underway is a comprehensive project that will completely modernize the County Complex facilities, enhance safety, improve access for visitors, jurors and employees, and create much-needed open space.
· A 1,000-car public parking garage is currently under construction. Century 21 Construction Corp. of Clifton was awarded a competitively bid contract for $14.7 million to build the parking structure. This part of the upgrade is funded with a grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2008.
· When the Parking Garage is completed, the old, two-story parking deck on Howard Street will be torn down and developed into a 2.7-acre Park Plaza, which will be the first newly developed county park in Newark in 80 years. This historic development is being funded with a $6.5 million New Jersey Green Acres grant. It is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2009.
· One phase already completed was the relocation of Superior Court administrative offices from the Essex County Veterans Courthouse First Floor to new office space on the 8th, 9th and 10th floors of the courthouse. The six courtrooms that were converted were unoccupied after court personnel were relocated to the Historic Courthouse. Renovations to the three upper floors were performed by Essex County Department of Public Works staff and DIA Construction Corp of Clifton. This phase of the improvements cost about $3.2 million and was funded through the Public Works Capital Budget.
· When the Superior Court administrative offices were relocated to their new suites on the 8th, 9th and 10th floors, the Petit Jury Assembly Area was relocated from the fourth floor of the Veterans Courthouse to the first floor. The new accommodations include comfortable seating, lounge areas, quiet rooms and Wi-Fi access, and the first floor location improves access and makes the facility easier to find. The Petit Jury Assembly Area opened in November 2007 and was constructed by Bismarck Construction, which received a competitively bid contract for $1,574,000. Funding was provided from the Essex County Capital Budget.
· After the new Petit Jury Assembly Area was completed, the Grand Jury Assembly Area received a facelift. The modernized suite on the fourth floor of the Veterans Courthouse includes three large hearing rooms with tiered seating, comfortable accommodations for the jurors and modern office space for the Grand Jury administration. The Grand Jury area opened in April 2008 and was constructed by DIA Construction of Clifton, which was awarded a competitively bid contract for $2.4 million. Funding was provided by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Law Enforcement Trust Fund and the Essex County Capital Budget.
The modernization of the County Complex will cost approximately $33.2 million and all projects are scheduled to be finished by the summer of 2009. Two-thirds of the funding will be provided through grants.
In addition, the County Executive recently named the Old Newark Jail as the “Essex County LeRoy F. Smith, Jr. Public Safety Building” in honor of LeRoy F. Smith, Jr., a lifelong Newark resident who served as Associate Director of Emergency Medical Services at UMDNJ for 38 years until he retired in 2007. The County Executive is proposing to convert the 140,000-square-foot former jail building into office space and a storage facility for county records. Also underway is a project to beautify the plaza between the LeRoy Smith Building and the Essex County Veterans Courthouse.
Earlier, in 2003, the County Executive directed employees from the Department of Public Works to refurbish the first floor lobby of the Hall of Records. A fabricated enclosure that housed metal detectors was removed and years of dirt and grime were lifted from the gilded ceiling and marble walls to restore the lobby to its original luster. The area has become a showcase in the Hall of Records and the site of cultural and holiday celebrations.
Simultaneously, the employee parking lot on West Market Street was reconfigured and repaved to provide an additional 50 spaces and enhance safety. A wrought iron fence was erected around the parking lot and lighting was upgraded.
The Historic Essex County Courthouse was reopened on December 29, 2004, after a comprehensive $49 million renovation and restoration project. Renovations had been stalled for 14 years when DiVincenzo took control of the project and completed the improvements in just two years. Historical features such as the building’s stunning architecture, beautiful murals and soaring skylights were preserved and restored, and modern electrical, heating, ventilation and communication systems were installed. Since reopening, the Historic Courthouse has been recognized with several local, state and national awards for historic preservation.
A comprehensive $1.6 million facelift to the entrance of the Veterans Courthouse on Nelson Place was completed in January 2006. A new plaza was created between the Courthouse and Hall of Records, and was dedicated as the Rosa Parks Plaza after the famous civil rights activist in April 2006. In addition, handicap accessibility was improved and landscaping was added to enhance the aesthetics of the area. New windows and doors were installed at the entrance of the Veterans Courthouse. DiVincenzo rededicated the building as the Veterans Courthouse in November 2006.
Other upgrades made by the Essex County Department of Public Works include the modernization of the Essex County Clerk’s Office and the Hall of Records Cafeteria.
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