Saint Michael’s Celebrates the Beginning of Its Transformation

“We may be saying good-bye to this building, but the ambitious campus redevelopment projects spotlighted here illustrate what we can achieve together to build upon the legacy of Mother Schervier,” said Judith M. Persichilli, president and CEO of Catholic Health East, a health system with 34 hospital affiliates, including Saint Michael’s.

Most Reverend Manuel Cruz, a Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, delivered a prayer to “deconsecrate” the building, whose demolition is scheduled for late December or early January following the completion of environmental remediation now under way.

“I feel this is a sacred place — this building is a church in so many ways,” said Bishop Cruz. “But a new building will be built anew and be put into service again.”

An architectural model and illustrations on display at the event offered attendees a clear picture of the “new” Saint Michael’s campus, which will include a state-of-the art outpatient services center.  The building will contain 180,000 square-feet of medical suites above an underground robotic valet parking system.

Construction of Saint Michael’s Court — a new entranceway off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard — will help centralize the campus, leading to the hospital’s new “Hub” building, which will include a larger emergency department, a gift shop, and a light-filled lobby.  Historic hospital buildings, which date to the 1800s, will be rehabilitated and used as office space and residences for medical students.  A medical education building is planned as well.

“The next chapter at Saint Michael’s will be extraordinary,” said Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who saluted the Saint Michael’s community, which he described as “a light and a beacon in our community for so long.”  He said the hospital’s extensive redevelopment projects will create jobs, increase the availability of health services to city residents, and become the lynchpin for the area’s rejuvenation.

The Saint Michael’s project is the centerpiece of the Broad Street Station District Redevelopment Plan, which will bring nearly $1 billion in redevelopment to the community.  Newark University Heights Center is planned one block away, transforming the hospital’s employee parking lot into a commercial center with shops, a supermarket, health club, parking, and athletic facilities.

On hand for the event were representatives from Health Care REIT, Francis Cauffman, Jones Lang LaSalle, and Stantec — all key partners in the hospital’s redevelopment projects.  Other special guests included Newark City Councilman Augusto Amador, Newark City Councilman Darrin Sharif, Newark City Councilman Carlos Gonzalez, Senator Richard Codey, Assemblyman Albert Coutinho, and Assemblyman Thomas Giblin.