11 Jun ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO AND THE ESSEX COUNTY VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING FOR $30 MILLION EXPANSION AND MODERNIZATION OF THE ESSEX COUNTY WEST CALDWELL SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY
Published on June 11, 2019
West Caldwell, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced on Tuesday, June 11th that the Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology will undergo a $30 million expansion and complete renovation. Construction is scheduled to begin after school recesses for the summer later this month and be completed by January 2021. The improvements being made will ensure classes are being held in modern settings that can accommodate the curriculum.
“My goal is to make sure students attending our Schools of Technology have the resources to study the most progressive curriculum in the most modern, up-to-date facilities. The West Caldwell Campus has served its students well for half a century, but it’s time we improved the classrooms so they can accommodate the study tracks for emerging professions,” DiVincenzo said. “We began the process by constructing the Donald Payne School and will touch all of our school buildings by renovating Newark Tech after the West Caldwell campus is reopened. Our students deserve the best,” he noted.
“On behalf of our students, I want to thank County Executive DiVincenzo for providing the resources to build modern school buildings for our students. Providing up-to-date facilities allows us to create classrooms that complement and support our curriculum. This investment shows our commitment to education and preparing our students for their future,” Essex County Schools of Technology Superintendent Dr. James Pedersen said.
“With the coming of a new campus, we, the students, are looking forward to the improved classrooms and technology and making new memories in new hallways,” said sophomore Bryan Figueroa. “We are thrilled that we will be the first class to enjoy the new school and to graduate from it. We look forward to a new school that will demonstrate what our school is about,” sophomore Cameron Chambers said.
The announcement of upgrades to the school infrastructure were well-received.
“School infrastructure is a crucial problem in New Jersey, and really has become an issue of social injustice for our students. But that problem doesn’t exist in the Essex County Vocational Technical School District because of the leadership provided by the County Executive to get the district the resources it needs to modernize its facilities,” NJ State Senator and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said.
Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin addressed the students with “If you dream big and reach for the stars, you can become and achieve anything you set out to do. When you come back and study in this building, the stars will shine even brighter.”
“This is a great day for West Caldwell, seeing the investment being made into this campus. To the students, when you come back, it will feel great being able to attend classes in a brand new setting,” West Caldwell Mayor Joseph Tempesta said.
“During my tenure with this school district, I have seen a lot of infrastructure improvement projects, and today highlights changes being made at the West Caldwell Campus. This expansion will provide our students with an opportunity to learn in a state-of-the-art facility,” West Caldwell Tech Principal Ayisha Ingram-Robinson said.
“This is an exciting time at the Essex County Vocational Technical School District. The recently opened Donald Payne School and the plans to renovate the school in West Caldwell demonstrate the commitment to provide an outstanding environment for students,” Essex County Executive Superintendent Joseph Zarra said.
“I get excited whenever I visit our schools because our students are our future and they are the meaning for why we are working to improve our school buildings,” Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne said.
“If the school looks half as good as the renderings, the building will be remarkable. This is a great move because it will benefit our young people,” Freeholder Rufus Johnson said. “On behalf of the Board of Freeholders, we love to collaborate with the County Executive, especially when it comes to providing resources to benefit kids and young people. It’s evident our county parks and schools are second to none,” Freeholder Len Luciano said.
The construction project involves building a two-story addition onto the front of the school, renovating existing space to accommodate current and new curriculum, and creating an outdoor courtyard. Included among the improvements are:
- A new Career & Technical Education Construction Lab
- A new Greenhouse and renovated space for the Agricultural Science CTE Lab
- An outdoor courtyard that will be used by the Agricultural Science program
- A new Media Center, which will be the first facility of its kind at the West Caldwell Campus
- Three Life Skills classrooms, two Community Living rooms and one Retail Classroom for special services students
- A renovated cosmetology facility with an adjoining classroom for academic instruction
- A renovated cafeteria seating for 135 students and new kitchen facilities
- Renovations to the culinary and baking CTE Labs
- Updated accommodations for school administrative offices
- Eight new classrooms in the new addition for math and four language arts classes
- A new weight room for physical education class and athletics
- A new aerobics/dance room for physical education and the performing arts program
- An enhanced Music Production facility
- Enhanced security measures to monitor the interior and exterior of the facility
DiCara, Rubino Architects from Wayne received a $1,790,000 contract to design the improvements to the West Caldwell campus. Dobco, Inc. from Wayne was awarded a publicly bid contract for $29,855,000 to perform the construction work. Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc. from Lawrenceville was awarded a $840,855 contract to provide construction management services to answer questions and ensure delays are avoided. Promatech from Moorestown, N.J., was awarded an $81,300 contract to perform contract monitoring and compliance. The construction is being funded through the Essex County Vocational Technical Schools’ Capital Budget with 90 percent of the costs being reimbursed by the State of New Jersey. The school is scheduled to be opened by December 2021.
The Essex County Vocational Technical School District is New Jersey’s first and one of its largest Vocational Technical School Systems. Created in 1914, the school system provides both occupational and academic instruction for high school and adult students in Essex County. The district has four high schools: Bloomfield Tech, Newark Tech, North 13th Street Tech and West Caldwell Tech. In addition, the system provides adult programs in the evening at its Adult Training Center at Newark Tech. The district has an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students and provides high level state-of-the-art career skill development and academic opportunities in over 25 occupational areas. For more information on Essex County’s Vocational Technical Schools, visit www.essextech.org.
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