Clinton Hill Early Learning Center
Project Name: Clinton Hill Early Learning Center
Transforming a long-vacant urban site in Newark into a thriving and vibrant destination for the youngest community members through the thoughtful design and construction of a welcoming learning center.
Primary Partner Team: City of Newark | Clinton Hill Community Action | Clinton Hill Community & Early Childhood Center, Inc. | DIGroup Architecture | La Casa de Don Pedro | Maher Charitable Foundation
The Clinton Hill Early Learning Center has transformed a long-vacant urban site in Newark into a thriving and vibrant destination for its youngest community members through the thoughtful design and construction of a welcoming learning center. The concept for the Center was created through the collaboration of four key local non-profit organizations, and delivers public services to one of the most distressed communities in the City of Newark and the State of New Jersey. The final result, which welcomed its first students in June 2022, adhered to city zoning and land-use requirements while still creating a visually appealing project that connects with the urban fabric of the South Ward. The project delivers a two-story learning center with Head Start and preschool offerings and is the product of extensive coordination between the team members and parents, educators, children, and local residents.
The scale of needs in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Newark cannot be overstated. The neighborhood is defined as densely populated, with approximately 30% of households led by single mothers, a higher concentration than 99.5% of all neighborhoods nationwide. Nearly 60% of children in Clinton Hill are living in poverty, with local crime rates exceeding city and state standards. This neighborhood stands out in the state and nationwide as one where a compounding series of issues set our youth back, depriving them of access and opportunities. Providing public goods and services, particularly increased childhood education opportunities, in this community can serve as a foothold in creating new opportunities and improving neighborhood well-being.
The Clinton Hill Early Learning Center, designed by DIGroup Architecture, aligns with our state’s policy priorities to increase early learning opportunities and creates a space that meets the needs of young people aged six months to four years old. The building, which converted a blighted land parcel into a ground-up two-story construction, boasts six toddler rooms and ten Pre-K classrooms organized in pairs for connectivity to shared spaces. Additional features include: “indoor play areas, a family center, play-therapy suite, and open circulation spaces wrapping the building perimeter. Large windows allow for abundant natural light and serve as a visual gateway to the sky, courtyards, and an adjacent community garden.” La Casa de Don Pedro’s Early Head Start and Clinton Hill’s Pre-K programs are both now located in the Center.
New Jersey Future is pleased to announce the Clinton Hill Early Learning Center as an award winner for the Smart Growth Awards for 2023. This project is exemplary for its ability to tailor itself to vital community needs, in this case, early childhood access to education, and deliver a project that overcomes blight and instills pride while delivering its services.
