Essex County · Newark City · #25CP000397
298-308 4th St
298-308 4Th St, Newark City, NJ · 47,965 sq ft non-residential, office
About this project
A new business-use building of about 47,965 sq ft is proposed at 298-308 4th St in Newark, Essex County, with a reported construction cost of $4.8 million.
Official description: Business Uses; reported construction cost $4,802,307
- Plan type
- Building permit (new construction)
- Land use
- Business Uses
- Status
- Permit
Filing history
- 2025-02-19 · #25CP000397 · Building permit (new construction) · 47,965 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
County records describe a new business-use (office) building of about 47,965 square feet at 298-308 4th St in Newark's North Ward. The reported construction cost is $4.8 million. The latest county filing is dated February 2025.
A 2022 news article covered an earlier proposal for the same address. It was a six-story building with 51 apartments and about 1,600 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. The site was then an auto repair business. The plan was near Branch Brook Park and the Park Avenue light rail stop. That version needed variances for height and for too little lot area per apartment. No coverage was found on whether it was approved or built, or on how it relates to the 2025 office filing. The use and size differ, so the plan may have changed.
No information was found on who would occupy the office building.
What it could mean nearby
- The site is close to the Park Avenue light rail stop, so workers could reach it by transit, but no traffic study was found.
- An office building of this size would likely bring daytime workers and some construction and permanent jobs.
- The 2022 housing plan would have added 51 apartments. The 2025 county record lists only non-residential space.
Where it stands
County records show a filing in February 2025 for the office building. No approval or hearing result was found online for this version. Next steps usually are board review of the site plan and any variances, then construction permits.
- Feb 19, 2025 Latest county planning filing for the proposed 47,965 sq ft office building
- Feb 3, 2022 Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing scheduled for an earlier six-story, 51-apartment plan at the same address
- Feb 2, 2022 News article published on the earlier apartment proposal
Want to weigh in? In Newark, the Zoning Board of Adjustment (for variances) or the Central Planning Board (for site plans) decides. Hearing notices appear on the City of Newark website's Agenda Center.
Who's behind it
853 South 12, LLC · This is the applicant named in 2022 coverage of the earlier apartment plan at this site. Whether it is behind the 2025 office filing is not confirmed.
Around the web
- Apartment Complex May Rise Near Newark's Park Ave. Light Rail StationJersey Digs · Feb 2, 2022Describes an earlier plan at this address for a six-story, 51-apartment building, the existing auto repair use, the requested variances and a February 2022 hearing.
Planning terms explained
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
- A city board that decides whether a project can break a zoning rule, such as a height limit.
- Variance
- Official permission to depart from a zoning rule for a specific property.
- Site plan approval
- A board's sign-off on a project's layout, including building placement, parking, access and drainage.
- Non-residential square footage
- Building floor area used for offices, shops or similar business uses, not housing.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $14.4M
- ~159 roofing squares (assumes 3 stories)
- ~119 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)