Essex County · Newark City · #24CP002058
448-452 South Orange Ave
448-452 South Orange Ave, Newark City, NJ · 47,184 sq ft non-residential, mixed use
About this project
A new building of about 47,184 sq ft at 448-452 South Orange Avenue in Newark, with mercantile and five-or-more-family residential uses and a reported construction cost of about $4.63 million.
Official description: Mercantile buildings; 5+ Family Buildings; reported construction cost $4,628,200
- Plan type
- Building permit (new construction)
- Land use
- 5+ Family Buildings
- Status
- Certificate
Filing history
- 2024-09-24 · #24CP002058 · Building permit (new construction) · 47,184 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
The developer proposes a new mixed-use building at the corner of South Orange Avenue and South 15th Street in Newark's West Ward. County records describe about 47,184 square feet with shops and five-or-more-family apartments. The reported construction cost is about $4.63 million.
A 2021 news report described about 34 apartments, two ground-floor commercial spaces and ground-floor parking. It said the site was a former used car lot. The developer was listed as 452 South Orange Ave., LLC, which is tied to GonSosa Development.
The 2021 report said the developer sought site plan approval and variances (exceptions to zoning rules) from the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment. A later tag page mentions a four-story plan up for a board vote in January, but it does not give the year. No approval decision or construction update was found. The 2021 report said work had recently begun on the lot.
What it could mean nearby
- About 34 new apartments could add housing along the South Orange Avenue corridor (per 2021 coverage).
- Two ground-floor commercial spaces could bring new shops or services to the street.
- Ground-floor parking is planned, which may reduce street parking demand, though no traffic study was found.
Where it stands
The latest county filing is dated September 2024. A 2021 report placed the project before the Newark Zoning Board of Adjustment, and no final decision was found online. After approval, the usual next steps are building permits, construction and inspections.
- Sep 2024 Latest county planning filing
- Oct 28, 2021 Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing scheduled, per news coverage
- Oct 12, 2021 Jersey Digs article on the proposal
Want to weigh in? The Newark Zoning Board of Adjustment hears variance applications, and residents can usually comment at its public hearings, which are listed on the city's website, newarknj.gov.
Who's behind it
452 South Orange Ave., LLC (linked to GonSosa Development) · A project company listed at a Roselle Park address and linked in news coverage to GonSosa Development; no further information on its other projects was found.
Around the web
- Properties Along South Orange Avenue in Newark Could Become Site of New ProjectJersey Digs · Oct 12, 2021Describes the 34-unit mixed-use proposal, the developer entity, the former car lot and the scheduled zoning board hearing.
- GonSosa Development tag pageJersey DigsLinks the developer to the site and mentions a four-story plan before the zoning board.
Planning terms explained
- Variance
- Permission to depart from a zoning rule, such as height, parking or use limits.
- Site plan approval
- Board review of a building's layout, parking, access and design.
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
- A local board that decides requests for variances and some other exceptions to zoning rules.
- Mixed use
- A building that combines different uses, such as shops on the ground floor and homes above.
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: $12.3M
- ~157 roofing squares (assumes 3 stories)
- ~117 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)