The long-anticipated redevelopment of University Hospital, which begins today in Newark, was cheered by local officials.
The project, which will begin with the construction of the new administrative and clinical facility building, known as the ADMB, will include parking at Bergen Street and 12th Avenue.
The effort will mark the first steps in a sweeping multi-year, multi-phase plan to expand the hospital, modernize healthcare infrastructure across the Newark campus shared by University Hospital and Rutgers Health.
The redevelopment aligns with the Rutgers 2030 master plan and strengthens a partnership with University Hospital that has served Newark for more than half a century.
But it means far more than that to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
“This partnership between University Hospital and Rutgers Health means so much more to the residents of Newark than merely cutting-edge medical technology, next level diagnostic and treatment equipment, and stunning architectural excellence,” he said. “It means that their voices have been heard, their value recognized, and their dignity honored.
“The people of Newark have long desired this caliber of care and long deserved this intensive level of attention. So, as we mark the beginning of this dream come true, Newark is full of gratitude for everyone who has made it possible.”
Elected officials praised the project as a major investment in health equity and innovation.
“With the expansion of University Hospital – New Jersey’s only public acute care hospital – taking hold, we are delivering on a vital promise to Newark and the greater community, one that affirms our families’ health matters and unlocks our region’s full potential to lead in health care innovation,” Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) said.
“The renewal of the biomedical campus will offer more critically needed, state-of-the-art services for patients, modernize facilities for our talented hospital staff, and will attract key research funding and the brightest minds in the field to learn and serve right here in our neighborhood. This will be a transformative asset to our city and state as a whole, cementing Newark as one of the premiere destinations in the country to practice medicine and advance equity in care. I am deeply proud to be an advocate for University Hospital and health justice and look forward to all the new opportunities it will create.”
Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Newark) agreed.
“University Hospital is more than a building,” she said. “It is the state’s hospital, and for many in Newark and across New Jersey, it is the only door they can walk through to get the care they need.
“This first step in the long-overdue redevelopment reflects years of advocacy and planning. It represents real progress for the patients, staff, and families who rely on this hospital every day.”
Rutgers University will begin oversight of the demolition of Buildings 6 through 16 in the Administrative Complex at Bergen Street and 12th Avenue (often referred to as “the trailers” or “blue buildings”).
The new administrative building and parking area are expected to open in 2027.
Construction of a second building, the Medical Office Building, housing new medical facilities for outpatient clinics, physician offices and administrative services currently located in the Doctors Office Center on Bergen Street, is expected to begin in 2026. Upon completion of this building, the DOC and adjacent parking deck are projected to be razed to clear a full block for University Hospital’s planned future clinical tower, which will be attached to the hospital.
Site preparation begins July 1, when Lot 8 and portions of Lots 9 and 10 will close for fencing and utility work. There will be alternative parking available and additional security patrols and way-finding during this time. No municipal road closures are expected, and pedestrian routes to University Hospital will remain open.
Working together, University Hospital and Rutgers hope to deliver improved health outcomes, new jobs, and economic growth for New Jersey’s largest city.
University Hospital Interim CEO Kaitlan Baston feels it will do all that and more.
“This is the first essential step in expanding the hospital building and signals the launch of a modern, leading-edge facility for the people of Newark and the entire region,” she said.
“University Hospital has heard from the community for years about its desires for this reenvisioned campus through our brick-by-brick campaign and is finally turning that vision into reality. Alongside ongoing efforts to bring immediate improvements to our buildings, including our enhanced and modernized emergency department space that will be open for patients this summer, the hospital is thrilled to help bring a facility worthy of the extraordinary work done within its walls to Newark.”
