September 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 14

Front Page
A New Era in Newark

Public/private park partnership pioneer Dan Biederman leading renovation of Military Park
By Elizabeth Beard

erhaps best known for leading the acclaimed 1992 effort to revitalize
Manhattan's Bryant Park, Dan Biederman of Biederman Redevelopment Ventures (BRV) hasn't been resting on his laurels. Since then, he's
organized business partnerships to sustain parks in Boston, Pittsburgh and
Dallas, among other cities. Now he's turned his sights on historic Military
Park in nearby Newark, New Jersey.
In May, the Military Park Partnership broke ground on a multimillion-dollar renovation of the underutilized six-acre downtown park. The
project will coincide with construction
of the new Prudential world headquarters directly opposite the park,
and Prudential is a major supporter
of the project. The park also faces the
New Jersey Performing Arts Center,
built in 1997. Military Park is just one
of a number of new or improved amenities for the Newark Downtown District, which also includes a new streetscape and planned hotel. Despite a
history dating back to 1667 and an
impressive collection of statuary, Military Park gets few visitors today.
" This park has been sitting there
idle and not doing anything for the
city right between the arena and the
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, " Biederman says. " There are
really a bunch of things combined
that are going to make this area
not recognizable to those who went
through the bad years there. "
Biederman credits Newark Mayor Cory Booker, philanthropist Ray
Chambers and Prudential for jumpstarting the effort. BRV was first
brought in to help redevelop the area's streetscape, and then again for
the Military Park renovation.

Parks & Recreation

Renovations at Military Park began
in May.

" As the centerpiece of our downtown, it is vital that we make this
oasis of greenery a major part of our
city's transformation, " Mayor Booker says. " I am proud that we have
entered a partnership with members
of our community to restore Military
Park to its deserved glory. "
" The potential is to generate real estate value surrounding the park, " Biederman says. " We took them through
every step that made Bryant Park hap-

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pen, from the founding of the board,
to how many people should be on the
board, to how often the group should
meet, to obviously the substance of
the park - what the programming
should be, how much do you have to
spend on capital improvements - all
the lessons we've learned in 30 years
doing Bryant Park. "
Biederman notes that despite the
tough economy, some aspects of this
type of project have become easier in
the years since Bryant Park.
" I have more credibility because
Bryant Park was such a success, "
he says. " Where before they used to
look at me wide-eyed and say, 'Who
the hell are you to decide you should
run this place instead of the public?'
now they just say, 'The people who
did Bryant Park are coming to Newark.' It was a good reception. "
He also explains that working in
Newark is simpler than working in
Manhattan because, despite some inherent inertia, people are more willing to let good ideas happen, rather
than generating an avalanche of
conflicting opinions such as in New
York. However, another aspect of
New Jersey's environment has proven to be more of challenge, even with
Mayor Booker's enthusiastic support.
" Every client I ever have tells me
their state is the most difficult politically of any state, " Biederman muses.
" But in New Jersey, it's true. "
Biederman doesn't buy into the argument that public/private partnerships
allow local governments to cut back on
their funding commitment to parks.

September 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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