Newark, NJ - The Essex County Sportsplex Parking Garage, Newark , NJ has been awarded The 2006 PCI (Precast-Prestressed Concrete Institute) Design Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize excellence in design using precast concrete. The judges looked for creative uses of precast concrete to achieve an aesthetic expression, function and economy. In addition, ingenuity in the use of engineering, materials, methods and equipment to reach an outstanding solution was also a prerequisite for recognition.

The 2006 PCI Award was presented to Mr. Joseph. N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Essex County Executive. If not for the efforts of Mr. DiVincenzo, the parking structure project would not have been made a reality. It is through his leadership that civic projects such as the parking garage are implemented and carried out in an award-winning fashion.

Accepting on behalf of Mr. DiVincenzo is Mr. Mike Launay, Essex County Imnprovement Authority,the Owners of the Parking Structure.

Jury Comments:
"This is a fine, straightforwardly elegant parking structure. It's honest about being a parking structure, it's well detailed, and the brick banding and light fixtures and windows were carefully detailed and proportioned into the precast panels. The precast concrete structure is expressed, the precast banding works in a scale that matches and creates a backdrop, and yet the detailing has a very human scale. The scale of this structure works very nicely in background to the adjacent sports facility. Very nicely done."

Project Details:
The 5 level, 140,000 Sf, 375 parking space structure was completed in an incredible 3 months, from the first day that the shovel was in the ground to the ribbon cutting on Opening Day. The site for the proposed garage was an existing surface parking lot which is bounded by the right field / outfield home run fence to the north, Bridge Street to the south, a maintenance / service area to the east and the light rail train line to the west.

The pre-cast concrete parking structure has been designed to fit within these boundaries. The (5) level, 140,000 SF elevator-surfaced structure will contain 375 parking spaces, handicapped accessible and van accessible parking, a security office, an electric room and storage rooms. The facade panels of the garage are inset with full size red field brick, tan brick bands and gray accent tiles to match the adjacent ballpark. The top level of the ballpark is adorned with flags representing each team in the Atlantic League. Brushed aluminum backlit signage reading "405 Feet" is mounted to the facade facing the ballpark giving batters something to aim for with a herculean blast.

Owner:
Essex County
Mr. Joseph. N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Essex County Executive

Essex County Improvement Authority
Mr. James Paganelli, Executive Director

Design Team:
Architects - Clarke Caton Hintz Architects, Trenton, N.J.
Structural and Mechanical Engineer - Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, West Caldwell, N.J.
Civil Engineer - YU & Associates, Elmwood Park, NJ
General Contractor - Prismatic Development Corp., Fairfield, NJ
Precaster - Nitterhouse Concrete Products Inc., Chambersburg, Pa.