By Jaimie Julia Winters
Midland Avenue is poised for its biggest makeover in decades, as a $2.8 million streetscape project prepares to bring new sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and public amenities to the commercial corridor — and the town looks to build on the avenue’s history as an entertainment and arts destination.
Construction on the long-awaited Midland Avenue Streetscape Project is expected to begin in October and continue through June 2027. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for September.
Funded through a state Urban Enterprise Zone development grant, the project will cover Midland Avenue between Kearny and Davis avenues, with work extending onto Elm Street, Forest Street and Garofalo Place to incorporate Arlington Depot Park into the corridor.
The improvements will include new street lighting, trees, landscaping and rain gardens, sidewalks, bike racks, benches and banner poles. The roadway will also be repaved and restriped with new thermoplastic traffic and pedestrian markings. New curb ramps, sidewalks, and crosswalks will be brought into compliance with current NJDOT and Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Before that work begins, crews will replace aging lead water lines, and PSE&G will upgrade gas mains and electrical infrastructure along the avenue.
Construction will happen in two phases. During streetscape and utility work, Midland Avenue remains open to traffic. The work is phased block by block, so at any given time you’ll see short-term lane shifts, temporary parking restrictions, and sidewalk detours in the active work zone. Pedestrian access to every business and residence will be maintained at all times. Parking restrictions will be posted in advance, and the contractor will coordinate directly with affected businesses on deliveries and access.
PSE&G is performing the utility upgrades along the corridor and will repave the roadway once that work is complete. Expect daytime road closures with posted detours during repaving.
The town is introducing an email notification system for the project — a first for a major municipal construction project in Kearny. Residents and business owners can sign up at kearnynj.org/midlandavenue to receive updates about construction schedules, road impacts and project milestones.
But the project is being billed as more than an infrastructure upgrade.
The corridor will be designated the Midland Avenue Arts District, celebrating the area’s history, including the Freeman Building, built in 1890 as a courthouse, and its connection to the Half Penny Playhouse.
Read about the Halfpenny Playhouse here
Town officials say the streetscape is intended to create a greater arts and cultural presence, although specific programming and efforts to attract arts-related businesses have not yet been established.
“The streetscape project itself is focused on infrastructure: sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, and benches and other amenities,” town officials said. “What it does is create the physical conditions that can support more arts and cultural activity along the corridor.”
See the plans here
Officials pointed to wider, accessible sidewalks and improved lighting as features that could make outdoor performances, sidewalk exhibitions, and evening events easier to accommodate. The new banner poles could provide a permanent way to promote cultural programming, while Arlington Depot Park could serve as a gathering and event space.
“Specific programming and any effort to attract arts-related businesses would follow the construction work,” officials said, adding that the town and Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone will continue discussions with property owners, businesses and local artists.
One theater group might be looking for a rebirth in Kearny. Founded in 2010, the West Hudson Arts & Theatre Company (WHATCo) spent its first 12 years operating as a nomadic troupe, staging performances across various local school auditoriums and community spaces throughout Kearny, Harrison, and East Newark. The group eventually secured its first semi-permanent residency at the Holy Cross School banquet hall from early 2023 until mid-2024.
The Freeman Building, meanwhile, remains a key piece of the avenue’s history. Town officials said its connection to the Half Penny Playhouse helps give Midland Avenue its distinctive character, but cautioned that any plans for the building would ultimately be determined by its property owner.
The streetscape improvements, officials said, are intended to strengthen the setting around historic buildings such as the Freeman and recognize the history that shaped the avenue.
Mayor Carol Jean Doyle said the town’s vision extends beyond improving the appearance of the street.
“That’s the goal,” Doyle said when asked whether she envisions Midland Avenue becoming a destination for arts, dining, shopping, and community events rather than simply a commercial corridor.
“Midland Avenue has always been a working commercial street, and it should stay one,” she said. “But it should also be a street people want to spend time on.”
Doyle said the addition of lighting, seating, trees and the park would encourage people to linger, benefiting businesses that depend on foot traffic while creating opportunities for arts and community events.
The project, she said, is ultimately about changing the way people experience the avenue.
“Right now, Midland Avenue is a street you drive through. I want it to be a street you walk down,” Doyle said. “That’s the whole difference.”
With wider, level sidewalks, lighting, trees, benches, and Arlington Depot Park at the end of the corridor, Doyle said, “people stop instead of passing through.”
“That’s what changes for the businesses there, and that’s what changes for the neighborhood,” she said.
KUEZ Coordinator Linda Kraus D’Isa said the improvements are expected to help increase foot traffic and support local businesses.
“We’re grateful for everyone’s patience as we undertake the biggest makeover Midland Avenue has seen in decades,” Doyle said.
The town and KUEZ say Midland Avenue will remain accessible during construction, with updates provided through social media, the municipal website and the new email notification system. Municipal construction hours will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The full project plan will be available at kearnynj.org/midlandavenue.