Cathedral House, an 85-year-old Collegiate Gothic building on Rector Street in Newark that once served as a rectory for the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, faces imminent demolition. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center plans to tear the building down and replace it with a park and truck parking area to support its sprawling $336 million ArtSide mixed-use development.
The demolition effort was reported by NJ.com, which reported NJPAC's plan to tear down the building. NJPAC has cited asbestos as a reason for seeking demolition, according to the report. Cathedral House sits within NJPAC's 12-acre downtown Newark campus. The broader redevelopment includes residential development, while the Cooperman Family Arts Education and Community Center is a separate component.
A Reversal From Years of Preservation Promises
NJPAC had previously agreed in September 2022 to preserve Cathedral House and fold its Gothic facade into the redevelopment, according to Jersey Digs, before renewing its effort to demolish the building in 2026. Per the same account, the ArtSide plan had initially called for preserving the building's Collegiate Gothic facade, and NJPAC had even adjusted its loading dock design following earlier preservationist opposition. The Newark Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission approved demolition in 2026 in a 5-2 vote, with commissioners Myles Zhang and Sydne Nance voting against it.
Zhang, a Newark native and PhD candidate in architecture and urban history at the University of Michigan, argued that asbestos was not an acceptable criterion for demolition. Preservation advocates have argued that asbestos should be remediated before demolition, as reported by a local preservation blog.
Commissioner's Ouster Raises Questions
Zhang was appointed to the commission, and his term was not renewed. Zhang said he suspected his non-reappointment was retaliatory, and that his vote against the demolition permit was “most likely” the reason, according to NJ.com's reporting.
Baraka has participated in and praised the redevelopment.
A Building Steeped in Civil Rights History
Cathedral House was designed in 1941 by the Newark architectural firm of John and Wilson Ely, marking their only known Collegiate Gothic work, according to Preservation New Jersey. The building's significance extends well beyond its architecture. In July 1967, just days after the Newark Rebellion, Cathedral House hosted the National Conference on Black Power. The conference drew more than 1,000 delegates from 286 organizations, as detailed by The Root.
The building also bears a mural by designer Paula Scher, installed in 2001. The mural is documented in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, per Preservation New Jersey. The building also served as an NJPAC arts education space. Citing that legacy alongside the building's civil rights history, Preservation New Jersey placed Cathedral House on its 2026 list of New Jersey's 10 Most Endangered Historic Places, warning that its demolition could set a dangerous precedent for Newark and historic preservation statewide.
What Comes Next For The Site
Cathedral House sits within the Military Park Commons Historic District in downtown Newark. Once demolished, the site will give way to a planned pocket park. Cathedral House is expected to become obsolete once the planned Cooperman Family Arts Education and Community Center is completed.
The broader ArtSide development, which broke ground in September 2024 on NJPAC's 12-acre campus, is being financed in large part by public money. The state has awarded $200 million in Aspire tax credits for the redevelopment. That flagship Aspire program has since drawn scrutiny: in July 2026, the NJEDA temporarily paused accepting new applications due to high transaction costs and overwhelming demand, according to Meadowlands Media. L+M Development Partners is NJPAC's development partner on ArtSide.
