Construction crews are deep into the insulation phase of a new arts complex rising at 166-170 Littleton Avenue in Newark's West Ward, where Studio Lofts, LLC is building a permanent home for Akwaaba Gallery alongside 10 private artist studios and residential apartments. The roughly 9,000-square-foot property, once a rundown nightclub site, has already cleared rough structural framing and mechanical inspections from the city, putting the long-planned project on a trajectory toward completion.
The venue is the next chapter for Laura Bonas-Palmer, co-owner and director of Akwaaba Gallery, who bought the Littleton Avenue parcel to expand her arts operations, according to Jersey Digs. The new building will include roughly 3,000 square feet of gallery and exhibition space, the 10 artist studios, and apartments, with the site expected to host artist talks in addition to shows once it opens. As first reported by New Jersey Stage, the new Akwaaba Gallery is meant to provide a permanent home for artists and a welcoming, accessible space for audiences.
From a Troubled Nightclub Site to an Arts Anchor
The Littleton Avenue property had a rough history before Bonas-Palmer stepped in — Jersey Digs described it as a rundown and problematic property that used to house a night club. The City of Newark Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously approved the project, and Dupré L. Kelly advocated for it, per the article. Bonas-Palmer said the project represents years of perseverance, faith, partnership, and belief in art's power to transform lives and communities.
Akwaaba Gallery itself is a Newark-based commercial fine art gallery that focuses on emerging and established contemporary artists from diverse and historically underrepresented communities, and its name — Akwaaba — means welcome. The gallery has been described as dedicated to supporting a thriving visual arts community in the city. Bonas-Palmer intends to keep the original Akwaaba Gallery, along with the studios on its upper floors at 509 South Orange Avenue, rather than abandon the space for the new location.
Surviving a Pandemic to Expand
Akwaaba Gallery opened in February 2019 at 509 South Orange Avenue, according to NJ.com, but it almost didn't survive long enough to reach this moment. The gallery had to close its doors from March until July of 2020, and for another week that December, due to local pandemic advisories, the outlet reported. Jersey Digs separately noted that Akwaaba Gallery opened its doors in 2019 only to face the incredible financial challenges of the pandemic that followed almost immediately.
That instability wasn't unique to Akwaaba. Jersey Digs reported that other Newark arts institutions — including Aljira, Gallery Aferro, and Seed Gallery — all closed their doors in the years since, underscoring how precarious the city's gallery scene has been. Against that backdrop, a developer-backed, multi-use arts building with built-in housing represents a different kind of bet: one that pairs exhibition space with revenue from studios and apartments rather than relying on gallery sales alone.
A Team of Specialists Behind the Build
The project has drawn on a roster of specialized firms. 2KI Architecture is serving as project architect, with C2EM Urban LLC handling structural engineering, Wells Engineering providing mechanical engineering, and BADStudio contributing design and creative services. DLM Construction is carrying out the construction and renovation work, which is now underway on site.
Financing came together through a mix of public and private support. New Jersey Community Capital provided financing for the acquisition of the Littleton Avenue property, while the New Jersey Economic Development Authority awarded Studio Lofts a pre-construction grant that funded approximately half of the project's pre-construction costs. Janelle Johnson is credited with supporting Studio Lofts through that grant process.
Part of a Broader Push for Newark Artist Space
The Littleton Avenue project follows a similar model to the Gant-Gilbert Arts Collective, a $9 million redevelopment at 505 Clinton Street that offers 27 affordable homes, a performance space, and 10 on-site work studios alongside community and public space, according to Jersey Digs. That project's opening celebration included a short performance and tours of the ground-floor units, cafe, and performance center. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said at the time that the development provides a new generation of artists with housing and facilities in which to work.
An opening date for the new Akwaaba Gallery location has not yet been announced, according to Jersey Bee. The project team has indicated it will release additional announcements about the gallery opening, its inaugural exhibition, the artist studios, and programming as construction progresses.
