Newark Strong: Why Newark Beth is giving its $150M expansion a theme name

A rendering of the planned renovation. (File photo)

The $150 million expansion project at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center — one that includes a new 17,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed main lobby, expanded adult and pediatric emergency departments, new hybrid operating rooms, and a dedicated center for all cardiac services — has a new name: “Newark Strong.”

Newark Beth CEO Darrell Terry said the expansion is so big and so important — it’s the largest in more than 50 years — that the hospital wanted to give it a point of emphasis.

Darrell Terry at the announcement. (Newark Beth Israel)

“Our employees, physicians, nurses and community voted, and they chose a name that captures what this project means to our neighbors, as well as our staff,” Terry said.

Throughout the construction phase of the project, the hospital will prominently display the name on a banner located on the corner of Osborne Terrace and Lyons Avenue, right in front of the hospital, he said.

“This is such an exciting time for our employees, physicians and community,” Terry said. “This inclusive project will transform our hospital and spark investment in the South Ward.”

The project will transform the Lyons Avenue landscape and create a more welcoming space for the surrounding community and patients, a space that reflects the level of care delivered as well as the hospital’s commitment as an anchor institution in the city of Newark and the South Ward, Newark Beth officials said.

As one of the largest employers in the South Ward, Newark Beth Israel is committed to spurring economic development in the community. This renovation will result in the utilization of local and diverse businesses, as well as local hiring of Newark and surrounding community members.

Newark Beth is part of the RWJBarnabas Health system.

Here are more details on the project:

  • A new 17,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed main lobby: The area will have modern seating areas, an expanded registration area and community meeting spaces. The new lobby will move the hospital’s front entrance back onto Lyons Avenue and will transform the hospital from an enclosed brick structure with an obscure entrance into a light-filled, welcoming space with a prominent entrance on Lyons Avenue.
  • An expanded Emergency Department: The ED will increase by approximately 4,000 square feet, including nine new treatment areas in the adult ED, three new pediatric treatment areas and one new fast-track treatment area. The ED will also boast new exterior signage as well as a separate waiting area for families who come to the pediatric emergency department for care.
  • A new Intensive Care Unit: The unit will be right-sized to accommodate all patient needs. This includes additional space for clinical equipment and more room for loved ones.
  • Cardiac Care improvements: Newark Beth Israel is home to one of the nation’s Top 10 heart transplant centers, New Jersey’s only Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program; and a Valve Center that performs complex cardiac valve procedures, including TAVRs. The renovation project places all of these services under one roof in a center that is easily accessible to patients and will include new patient consult rooms, exam rooms, cardiac catheterization suites with the latest advanced medical imaging devices, and a hybrid operating room.