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Newark Resource Center nears completion; funding from ARPA, state and CDBG supports $2M project
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Summary
City staff reported construction progress, funding sources and upcoming programming for the Newark Resource Center adjacent to Ash Street Park; grand opening tentatively late summer pending PG&E work.
City staff reported that construction of the Newark Resource Center at Ash Street Park is near completion and outlined programming plans intended to centralize social‑service providers for Newark residents.
Project costs and funding: staff listed a total estimated project cost of about $2,000,000. Funding sources cited in the presentation included $600,000 from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations, $1,000,000 secured from the State of California (via Assemblymember Alex Lee), $232,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds and $160,000 from the city’s capital improvement fund. Construction began in November 2024; the city executed contracts for architectural and construction management services in 2023–24 and the construction contract was awarded to SNH Construction Inc.
Scope and timeline: planned interior renovations include updated bathrooms, minor roof repairs, interior Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades, a kitchenette, upgraded storage and a welcoming lobby and reception area. Exterior work includes landscaping, a new playground, additional parking stalls, security lighting and painting of the restroom building and the adjacent Viola Blythe Community Services Center in complementary colors. Staff said PG&E utility work remains a dependency; SNH Construction cannot fully finish until PG&E completes its scope. The projected community grand opening is late summer 2025, pending utility completion.
Programming and outreach: Recreation supervisor Jasenia Tamani described programming priorities—accessibility, collaboration, empowerment and community building—and said staff have held outreach events including a lunch‑and‑learn for service providers (about 30 agencies attended), community surveys (326 responses to date) and listening sessions at the Silliman Center and the library. Tamani said the intent is a rotating schedule of nonprofits and agencies offering services on different days so residents can access multiple providers in one location.
Historical and cultural notes: the presentation noted the building was formerly a Head Start center vacated in 2019 and that an existing mural (“Friends of Ash Street Community Enrichment” by Linda Patterson) has been preserved during construction.
City staff asked the public to expect invitations to a grand‑opening celebration and said multi‑language services will be offered at the center.
