New $11M Community Center In Irvington Park Unveiled

IRVINGTON, NJ — Essex County officials recently held a dedication ceremony for an $11 million community center in Irvington Park, which offers local residents a massive space upgrade – and maintains the name of a beloved local community leader.

The new Bilal Beasley Community Center is located on the Lyons Avenue side of the park adjacent to the tennis courts. The 13,000 square feet of space in the building is almost twice as much as the old brown brick and cinder block community center next to the playground, county officials said.

The centerpiece of the building? A 3,350-square-foot room with a capacity for 300 people.

Other features include:

“There is also a classroom, police substation, a conference room, office space for groups and organizations that utilize the park and a large kitchen area. The building has restrooms that are accessible for those inside the building as well as separate restrooms for those outside of the building. A driveway and parking lot are in front of the building. There is a covered entranceway so visitors can be dropped off without experiencing the elements. The parking lot has handicap parking and spaces for about 60 vehicles. A feature in the back of the building is a 1,240-square-foot covered patio area that provides views of the park and additional space for outdoor gatherings.”

DiCara Rubino Architects from Wayne received a professional services contract for $475,000 to design the community center. A publicly bid contract for $10,537,000 was awarded to Aps Contracting Inc. from Paterson to construct the building.

The building was funded with a grant from the state of New Jersey, county officials said.

“The old community center was a hub of activity in Irvington Park, but the small size of the building limited the activities that could be accommodated,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“We will continue to honor Bilal Beasley by naming this building in his honor,” DiVincenzo added, calling him a “consummate public servant who represented the people of Irvington and Essex County with dignity, compassion and class.”

Beasley’s son, Omar Beasley, said that seeing his father’s name on the center helps keep his vision “fresh in everyone’s mind and soul.”

His daughter, Irvington Council President Jamillah Beasley, also thanked county officials for recognizing the late public servant.

“Irvington Park was a special place to him and it’s important for future generations to know how he fought,” Beasley said.

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