The old Science High School building is scheduled to become a high-rise apartment complex.
Newark WF 40 Rector Street 4&6 story vacant Old Ballentine Brewery. Smokey fire now KD. Squatter rescue problem. UC pic.twitter.com/EKfcOLSOSg
-- NorthJersey FireNews (@NJFires) November 19, 2015
NEWARK -- On its long road to becoming a high-rise apartment complex backed by an NBA legend, an old, abandoned school building on Rector Street added a fire to its complicated history Wednesday night.
Newark firefighters responded to a blaze that broke out inside the old Science High School building on Rector Street Wednesday night, city officials confirmed. A Newark Fire Department spokesman acknowledged, but did not immediately respond to, a request for comment Thursday.
The old Science High School building. (File photo)Once a malt factory, the old Science High building was the subject of a high-profile ribbon cutting in 2013 when NBA legend and Newark native Shaquille O'Neal announced he was backing a high-rise apartment complex at the site. After two years of stalls, city officials said recently that construction will soon begin on the building, which has a design calling for a floor of retail shops, and 26-stories of rental units.
"The damage (from the fire) was minimal," Newark Director of Economic and Housing Development Baye Adofo-Wilson said in a phone interview Thursday. "We are still on target."
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Officials believe someone may have broken into the building and lit a fire to stay warm, Adofo-Wilson said.
The facade and entryway of the building were set to be preserved in the design of the new construction. Adofo-Wilson said the fire should not prevent that from happening.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the property on Dec. 18, he said.
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
