NEWARK, NJ — Hollister Construction Services, a leading full-service construction manager specializing in corporate, educational, healthcare, industrial, retail and residential construction, broke ground on a new vertical farm at 212 Rome St. in Newark, for joint owners AeroFarms LLC and RBH Group LLC. The groundbreaking ceremony for the world’s largest vertical farm took place on Thursday, July 9, at the 212 Rome St. site.
The vertical farm will comprise 69,000 s/f and is being constructed within a converted steel factory in Newark’s Ironbound district. AeroFarms expects to produce up to two million pounds of fresh vegetables and herbs per year when the facility is completed and in full operation. Hollister Construction Services has played a vital role in the design and construction of the project, assisting AeroFarms in determining how to build the structure in the most efficient manner. The vertical, indoor farm is expected to be completed this year.
AeroFarms, a leading company in sustainable urban agriculture, will be headquartered at the facility. The company will partner with Ironbound Community Corp., a local Newark organization that serves the community, to bring 78 new jobs to the city by the end of the year.
“We are honored to be involved in an innovative project such as the new AeroFarms vertical farm,” said Dave Williams, project executive for Hollister. “Facilities like those at AeroFarms will shape the future of the urban landscape, access to adequate nutrition, and the availability of skilled jobs.”
Chris Barry will serve as project manager for Hollister. KSS Architects designed the AeroFarms facility, with construction engineering services provided by Harrison-Hamnett, PC.