Directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, Jersey City has long been a critical growth center for new housing in the region. As density and transit access have increased, one of the city’s most central and intensively developed neighborhoods—Journal Square—has remained without a true civic open space. Located on a 3.4-acre site one block from the Journal Square PATH station and adjacent to the historic Brennan Courthouse and the soon-to-open Guarini Justice Complex, Courthouse Park addresses this long-standing gap. Though the site was originally intended by Jersey City to be a new building, the Friends of Courthouse Park lobbied the city to construct a park instead of a structure, advocating for a civic space that promoted community and sustainability. The project establishes a forward-looking, community-driven park vision that layers programming, accessibility, and ecology to create a vibrant civic destination for the diverse Journal Square community and the city at large.

At its core, the design strengthens connections among residents, workers, and visitors through a landscape framework that responds directly to the site’s 10-foot grade change. The park is organized into two complementary experiences: an active lower park aligned with the historic courthouse, and a verdant, contemplative upper park defined by an urban forest. The lower park accommodates year-round community gatherings and features a sculptural shade pavilion, multi-generational play areas, interactive cooling water features, terraced seating, and a café and public restrooms housed within the repurposed Brennan Powerhouse. Above, the upper park offers picnic lawns, a universally accessible network of meandering paths, an urban dog run, and shaded woodland spaces for respite.

The upper and lower landscapes are seamlessly connected by an integrated system of universally accessible pathways, including transverse routes that improve pedestrian movement between the PATH station, the park, and the Newark Avenue commercial corridor. Pollinator gardens and groves are woven throughout the site, mitigating urban heat and noise while creating a biodiverse, immersive environment within this dense urban district.

Community engagement was foundational to the project’s development. Through virtual platforms, interactive tools, and targeted in-person outreach, the design team worked with residents and stakeholders to build consensus around a shared vision. Three design options were developed and refined through public feedback to arrive at a preferred scheme. A close partnership with the local grassroots organization Friends of Courthouse Park ensured an inclusive and effective engagement process, comprising six virtual and in-person sessions held across multiple venues and times of day.

The Courthouse Park Master Plan exemplifies how inclusive, sustained community engagement can shape a resilient and meaningful civic landscape. Once realized, Courthouse Park will serve as a new civic heart for Journal Square—an inclusive public space where nature, culture, and community come together.