Newport selects local artist to create lobby wall piece for new residential tower in Jersey City

After a submission process of  Jersey City local artists looking for exposure, The LeFrak family has selected local artist Anthony Boone to design and execute a feature piece for the new building known as The Beach, in the Newport development.

Newport is a vibrant and diverse community solely owned by the LeFrak family who offered a unique opportunity for those who work or live in the area to submit proposals to have their wall piece selected as a prominent display in the ground floor lobby of their newest residential community at 180 River Drive. The piece will measure approximately 15 feet long by 4 feet high and will be located prominently in the main lobby.

LeFrak worked with the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs and held a Citywide competition seeking artists. 15 artists submitted proposals as part of the process, and five finalists were selected for a second-round review. As the winner, Boone will be awarded $12,000 plus $500 for supplies to complete the piece by April 28, 2021. Each of the other five finalists will receive an honorarium of $250.

“I’m extremely excited that I am the chosen artist for the Beach at Newport,” said Boone.  “Words cannot describe how truly honored and humbled I am to share my work with the Jersey City community. As a native and lifelong resident of New Jersey who resigned from Conrail after 28 years as a Freight Conductor to pursue my dream as an artist, I can only hope to inspire everyone who comes across my work to ‘Follow Your Dreams.’”

The five finalists are Catherine Hart of Jersey City, Allison Green of Jersey City, Matthew Cox, whose studio is in Jersey City, Philip Robinson of Jersey City, and Adam Sultan, who works in Jersey City.

Named “The Beach,” the building’s design is a reflection of its location on the Hudson River and the adjacent “urban beach” component of Newport Green. The building’s exterior design is composed of a cool palate of precast concrete, glass and tones of gray metal. Accent balconies on the main tower form a zigzag wave-like impression complete with almost tropical-looking blue railing glass.

The interior design of the building uses natural marble and granite on the floors with wood and brass accents on the walls. The winner’s proposal was chosen because it complements the building’s design and features.

“We are so excited by Anthony’s design and eagerly look forward to having his creation grace The Beach’s lobby,” said Jeremy Farrell, LeFrak Managing Director of Community and Government Affairs. “Anthony’s career as a Conrail conductor and as a lifelong Jersey City resident made him the perfect candidate to create the art centerpiece of our newest building in Newport, which was in large part a former rail yard.”

LeFrak is a preeminent, family-owned property company committed to community development and long-term ownership. Founded in 1901 by Harry LeFrak, the company is now in its fifth generation as a family owned and managed company. Since 1985, LeFrak has rebuilt Newport in Jersey City from dilapidated piers and abandoned rail yards on the Hudson River waterfront to one of the nation’s largest and most successful master-planned mixed-use communities. When complete, the Newport development will include more than 8 million square feet of office space and 2 million square feet of retail and hospitality venues, and house 30,000 residents in more than 9,000 apartments. To date, this triumphant engine of growth is a thriving community.