Whether or not he’s planning a run for governor in 2025, Newark Mayor Baraka is busy making progress. And a lot of that is in the very physical sense.

Take a look around and the Brick City is building and buzzing. While structures reach skyward, Baraka is working hard on the ground to make sure there’s space for everyone in New Jersey’s largest city.

Speaking during a fireside chat at the Newark Summit in December – which, notably, drew more than 1,000 attendees for its inaugural event in the city – Baraka told the room of industry professionals that when it comes to development, his first priority is people. “We have to create a space that everybody has opportunity to be a part of. And if we continue to build things and we ignore half, three-quarter or a third of the population, not only is that morally unsustainable; economically it’s also unsustainable,” the mayor said.

In September, the city got to work on a physical link in that chain, the Mulberry Commons Bridge, which will connect the space between Newark Penn Station and Mulberry Commons and offer a direct route for pedestrians to Prudential Center and the Ironbound. The launch coincides with other efforts, like the establishment of an official arts district, anchored by the renamed Harriet Tubman Square park; and work to activate vacant spaces.

With Invest Newark, Baraka announced the Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative in 2023. Developed with Bloomberg Associates, the plan offers low- to no-cost financial assistance to businesses and nonprofits seeking to operate in the area bordered by Broad and Washington Streets between Washington Place and William Street.