SOPAC was commissioned by the Village of South Orange as an entertainment complex for residents and a means to attract outsiders to South Orange. The site itself presented the most challenging aspect of the project: designing a distinctive public building on a restricted budget, on a tight spot between a train station and parking lot.
The concept included a legitimate theater, movie theater and community space. Due to budget constraints, all three functions were grouped into one building and brick, aluminum, precast concrete panels and glass were used for their affordability. Seton Hall University eventually became a partner in the 46,000 s.f., $13 million facility which includes a 425-seat auditorium for live performances, 5 first-run movie theaters and multi-purpose community space.
The Architect worked with the General Contractor as a design/build team to deliver the completed building, providing value engineering which brought the cost of the project down by 20%.
