Groundbreaking Marks the Start of The Great Falls Center in Paterson
Based on reporting by Richard Cowen for NJ.com.
PATERSON, NJ — A crowd cheered on Tuesday, November 26, as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh took a sledgehammer to the Glenro building at 39 McBride Avenue — symbolically breaking ground on its transformation into The Great Falls Center.
The 100-year-old structure across from the Great Falls has had many lives: first a silk mill, then a machine shop, and most recently the home of Servant’s Heart Ministry’s Workmanship Program, where young people learn the construction trades. Rather than demolish it, the project preserves the historic building through adaptive reuse, giving it new purpose for the community.
When complete, the 40,000-square-foot Great Falls Center will house a food hall and a rooftop restaurant, a commercial kitchen for culinary training, and an auditorium for instruction in arts, media, and technology — alongside the Workmanship Program that already operates in the building.
Servant’s Heart is developing the project as a co-collaborator with Dawn Treader Christian School, following the founding vision of Herbert Van Denend. Servant’s Heart manages the construction of 39 McBride Avenue — relying on volunteers, as it does on its other community renovation projects — while also fundraising and managing the facility in the interim. Once finished, The Great Falls Center is planned to operate as its own nonprofit organization.
The groundbreaking marks an early milestone in a multi-year effort to turn a piece of Paterson’s industrial past into a lasting community resource.
This recap is based on reporting by Richard Cowen for NJ.com, published November 26, 2024 (subscription required). Additional details from Servant’s Heart Ministry.
Get involved: To volunteer, donate, or help build The Great Falls Center, contact Servant’s Heart or make a donation.
