From the Township of South Orange:
On or about August 29th, construction will begin on the new entrance to the Baird, home of the South Orange Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs, located at 5 Mead Street.
The new entrance will include a fully accessible ramp, in compliance with current ADA regulations, and a lovely outdoor porch area facing the tennis and paddle courts. Some esthetic improvements are also planned for the lobby interior. The architectural plans for these renovations were prepared with the intent of preserving the historic appearance of the building.
During reconstruction the building will be fully operational. However, entry and exit by patrons will take place through the doors adjacent to the basketball courts located on the Mead Street side of the building. For safety purposes, the area near the entrance under construction will be fenced off necessitating the temporary loss of some parking spaces next to the building. Every effort will be made to keep parking space loss to a minimum and the driveway in and out of the parking lot will remain open throughout. The project is expected to take 3-4 months.
