New Jersey Halts Construction Except for Schools, Hospitals, and Other Projects

On Wednesday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the indefinite halt to non-essential construction, effective April 10 at 8 p.m. The new executive order tightens restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Every decision we make based on data, science and facts suggests that we need to continue to stay vigilant; if anything, more vigilant,” Murphy said at the news briefing.

Murphy included exemptions for construction projects that include schools, hospitals, affordable housing, transportation, utility work, emergency repairs, and individual housing sites that can continue under strict social distancing guidelines.

You can find a list of exemptions to the executive order here. The one that pertains to educational facilities states: “Projects involving pre-K-12 schools, including but not limited to projects in Schools Development Authority districts, and projects involving higher education facilities.”

During the announcement, the governor reported New Jersey has at least 47,437 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least 1,504 deaths from the virus.

In addition to the new restrictions on construction, Murphy placed new restrictions on shopping and moved the state’s primary elections from June 2 to July 7.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.