Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

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

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 04/09/20

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

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.