Bergen County · Little Ferry Borough · #25-00162
123 Liberty St Washington
123 Liberty St Washington, Little Ferry Borough, NJ · 29,938 sq ft non-residential, school
About this project
A new educational building of about 29,938 square feet at 123 Liberty Street in Little Ferry Borough, NJ, with a reported construction cost of $18 million.
Official description: Educational; reported construction cost $18,000,000
- Plan type
- Building permit (new construction)
- Land use
- Educational
- Status
- Permit
Filing history
- 2025-08-05 · #25-00162 · Building permit (new construction) · 29,938 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
The county record describes a new educational building of about 29,938 square feet at 123 Liberty Street in Little Ferry, with a reported construction cost of $18 million.
Online sources indicate the site is the former Washington Elementary School, a roughly 110-year-old building that closed in 2018 and was demolished in early 2024. The project appears to be the new Liberty Middle School for the Little Ferry public school district. The architect describes it as a three-story building for about 250-300 students in grades 6-8. Voters approved it by referendum, and a groundbreaking was reported in late May 2025.
The architect's page cites a larger size (about 65,000 sq ft) than the county record. The difference may come from how floor area is counted, but the sources do not explain it. Occupancy is targeted for early 2027, when students would move from Memorial School and its modular classrooms. No opposition was found.
What it could mean nearby
- Students from Memorial School and its modular classrooms are expected to move in, so the project may change daily drop-off and pick-up traffic on Liberty Street.
- The parcel is listed as being in a flood zone (AE), so stormwater and flood design are likely to matter.
- The site is reused school land, so it adds no new housing.
Where it stands
Construction appears to be under way: a groundbreaking was reported in May 2025, and the school is targeted to open in early 2027. No borough planning board hearing records for this address were found online.
- Aug 2025 Latest county planning filing for the project
- May 2025 Groundbreaking reported for the new Liberty Middle School
- Jan 2024 Demolition of the former Washington School reported to have begun (early 2024)
- 2018 Washington Elementary School closed
Want to weigh in? The Little Ferry Board of Education runs the school district, and the borough's planning board may review related site approvals. Residents can comment at public meetings, and the borough clerk or district office can give meeting dates.
Who's behind it
Little Ferry Public Schools (district); architect: RSC Architects · The school district is the public owner and user. RSC Architects is the firm that designed the school, and it also designs other educational buildings.
Around the web
- Little Ferry Public Schools – Little Ferry Middle SchoolRSC ArchitectsThe architect's project page describes the new three-story middle school replacing the former Washington School.
- New Liberty Middle School Breaks Ground in Little FerryRSC Architects · May 31, 2025Reports the late-May 2025 groundbreaking and an early 2027 occupancy target.
- 123 LIBERTY ST WASHINGTONNJParcelsLists the parcel as Block 64, Lot 6, a public school property in a flood zone.
Planning terms explained
- Referendum
- A public vote in which residents decide whether to approve a measure, such as funding for a new school.
- Flood zone (AE)
- A mapped area with a high chance of flooding, where building rules aim to limit flood damage.
- Block and lot
- The numbers the borough uses to identify a specific parcel of land; this site is Block 64, Lot 6.
- Site plan review
- A local review of a project's layout, parking, drainage and access before it can be built.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $10.5M
- ~149 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~74 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
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