Adventure Park, an indoor children’s recreational facility, is being built on the bottom floor of Soho Lofts in Jersey City. All it took was an ambitious mom who felt there was a need for such a playground and did not want to drive outside of town to find one. Jersey City resident Mary Christian of Ivy Primary Prep is the mastermind behind the million-dollar project, located at 273 16th Street in Jersey City. Read on for more information about Adventure Park coming to Jersey City, New Jersey.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mary Christian
Behind the Inspiration
Mary, a resident of Jersey City for 12 years, has decided that there was no better time than now to start working on the larger-than-life children’s park. The inspiration came from her own experience with her son, Mason.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mary Christian
“I was inspired because once my son turned five, we literally had to leave the Jersey City and Hoboken area for birthday parties because they are older, so they need more physical activity to keep them entertained. There was nothing in Jersey City at the time, or even Hoboken,” Mary explained to The Hoboken Girl, noting the closest indoor parks were 30 minutes away in the suburbs.
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Luckily, she found Soho Lofts to be the perfect location to build Adventure Park because it will be a roughly 10,000 to 12,000-square-foot project, which can hold up to 600 people at a time. Soho Lofts, located at 273 16th Street, has the “perfect ceiling height,” she said.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mary Christian
With help from a business partner who is a venture capitalist, Mary was able to get the funding needed for the project. The total cost will end up being between $1.5-2 million.
What To Expect
The entrepreneur has enlisted Agencie, an architecture firm led by Andres Cortes and his wife Sarrah Kahn. The firm helped design the early education center Ivy Primary Prep, which Mary owns and operates, as well as Our Lady of Czestochowa, and Kennedy International Airport.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mary Christian
As seen in renderings of the future Adventure Park, there will be an 18-foot slide, other fun slides, a massive ball pit, an interactive climbing wall, a zip line, a miniature ninja course, and a trampoline section with a basketball hoop. In addition, there will be a huge arcade area featuring many games and a lounge area with tables and chairs, creating a waiting room for adults.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mary Christian
Mary hopes that Adventure Park will bring joy to new residents, especially to the Soho West neighborhood, and make them feel welcome. “I feel like Jersey City has become kind of like a city suburb where there are a lot more young families moving into the area. And there are also a lot more parks opening up. You also see a lot more kids, a lot more fairs on the weekends catered to kids. So, I just want to be a part of welcoming young families with children,” she told HG. “Also, I want a place for them to go in the winter because it is freezing here.”
Down the Road
At the moment, Adventure Park is still a construction zone. Mary and the team are waiting for official permits, which she estimates should take four to six weeks. And then once they get the permits, construction will begin and it’s estimated the project will take four to six months.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mary Christian
The team is hoping for an early January 2025 opening. The children’s park, suitable for kids ages two to 12, will have its own entrance separate from the rest of the building. Soho Lofts residents will need to purchase either a day pass or a monthly membership.
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Mary says the daily passes will cost between $25 to $30 and the monthly membership will be between $100 to $150. Once open, people can book Adventure Park and its private rooms for birthday parties and special occasions.
Adventure Park’s website and social media will be launching soon. Follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok for the latest updates, and sign up for our newsletter that shares all of our top stories to your inbox here.
