For decades, the beer-bottle shaped water tower was a landmark for travelers on the Garden State Parkway, but the Pabst Blue Ribbon Newark brewery was demolished in 2008 and the iconic giant bottle dismantled as well. Since then, the South Orange Avenue site has remained vacant. The city has a plan to change that.

Earlier this month, a mixed-use development proposal was approved by the Newark Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Crown Village at Pabst Blue Ribbon Site would be four buildings with commercial space on the first floor and a total of 660 residential units. The plan for the four-acre site also calls for a day care center with outdoor secure play area, two gyms, a common work area with conference rooms, individual study offices, an outdoor basketball court, community rooms, and other more amenities. And there will be 665 parking spaces.

This is not the first proposal to develop the site over the years, but Newark mayor Ras Baraka is hopeful this one will come to fruition. He recently held a virtual town hall for residents to learn more about the project and have any questions answered.