Mayor Fulop Unveils New 4-foot City Hall Light Fixture Built Entirely by Local Students

JERSEY CITY - Mayor Steven M. Fulop joins City Council members and students from Hudson County Schools of Technology to unveil a new light fixture made entirely by High Tech High School (HTHS) students that will welcome people to City Hall every day for decades to come. HTHS Teacher Dr. Brian Beebe led the instruction from the Secaucus campus as students learned about angles, welds, types of materials, and techniques when fabricating and assembling the 4-foot tall, lantern-style light fixture, which now hangs above the main entranceway outside of City Hall.

“We contacted the school to see if they could bring our idea to life and get Hudson County students involved in the exciting building process while providing real work experience,” said Mayor Fulop. “We take great pride in our history, and City Hall plays a significant role in showcasing Jersey City’s legacy and continued progress. Once we add the new perimeter park around City Hall, more people will regularly visit the grounds here, with the light fixture as a prominent exterior feature.”

Nearly a dozen sophomores, juniors, and seniors used various welding techniques to fabricate and assemble the large lantern, with a focus on replicating the historical aspects of City Hall. Watch a video of the students at work here.

Julian Zulueta is one of High Tech’s welding program students who worked on the light fixture. “The City came to our class and said they were remodeling the light. They asked us to be their partner. We came up with the idea of the chandelier because we knew what they had before was a lot smaller. It took us about 2 months.”

Students from Dr. Beebe’s Welding Tech I, II, and III classes were on-hand to ceremoniously switch on the handmade light with Mayor Fulop, City Council Jersey City officials.

“I’m so proud of my students, and they should be proud of their hard work, which will be on display in front of City Hall for all to see. I’m so glad Mayor Fulop came to us with his idea. Starting with just a picture, students in my welding classes spent three months building this magnificent light fixture, which creates a welcoming feel at the building’s main entrance,” added Dr. Beebe. “They are the next generation, and one day they can bring their kids and grandkids here to show what they accomplished at a young age.”

The new light fixture will replace a 50-year-old lamp that went virtually unnoticed, hidden under the overhang. The new, fourfoot lantern will be more prominently displayed to add character and a welcoming charm to the historic building located at 280 Grove Street.

“We see a lot of residents and visitors in and out of City Hall every day, and this lantern built by the students from High Tech will be the first thing many people see for decades to come,” said Jersey City Business Administrator John Metro. “Our goal is to preserve City Hall’s historic value while doing much-needed upgrades throughout the building where some of our busiest public-facing services are accessed by residents.”