Elevating the Prudential Center

Your author (KW) speaks with Schindler General Manager, NYC Metropolitan Area Peter Cacace (PC) about the OEM’s longtime partnership with the Newark, New Jersey, venue. 

by Kaija Wilkinson
photos courtesy of Schindler

In 2024, Schindler marked 16 years of helping move thousands of fans and staff efficiently throughout the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Twenty Schindler vertical-transportation (VT) units — 10 escalators and 10 elevators — were first installed at the 143,722-ft², 115-ft-tall multipurpose indoor arena in the CBD in 2007. Home to the National Hockey League’s (NHL) New Jersey Devils and the Seton Hall Pirates men’s basketball team, the arena nicknamed “The Rock” in reference to the corporate logo of its namesake — Prudential Financial — was among the top five concert venues by earnings worldwide in 2023. It has hosted the MTV Video Music Awards numerous times, as well as top music acts like Elton John, Taylor Swift and Rihanna, to name only a few. The Prudential Center, like its three major counterparts in the NYC metropolitan area — Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center and UBS Arena — is one of the most easily accessible arenas in the U.S. The arena is located two blocks from Newark Penn Station in downtown Newark, which makes it walkable via New Jersey Transit, PATH, Newark Light Rail and Amtrak. Its accessibility extends to the interior with its Schindler VT units. 

KW: When and how did Schindler’s partnership with the Prudential Center begin? 

PC: The Schindler VT units were first installed in 2007, and it has been a strong partnership ever since. The maintenance on this particular contract is extremely important for the Prudential Center team to effectively operate their events. We are proud of our recurring partnership with the Prudential Center for Autism Acceptance Night, which took place this year on April 2. The event features a Schindler-sponsored sensory room for fans on the autism spectrum. 

KW: With whom does the Schindler team work on this project? 

PC: We work directly with the Prudential Center management team. We’ll normally meet with the general manager (GM) and assistant GM three to four times a year. Our direct relationship is with the other building managers, who we communicate with about any emergency maintenance requests or proactive maintenance visits. 

KW: What is the model of each piece of VT equipment, and why were these particular models selected? 

PC: There are 10 Schindler 9300 escalators, eight Schindler 400A elevators, one traction freight elevator with Motion Control Engineering controls and Peelle doors and one Schindler 330A elevator. These models were selected because they were our standard offerings at the time, and the freight elevator was specifically selected to serve as an effective maintenance elevator for staff to move food, equipment and other necessities for the arena’s events.  

KW: To which parts of the Prudential Center do these pieces of VT equipment provide access? 

PC: The escalators and Schindler 400A elevators are used by guests to access various areas of the arena. There are a pair of escalators at each entrance, as well as escalators between each concourse. This means all the equipment is moving nearly constantly. As mentioned earlier, the freight car and low-rise elevators are in place for staff to effectively move products and equipment from the lower levels to the upper concourse. This is necessary to make things like food stands available to guests. 

KW: Approximately how many passengers use the equipment each year? 

PC: The Prudential Center is an especially popular venue that hosts many events — from hockey games and concerts to conventions. While it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact number, more than two million people visit the Prudential Center each year, with every fan needing to utilize an elevator or escalator throughout the course of their visit. 

KW: Do any of the units have noteworthy features? 

PC: The units themselves are standard, but a special feature would have to be the Peelle doors on the freight car. The most important aspect of this specific contract is the maintenance work, including ensuring the freight car is working properly. 

KW: What does the maintenance aspect consist of? 

PC: The maintenance needed for this specific contract is extensive. For example, there is only one freight elevator connecting the staff to the vendors. If that car is down, the whole production is stopped. Between this and the only path from each concourse requiring the use of VT systems, we have staff ready to handle critical maintenance issues. For large events, we have staff on standby ready to jump into action and solve any critical performance issues, such as the freight car malfunctioning. Our technicians routinely work at the arena, even when there are no major events, to ensure the equipment is running smoothly and proactively spot any issues that could arise. We even have a group chat with the arena’s building managers each week to quickly alert us to any issues so we can dispatch technicians as needed. This attention to critical failures and proactive maintenance enhances our successful partnership, benefitting both our team and the staff at the Prudential Center. 

KW: Are any VT modernizations in store? If so, when would they occur and what would they consist of? 

PC: With nearly 20 years together, the typical lifespan of a unit is 25-30 years. As we near that threshold, our priority is the freight car. This is an essential part of operations at the arena, so we’re focused on closely watching this unit and evaluating when it will need to be replaced.

Reference

[1] wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudential_Center