Replica 'Main Street' In Livingston Empowers Special Needs Youth

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Take a walk down the street in LifeTown and it’s easy to forget you’re in a 53,000-square-foot warehouse.

Look to the left and you’ll see a replica bank situated next to a movie theater. Look to the right and you’ll find a grocery store, nestled among a landscape of traffic lights and sidewalks. And for all intents and purposes, there’s little difference between what you’d find outside on the streets of Livingston, New Jersey.

That’s the power of one of the most ambitious educational facilities on the East Coast, where kids, teens and adults with special needs can master independent living skills in a real-life setting… but without the pressure.

On Sept. 9, the much-anticipated grand opening of LifeTown will take place at 10 Microlab Road in Livingston. The shindig – which is open to the public with a reservation – will kick off at 5 p.m. (Learn more about this local event)

At the grand opening, community members can get a glimpse at the $18 million facility, including its working "Main Street" with a theater, bank, doctor's office and various shops.

Navigating their way through simulated daily encounters, visitors to LifeTown get a chance to put their life skills to work in a supportive environment. At the bank, visitors can gain hands-on experience making withdrawals and managing money. At the grocery store, they can learn how to put together a healthy meal and follow a shopping list. And at a bookstore run by Words in Maplewood, individuals on the autism spectrum get vocational training they can use to land a permanent job.

• See related article: Words Plans New Bookstore At Special Needs Center In Essex County

The project will also provide volunteer opportunities for more than 2,000 teens, college students and adults who play the roles of local shopkeepers and store workers, developers said.

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It's not all work and no play at LifeTown, either. Some of the building’s cooler features include:

• An aquatic center with a zero-entry pool and a giant water table
• A three-lane bowling alley with wheelchair ramps and bumpers
• A therapeutic activity wing designed to mimic a natural park and beach setting
• A gymnasium with sound-absorbent walls and ceiling
• A parents lounge where local guardians can network and relax

The facility – a years-long project spearheaded by nonprofit Friendship Circle – has built up an eager buzz, earning accolades from elected officials and celebrities such as U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Ivanka Trump.

In July, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) recognized the facility with a Good Neighbor Award, which honor redevelopment projects in New Jersey that benefit their communities and improve the state's economic landscape.

The NJBIA estimated more than 35,000 young people with special needs will benefit from LifeTown after it celebrates its grand opening.

• See related article: Lifeown In Livingston Earns 'Good Neighbor' Award

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