Long ago there was the Plainfield Redevelopment Agency and a vision of a return to high-end shops of the sort that made downtown Plainfield a shopping mecca in the mid-20th century. Toward the end of that century, the cry was for some way to limit nail salons and dollar stores from moving in. But just as outside forces sent shoppers from downtown to malls, the shift to cheap goods here seemed inexorable.
But even dollar stores can fail. The subject of this 2009 post closed down and the site now holds fitness equipment and classes. The idea of a business registry to help regulate the mix dates back to the administration of the late Mayor Richard L. Taylor, but was never implemented. In this 2006 post, it draws criticism from merchants and the governing body alike.
Paramount Assets, which acquired 45 downtown storefronts, might have some valuable insight into what types of businesses have succeeded and how to improve the mix. The Special Improvement District board may be able to suggest strategies based on its experience in promoting the downtown and South Avenue business districts. The problem is not a lack of shoppers, it is fulfillment of the long-held wish for a higher-end tone to Plainfield's retail climate.
More homework for the next administration.
--Bernice
A business database is a good idea, and understanding what is here, what succeeds and what fails, is important to any sort of planning. The 2006 discussion about a business registry tied to inspections and uncovering unlicensed operations, not so good, and it's understandable why business groups would balk.
ReplyDeleteAll major retailers and commercial ventures do in-depth studies about the demographics, buying power, traffic patterns, crime, schools, and the like before considering setting up shop in a community. So too do people looking for a place to live.
While we have plenty of potential, a strong focus needs to be on developing strategies to lift our overall income levels. In this regard, nothing seems as important to me as re-establishing Muhlenberg as a specialty hospital. As a Plainfield institution dating to 1877, it as a keystone between the past and future. A joint venture of hospital groups and healthcare companies already active in the particular specialty (I lean to Chronic Kidney Disease) might provide a financially viable solution that would make Muhlenberg the go-to place for care and research in Central Jersey, in the state and perhaps nationally. With strong corporate partners in tow, the next step would be identifying their ancillary businesses, such as warehousing, call centers, and light manufacturing that could provide a springboard for development and renewal elsewhere in the city, and provide needed decent-paying jobs.
Finding the formula and building a strong economic foundation will bring the restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and cultural opportunities many say they want, in ways that simply refurbishing structures and offering empty spaces won't. It should be a primary concern of any city administration, but it will not be achievable through City Hall exclusively. The dialogue needs to get beyond storefronts. There is a definite need for a roundtable whose membership consists primarily of residents with complementary expertise, networking skills, and the professional connections to the components required to achieve the seemingly unachievable.