NEW JERSEY — A street makeover in a Garden State town has caught the attention of the rest of the country.
It is a great honor for the Main Street in the small town of Metuchen, which has just been named among the winners Great American Main Street. The award caps a major turnaround for the city, which just seven years ago saw one in five stores empty, victims of the Great Recession that left the city center on the ropes.
Main Street in downtown Metuchen is only two blocks long, but it’s now bustling and thriving. Lu’s Pastry it’s one of the new companies that has filled almost every empty space, and the co-owner said they’re “absolutely” here to stay and plan to do more pitches with different companies.
Since the city created a special improvement district nearly seven years ago, with an additional downtown property tax, usually around $1,000 per year, the downtown area has undergone revitalization.
“When we say proud, we’re proud of who we are and our community for helping us get to where we’ve been,” Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch said, referring to how the city has reduced from 22% vacancies to only 4%. in 2023.
Even he was surprised at how much the city could change in a relatively short time.
“I bet we could improve things, but the idea of going from 22 (percent) to 4, think about it. It’s just amazing,” Busch said.
The city was one of three winners, along with Danville, Virginia and Florence, South Carolina.
Leaders particularly praise the volunteers who help organize a dozen events a year in a plaza a block away. Main Street, which is flanked by new apartments that give more life to the center.
Township workers have erected award signs on the marquee of the truly dusty and long-abandoned Forum Theater, once a vaudeville showcase. Now it is hoped to make it the center of a new arts district two blocks from the business district, with the belief that the water-stained walls could make way for a performance hall.
And across the street from the theater is another small business the city bet big on seven years ago, Angie Restaurant. This risk has clearly paid off, as new restaurants have popped up on the side streets.
“You look around – the bones are great. You’ve got a century-old theatre, Victorian homes, and we’re at the center of activity here,” said Dawn Mackey, executive director of Metuchen Downtown Alliance.
Especially with a major shopping center just two miles away, the small town of just over 15,000 people clearly pulls its weight with a large American main street. So how do you plan to celebrate? With a neighborhood party, of course, scheduled for the weekend of June 19one week after downtown pride and one week before the celebration of the June 19.