REGIONAL
CENTER COMMUNITY EARNS DOWNTOWN NEW JERSEY
AWARD
FOR EXCELLENCE
SOMERVILLE, NJ – The
Borough of Somerville, one of the three Somerset County Regional Center
communities, has been awarded the 2013 Platinum Award for Excellence for “Built
Projects” by Downtown New Jersey, the leading advocate for central business
districts statewide.
Each year Downtown New
Jersey recognizes the best downtown projects and programs that have been
completed within the previous 2 years. The highest recognition given is the
Platinum Award, this year presented in the ‘Built Projects’ category to
Somerville’s Division Street Plaza. Criteria for recognition are projects
“considered models worthy of emulation.”
The renovation of
Division Street transformed the one block in the core of the central business
district from a dark two-way thoroughfare to a vibrant pedestrian mall. The
redesign has created an arts and cultural center for the community with exhibits
and live entertainment throughout the year. The borough has recently enacted
zoning changes to designate the street as and “Arts District” to encourage
artist studios and apartments in addition to allowing for spontaneous live
entertainment.
Somerville
serves as the heart of the Regional Center, bordered by the other two Regional
Center communities, Raritan and Bridgewater. The New Jersey State Development and
Redevelopment Plan defines a Regional Center “as the focal point for the
economic, social and cultural activities of a region with a compact, mixed-use
core and neighborhoods offering a wide variety of housing types.”
“On behalf of the Regional Center Partnership I
would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Mayor and Council and
to the members of the Downtown Somerville Alliance for their efforts in
developing Division Street as a destination in the core of the Regional
Center,” comment Regional Center Chair Troy Fischer. “The creation of new
cultural opportunities serves the mission of the Partnership and enhances the
quality of life for residents of Somerville and surrounding communities.”
Downtown New Jersey is
non-profit corporation comprised of individuals, business leaders, government
and non-profit representatives that are passionate about downtowns.