A Republican who understands the importance of cities...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Gov. Chris Christie and Mayor Cory Booker came together in Newark Wednesday to announce a project they claim will end talk about the city's revitalization by heralding its arrival.

The project, 1 Theater Square, a partnership between the city and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, would be Newark's tallest building and the first market-rate apartment building to rise in the downtown area in 45 years.

"The momentum it could create will help trip the switch and make us a 24-hour downtown," Booker said at a press conference at NJPAC.

...

The target market will be professionals working in downtown Newark and the region.

"Newark is missing a downtown residential population," said NJPAC President Lawrence Goldman. "We need a middle-class downtown. We need vibrancy downtown. This building is a game changer."

Christie, a Republican - who noted he was born in Newark, along with both his parents - and Booker, a Democrat, said they put partisan politics aside to do what's best for Newark and the state.

"Newark's comeback isn't coming - it's here," Christie said. "The only way New Jersey can come back to being the vibrant economic engine it was in the '80s and '90s is for cities to come back."

Developer Dranoff Properties has successfully brought upscale housing to the inner city before, including 341 luxury units to Camden's waterfront in 2004.

The result, president Carl Dranoff said, "was a huge dose of new private investment. It brought middle-class residents back to Camden."

He expects 1 Theater Square to have a similar effect on downtown Newark and envisions a "lively pedestrian street scene with shops, restaurants and outdoor cafés."

...

The Newark project will receive about $38 million under the state's Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Program - "the booster rocket" for the project, said Goldman - but needs to raise $190 million in public and private financing for construction costs.

Dranoff said that wouldn't be a problem, adding, "We've never announced a project that failed to be completed."

Twenty percent of the building's units will be set aside as affordable housing for artists.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/06/2010-05-06_tower_of_hope_for_downtown_newark.html

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

uh oh, aj is saying something good about republicans. can he be drifting to the dark side?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

If the land there were privately owned, it could have been done a long time ago.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

uh oh, aj is saying something good about republicans. can he be drifting to the dark side?

I've been impressed with Christie for a while now. This especially impresses me, because it is going to seriously PO the nj gop 'base' which lives faaaar from the cities and hates the cities with a passion. This shows he is willing to do what's right. Good thing.

[Susita 175]

I've been impressed with Christie for a while now. This especially impresses me, because it is going to seriously PO the nj gop 'base' which lives faaaar from the cities and hates the cities with a passion. This shows he is willing to do what's right. Good thing.

I have been surprised with what I hear about him on the news too. Seems like he's doing a good job

Now if we could just get a new governor... please

Edited May 6, 2010 by Susita

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I have been surprised with what I hear about him on the news too. Seems like he's doing a good job

Now if we could just get a new governor... please

The blind mans days are numbered.

Was that a rude thing to say?

[Susita 175]

The blind mans days are numbered.

Was that a rude thing to say?

normally I would say yes, it is very insensitive. But f**k 'em! He's screwing over my state, especially LI.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

A Republican who understands the importance of cities...

This makes him part of an endangered species.

[Heracles 417]

American town and cities have a long long long long way to go.

[The_Dude 1,142]

They had a very similar problem here in L.A.. There was plenty of commerce in Downtown L.A., but without a viable residential population, they weren't going to be able to bring a wider range of business and revitalize it. It was as if the clock would strike 7 p.m. and everyone would GTFO out. It was a ghost town with only homeless people it seemed. There were no bars, no places to hang out, or have meals.

So, they began handing out permits left and right and the apartments started going up. It went from a very bohemian loft type of area to overpriced luxury apartments. It worked though, enough people bought them, and now there is a night life and you see a lot more diversity in business.

[Heracles 417]

It's funny how you guys beat around the bush regarding why the US is pretty-much the only industrialized country where the majority of downtowns are dead.

Until you address the root cause, who in their right mind will live in cities here? It's why only a few cities out of hundreds have a thriving inner-city life. It's also why no US city ranks highly when compared to others abroad. I'll be honest, compared to Melbourne, Sydney or Vancouver, no US city comes even close to them.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Booyah!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It's funny how you guys beat around the bush regarding why the US is probably the only country where the majority of downtowns are dead.

Until you address the root cause, who in their right mind will live in cities here? It's why only a few cities out of hundreds have a thriving inner-city life. It's also why no US city ranks highly when compared to others abroad. I'll be honest, compared to Melbourne, Sydney or Vancouver, no US city comes even close to them.

Projects like this will gentrify the inner city, rectifying the "root cause" you're referring to.

[Heracles 417]

Projects like this will gentrify the inner city, rectifying the "root cause" you're referring to.

What are you going to do with the ghettos that plague the cities? Realistically this is something that should have been done years ago as Jersey now has a stigma. It's a positive step but there is along way to go.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Booyah!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Come on BY, don't be coy. Just admit that you want to lead a gang of racist thugs to beat the black people out of the city and burn their homes down.

[Heracles 417]

The best thing any US mayor can do is actually visit cities ranked as being the top in the world. I think sending mayors, governors, reps and senators to other top countries with unber high quality of life should be a must. A prerequisite of every job. Without such knowledge, it's why we have spooks who think simply saying you are the best means you are the best. All while cities here look like they are out of a third world country.

Let them spend a day in Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver and Hong Kong. Let them use their modern transportation system or a high quality roads that do not have potholes or look like third world-esque as they do here. Only then will they realize how much work needs to be done and how behind the country is when compared to anyone else.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Booyah!