Real Estate
Montclair Center Named 'Great American Main Street' for 2015
National program cites town's diverse restaurants and interesting small businesses.
What makes Montclair’s “main street” area so attractive?
According to the National Main Street Center, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the magic formula includes “diverse restaurants, a robust arts scene and interesting small businesses.”
The institution recently recognized Montclair Center as one of its “Great American Main Streets” for 2015, marking the first time that a New Jersey municipality has been included on the list since 2004, when Westfield was selected.
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The other 2015 winners are Cape Girardeau, Missouri and Rawlins, Wyoming.
According to a release, the designation recognizes the nation’s best examples of comprehensive commercial district revitalization. Criteria for winning include: strength of the Main Street in creating an exciting place to live, work, play and visit; commitment to historic preservation; implementation of model partnerships, and demonstrated success of the “Main Street Four-Point Approach.”
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Montclair Center was once known as a “bedroom community with a depressed downtown,” but now appeals to residents and visitors of all ages and businesses of all types, a release stated.
According to the release, Montclair’s downtown vacancy in the 1990s hovered around 50 percent. Today, retail vacancy is only about 10 percent and office space vacancy is about 3 percent.
The impact of this includes more than 200 created jobs and $20 million worth of private investment in 2014, with $40 million projected in 2015, the release stated.
“Montclair Center is a superb example of what we’re seeing nationally: Americans, in increasing numbers, are drawn to walkable, attractive downtowns with a lively arts, shopping and restaurant scene,” stated Patrice Frey, president and CEO of the National Main Street Center. “We salute Montclair Center BID’s successes so far in attracting residents, visitors and businesses and feel certain they will continue to make great strides in the future.”
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