Main Street Revitalization Study

Click Here to Download a Copy of the Main Street Revitalization Study - Special thanks to Fred Carr, the Matawan Borough Administrator, for providing an easy-to-read copy.

It’s not Harry Potter but the Main Street Revitalization Study is a pretty good read. Its author, the Beacon Planning and Consulting Services, draws a detailed picture of Matawan, its environs, and Main Street. Chock full of details, the study explains why the business district has failed and what remedies the borough can take. That Mayor Aufseeser has chosen to ignore this taxpayer funded study is, frankly, bizarre.

The study, admittedly, has certain shortcomings. The initial portion was written prior to the 2006 Census estimate and never updated. Possible traffic congestion from a revitalized downtown is never discussed. Nor are there any cost estimates for the suggested remedies. I would have also preferred more demographic information, such as age of the population, education, and ethnic makeup. But these are minor complaints.

Some interesting facts:

• The Aberdeen-Matawan train station has 3000 daily passengers.
• C-Town is the only retail establishment larger than 85’ by 85’
• The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services category has the second highest number of establishments (after retail) and the largest payroll.

The problems are:

Missing Anchor – An anchor is defined as any establishment that attracts other establishments to open nearby in hope to profit from the foot traffic. Not only doesn’t Main St. have an anchor, there’s a question where one could even fit. Lot sizes are small and parking is limited.

Shopping Experience – Retail locations are interspersed among offices and private residences. The ideal shopping experience is an uninterrupted strip of stores.

Character – Main St. has no common element that defines its character. The downtown lacks a marketable theme. Each commercial building was built without regard for the look of the neighborhood. There’s no common signage, even on the same building. The types of stores don’t complement each other.

Parking – The limited parking is incapable of handling a significant influx of retail establishments or a large-scale anchor store.

The remedies range from the simple and cheap to the complex and expensive. Some of the simple remedies are:

Zoning – Zone all properties in the business district to require the ground floor be used only for retail. Existing properties can be grandfathered.

Signage – Require all banners and signs to conform to a common theme.

Parking – Draw lined parking so that vehicles don’t take more than one space. Also, enforce time limit rules to increase vehicular turnover.

Pedestrian Friendly – Have the sidewalks be of uniform size and design. Build curb extensions at crosswalks to calm traffic and shorten the pedestrian crossing distance. Replace the cobra head lighting with lighting more suitable for a retail district. Create attractive resting areas with shading and benches.

Store Hours – Have a policy to regularize store hours along Main St.

The complex and expensive are anchor and theme. On this point, the study is purposefully vague since these are political issues. Also, Matawan is severely restricted due to its size and limited resources (a problem, I believe, that would be alleviated by merging Matawan with Aberdeen).

My suggestion would be the construction of a cultural/music hall with an art studio in the front lobby. Regarding a theme, I would recommend a colonial motif with street lighting that’s reminiscent of the old gas lamps.

Financing is a bit tricky. The study advises the creation of a Special Improvement District (SID) that would levy a special assessment on the properties within the business district to pay for the improvements as well as hire an administrator responsible for marketing the business district and coordinating special activities. Considering the number of private residences that would be forced to pay the tax, I don’t consider a SID politically feasible. Plus, I’m always leery of government expansion absent an obvious need.

Location is also a problem. Were Matawan and Aberdeen to merge, the property between Church Street, Broad Street, Route 34 would have been ideal. The land is currently occupied by Matawan Borough Hall, Walgreens, and a planned senior citizen center in Aberdeen that will primarily consist of low income housing.

Another possibility is the planned transit village but that area is already slated for a combination of parking, residential, and office space.

Could the business district still blossom without an anchor? Yes, but I believe our only option is to become a food mecca. Specialty restaurants and boutique food stores can always attract traffic.

How to attract these food establishments? Implement the inexpensive improvements, market the neighborhood, and offer tax benefits.

But, of course, none of this will happen under Mayor Aufseeser. As far as she is concerned, “There [is] nothing in the report that could really help us . . . It looks like Main Street is beginning to redevelop itself.” >>> Read more!