Officials Focus On Impact Of NJ Transit River

[ricco67]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112...004-387515.html

Officials focus on impact of NJ Transit River Line

By BRIAN SCHEID

Burlington County Times

BURLINGTON CITY - More than 50 municipal, county and state officials attended a symposium at City Hall last night to focus on the economic impact of the NJ Transit River Line in the communities along the nearly 36 mile transit line.

And the news was good.

Tony Nelessen, an urban designer with the consulting firm of A. Nelessen Associates, presented the findings of a study that looked at projected economic development along the rail line over the next 10 years.

According to Nelessen, the new line has spawned more economic development since it opened in March than state officials originally anticipated.

"This thing has really started to take off in ways we never expected," he said. "We've just got a whole new economic engine for the state of New Jersey that we never thought was going to happen."

As part of the study, funded by NJ Transit, Nelessen polled government officials in the 13 municipalities the River Line passes through, looking at economic developments that have either been proposed or already gotten under way since the line was opened.

According to his study, more than 19,000 new residential units and nearly 11 million square feet of commercial, industrial and office space have been proposed or are already being built in the River Line communities from Trenton to Camden.

More than 27,000 construction jobs and 18,000 new permanent jobs could be created through that growth, Nelessen said.

The study also offered suggestions to each community on how to encourage the economic growth along the line.

Click here!

The suggestions ranged from broad recommendations such as making streets more pedestrian friendly to specific advice such as a securing federal funding for the cleanup of the former Roebling steel mill in Florence in order to lure developers.

A number of mayors at last night's meeting said the line has already brought in economic development that might not have occurred without the arrival of the light rail in Burlington County.

Burlington City Mayor Darlene Scocca said since the rail line opened in March, nine new businesses have opened in her city's downtown and three new residential town house developments are in the works.

"We see that as only just the beginning," she said. "We see the potential as being absolutely enormous and we look forward to the opportunities to come."

Riverside Mayor Jeffrey May said new stores and restaurants have opened in his township and more than 500 proposed residential units are already in the works. Developers are also working on plans to convert some of Riverside's long-vacant factories into businesses and housing developments, he said.

George Warrington, NJ Transit's executive director, said the River Line is becoming an economic engine for riverfront downtowns that have been struggling for years.

"It's not going to happen overnight, I've said that from the beginning ... but it will happen," he said."

October 22, 2004 7:22 AM

[Talbot]

wow, they really hit the jackpot eh?