Back

Print this Page

April 2, 2007

Mayor and Council Move on Plan to Revitalize Main Street and Downtown Woodbridge Business District… International Architect Selected to Develop Transit Village Concept…

Mayor John E. McCormac today announced that downtown Woodbridge, the Main Street business district, and the area in and around the New Jersey Transit train station will be the cornerstone of a comprehensive study and long-term visioning plan geared to identify the best possible future use for businesses, residents and visitors. The Main Street Visioning Plan is financed through a $50,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to develop a collaborative visioning plan for the Main Street business and residential area.

In announcing the beginning of the visioning process to revitalize the downtown Main Street business district, Mayor McCormac said that the Municipal Council is expected to approve retaining the New York-based architectural firm of Agrest and Gandelsonas to develop a Transit-Oriented Development Vision Plan for the area. Agrest and Gandelsonas, an internationally-recognized architectural firm, previously designed the highly successful downtown redevelopment and Transit Village plan for Red Bank in Monmouth County.

“This is the first step in identifying the best, possible future for downtown Woodbridge and Main Street businesses and residents. Our long-term goal is to make certain the business district remains a vital part of the Township’s economy and a desirable place to live,” said Mayor McCormac. “The Transit Village concept has proven highly successful in securing new businesses, attracting shoppers, and anchoring the residential community near public transportation.”

“The concept of a proposed Transit Village and long-term visioning plan for downtown Woodbridge and Main Street has been under consideration for some time. I am pleased that we were able to secure a significant grant to begin the study and to move the concept forward. The plan will consider issues ranging from traffic and parking, to zoning and economic revitalization.,” said First Ward Councilman Charles Kenny.

Mayor McCormac noted that the first phase of the effort to develop a Transit-Oriented Development Vision Plan will be discussions with business owners and residents to explore current use and obtain input on potential future use. The Transit Village concept focuses mixed-use development around transit stations and is designed to create business, resident and pedestrian-friendly communities with convenient access to public transportation. The Main Street visioning plan will seek to identify areas of traffic congestion and will identify parking resources and capacity (including on/off-street parking and public-private facilities.) Additionally, the first phase of the study will include three community-based visioning meetings within five months that will seek public input and comment on the overall future of the area.

“As a business owner on Main Street celebrating our 40 th year in business this June, we are extremely excited about the opportunity to revitalize downtown Woodbridge,” said Vito Mazza, Jr., owner/operator of the Vito Mazza Salon & Day Spa located on Main Street. “The Transit Village will not only add value to our community, but will improve business for downtown merchants, attract more desirable businesses to Main Street, and more importantly, give the community a beautiful, new area to dine, shop and call home…. a Main Street to be proud of..”

Mayor McCormac noted that he is committed to a “smart growth” approach to redevelopment and that federal, state and county grants will be sought to fund future visioning studies which will serve to promote sustainable economic revitalization throughout Woodbridge. The lesson is that we need to keep an eye on development and to work together to achieve the best possible results for everyone – residents as well as business.”

John R. Hagerty
Mayor’s Office of Communications
(732) 602-6039

Back