The Downtown West Orange Alliance

2008 Annual Report

 

The Downtown West Orange Alliance has been hard at work in 2008 in an effort to bring residents and non-residents back to what will become through redevelopment a thriving, vibrant downtown mixed use community.

 

Our 4 committees working in Promotions, Design, Business Retention/Recruitment and Organization have accomplished the following:

 

Bringing People Downtown

Through Promotions

• Running promotional events such as the Spring Street Fair, Farmers Market, Taste of Downtown, Halloween Pumpkin Painting, Downtown Holiday Open House and the highly successful 5k Run or “The Mayor’s Run/Walk to Break the Silence” which raised over $90,000 and attracted 750 runners & walkers to the downtown.  Many of these participants had never been to downtown West Orange and were overheard saying that they were pleasantly surprised at how nice everything looked.
• Providing retail aids such as the popular WOvip card and the newly designed Downtown Business Directory.

 

Improving the Appearance of the Downtown

Design

 

• Our partnership with the Department of Public Works worked very well in keeping the downtown clean and weed free.  Bobby Demeo and our Downtown Maintenance Committee worked tirelessly in keeping up the physical appearance of the downtown.
• Spring/Fall Plantings in all the planters and planting beds around the downtown spruced up the downtown in 2008 and will be expanded in 2009.
• Two downtown businesses used the Community Economic Revitalization Program (CERP) grant which Essex County offers for large façade renovations to dramatically improve the look of their facades - Kathi’s Room at 31-35 Harrison Avenue and Supreme Bakery located at 40 Main Street.  These property owners invested more than $100,000 of their own money into these improvements and the County provided them $45,000 in matching grants.
• New Downtown District banners and Holiday Decorations improved the look of the downtown corridor year round.
• In 2009 we look forward to the start of major streetscape improvements in the St. Mark’s and Eagle Rock sections of town to include new lighting, wayfinding signage, sidewalks and street furniture.
• The façade grant program which offers a 50% grant up to $2,000 on new awnings, signage and general improvements to business facades was very popular in 2008. 25 businesses in the district invested $180,000 of their own monies and we matched that with $35,000 in grants.

 

Assisting Downtown Businesses

Business Retention/Recruitment

• New Businesses receive New Business Welcome Packets to help them navigate their way in getting permits and planning/zoning board approvals.
• New Businesses are encouraged to have ribbon cuttings which are publicized through press releases.
• Two very successful and well attended Business Owner Meet & Greet were held at Due Amici this past year.  In June a Design workshop was held and in October a web based tutorial program for small business owners called Destination University was presented.  These programs are held to help strengthen our existing downtown businesses and give them a chance to network and build relationships with their fellow business owners.

 

 

 

 

 

Encouraging Support of the Downtown

Organization

 

• A new e-mail newsletter was launched in 2008 to keep residents apprised of downtown events, new store openings, construction updates etc.
• The Downtown West Orange Alliance uses one page of the Outlook every quarter to promote events and happenings in the downtown.
• The Downtown WO Alliance website has been updated to include interactive mapping which allows consumers to find their way to downtown businesses and post any comments they may have about their visit.