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Rahway
Center Partnership Administrative Staff |
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Ray Mikell |
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Cheryl Anne
Cammann |
Brian Shivers |
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| GETTING RE-CONNECTED TO DOWNTOWN | ||
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As you are all aware, Downtown Rahway is being redeveloped,
revitalized, rejuvenated and restructured In many respects it is being rebuilt,
literally from the ground up. Old buildings are being refaced. The
economic structure of the downtown is being reinvigorated as new businesses will
soon begin to be recruited.
All of this is part of an ongoing rebirth. For those of us who have lost contact with the downtown, or never had it, now is the time for all of us to get reconnected. |
Farmer's Market |
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Re-connecting is not always an easy job. It requires us to do something. And often in order to do something we need to be motivated. What are the factors that could motivate us to get reconnected with Downtown Rahway? I'd like to offer some ideas, some motivation if you will, as to why reconnecting to Downtown Rahway makes sense. |
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CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT:
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Perhaps no issue strikes as harmonious a chord these days as working to improve the environment. A key feature in this effort is the reduction of urban sprawl-the seemingly endless use of financial and natural resources to move ever further away from our downtowns. The loss of open space, the impact on the natural environment, and the reduction of agricultural land are all results of this sprawl. When we choose to reconnect to downtown, we use land where utilities are already in place and where we are not disturbing pristine natural land. |
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FINANCIAL CONCERNS:
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Generally speaking, we all support issues that have a positive impact on our pocketbooks. A healthy downtown that is used by the residents of the community is one way to help keep more money in your wallet. How does that happen? Quite simply, really. The more people use the downtown, the more its businesses prosper. The more the businesses prosper, the greater the demand for the downtown space. This greater demand leads to higher property values and by extension, greater revenue to the City at tax time. Increased revenue from the business community means that the residential portion of the total City tax burden can be stabilized or even reduced. And in most cases, taxes you don't have to pay are a good thing. |
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PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE: |
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Rahway Arts District Park |
So maybe you are independently wealthy and a few more tax dollars one way or
the other isn't a great motivator for you. Well, how about preserving some of
the history and tradition that has made this country what it is today. It occurs
to me that when any really important event occurs, we have this almost
biological need to share it with others. We want to be in the company of those
that share our joy or our sorrow.
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When that event takes on community wide significance and we want to celebrate as a community, where do we go? Usually we head "downtown". I dare say that many people don't run out to the mall for the big Memorial Day Parade. We tend not to go to the commercial strip outside of town when the Yankees win a World Series. And as I recall, the ticker tape parades at the end of World War II were not held on the interstate highway. It is interesting that many of the new communities of the west and southwest United States are trying to "create" downtowns in their communities because the people there don't feel connected to a central place. They long for the ability to attend a downtown Farmer's Market, or a Tree Lighting Festival, or a Mayor's Summer Concert Series. Our downtowns have played an important role in the development of our common heritage. They have been the place where many of our common traditions were born and where they are sustained, even today. |
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I encourage all of you to begin the process of getting reconnected to downtown. I know downtown doesn't offer all of the variety that you can find at the mall. It may not be as warm in the winter or as cool in the summer as the cookie cutter mega-shopping complexes we build today. But downtown is a part of us.
If our communities truly grow and evolve, then downtown is the heart and soul of the community. And like our heart and our soul, it deserves our attention and our care. |
Rahway YMCA |
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WE HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS OF REBUILDING OUR DOWNTOWN AS A COMMUNITY.
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Let us work as a TEAM! The time is NOW!
Your contribution as a merchant and as an individual CAN make a difference. Please help support the Rahway Center Partnership in our effort to Re-Connect Downtown Rahway. |
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Rahway, on the move. Be a part of it! |
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Sincerely, Ray
Mikell |
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