The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) introduced the award of $571,378 in Main Street New Jersey Transformation Grants to Main Street New Jersey (MSNJ) district organizations throughout New Jersey. The grants are geared toward bettering the looks, high quality of life, and native commerce inside MSNJ districts.
“I’m happy that we’re in a position to provide yet one more spherical of Transformation Grants,” stated Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner. “We see the worth of investing in our native downtowns, which empowers them to construct vibrant neighborhoods and communities and enhance the general high quality of life.”
The MSNJ Program helps municipalities enhance the financial system, look, and picture of their central enterprise districts by the group of native residents and assets. Municipalities should apply and be chosen to hitch the MSNJ Program, which was established in 1989. These designated communities obtain technical assist and coaching to help in restoring their major streets as facilities of financial and social exercise.
For the primary 29 years of its historical past, the MSNJ Program primarily offered technical help and coaching with restricted monetary help. However, since 2019, this system has distributed roughly $4 million in grants – together with the funding introduced right now – to MSNJ district organizations.
“This 12 months, we’re excited to incorporate extra actions that districts may apply for together with streetscaping, courtyard and alleyway enchancment, and public artwork initiatives. Additionally, funds had been made out there for advertising help,” stated Keith Henderson, director of the Division of Local Planning Services, which administers the MSNJ Program. “We look ahead to seeing how these initiatives will assist to showcase every district’s distinctive traits.”
The six forms of initiatives and actions that had been eligible for Transformation Grant funding are as follows:
1) Storefront and Facade Improvement Projects
2) Streetscaping Projects
3) Courtyard and Alleyway Improvement Projects
4) Public Art Projects
5) Placemaking Projects
6) Marketing Assistance
Additionally, districts had been eligible to use for operational assist to 1) reimburse the wage of a part-time worker throughout the grant interval, 2) reimburse the prices of an audit required by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Audit Department, and three) reimburse the prices related to the acquisition of know-how or laptop {hardware} wanted for implementation of eligible initiatives or the functioning of the District Management Organization (DMO).
Main Street Mount Holly was awarded $37,000 for miscellaneous initiatives. Projects embody 1) façade enhancements alongside Mill and Washington Street – persevering with the work accomplished on High Street final 12 months; 2) including planters, lighting, benches, and different facilities to streetscapes, small parks, and walkways in the district; 3) paying for Main Street Mount Holly’s monetary audit and social media presence; 4) engineering and architectural providers and monetary professionals to develop the Eagle Foundry property.
https://www.trentonian.com/2023/07/09/dca-announces-more-than-571000-in-main-street-new-jersey-transformation-grants/
