Remember the Rahway Survey? I bet it’s been awhile since you thought about those signs around town last year that directed you to a Web site to solicit your opinions and shopping habits, among other things. A Phase 1 report by Merchantville-based Community Insights was presented Friday morning to several dozen people during a meeting hosted by the Rahway Center Partnership.
The 22-page repo
rt includes “preliminary strategic recommendations” which will be included in a bound report expected by the end of the year. Friday’s presentation was aimed at rounding out findings and conclusions regarding market analysis and retail assessment.
There were 614 responses to the survey. Results were previewed this past summer by the Rahway Center Partnership and several developers that have projects in town. There’s quite a bit to the report so I’ll try to post about it in digestable chunks: the inventory and survey of existing commercial property downtown; results of the Rahway Survey; recommendations by Community Insights, the consultants hired by the Partnership to conduct the study, and Phase II. Amid those posts will probably be some other miscellaneous items.
Of the 223 commercial properties identified within downtown, more than half of the available retail space (55 percent) is devoted to non-retail use. “This is why downtown seems so empty; it covers a large linear area (12,500 linear feet/2.3 miles), yet offers very little in shopping or dining opportunities,” according to the report.
Here’s a breakdown of the 55 percent that’s non-retail use:
- 20 percent (43 units) were vacant — “very high, but understandable in a construction zone”
- 18 percent (40 units) were non-retail commercial in what should be retail space alone — these are uses that should be moved to the second floor or side streets to preserve space for browse-retail
- 17 percent (39 units) were residential at grade
There were 24 restaurants/eateries, including 5 delis, 2 pizzerias and a few fine, sit-down dining, 8 salons, 6 convenience/grocery stores, 5 antiques and home decor, and 3 barbers. What was missing was a grocery, clothing, bakery, butcher, books and housewares.
*sigh* Does anyone else get nervous when a Starbucks won’t move into a town?
Starbucks is going to declare itself a bank holding company soon so it can get TARP money from the Feds. If they survive this recession, they won’t be looking to open a store in Rahway anytime soon.Who needs ’em, we’ve got Cuppy’s!!!! ….. any day now, any day.From a completely selfish point of view, Rahway Downtown needs three things:(1) A playground, could be simple, some swings for toddlers and bigger kids, maybe a slide or two and an adventure tunnel. Was hoping this was going to be built at the new Park across from Riverwalk but its a passive park.(2) 3 BR rentals. Where is a family with more than one child supposed to rent a nice apartment downtown? I guess I have to move to Hoboken.(3) Restaurants that actually attempt to market themselves to the downtown residents most likely to patronize them. Hello! Original Nile, Little Bit Healthier, anyone home??? The “if we build it they will come” mentality of these recently opened places makes me scratch my head. Is Nile even open? I see the lights on and people in there maybe once a week.
So last night, a big 18-wheeler drives down main st. and rips out the whole traffic light and pole on Milton and Main St. and drags it all the way to Luciano’s. Unbelievable! Can’t make this stuff up. It was so loud I went outside to check it out and cop already was on the scene.
There’s a nice playground on Central Ave and Pierpont. The only thing it needs there are swings,but otherwise it’s pretty nice.But I agree with you that another playground closer to downtown wouldn’t hurt. Maybe somewhere close to the library? Or on that piece of land across from Luciano’s.And Cicada’s unfortunatly it doesn’t seem that Starbucks are going to be opening any new stores anywhere. They recently revealed that their profits went down 97% on this last quarter.But I’m still hoping for a nice family that lives in town to open a cute cafe with some comfy couches to go hang out at and drink some coffee, feed some warm soups to our children while we read RahwayRising with the wireless internet connection. 😉
Anonymous, that’s crazy!I tell you, I think this big trucks should have lower speed limits than cars. They just can’t stop fast enough if they need to!
How many of those “223 commercial properties identified within downtown” are empty, unused, closed and/or unrented/unleased?
realist, the city doesn’t want 3BR rentals downtown because that would add more kids to the school system. There are plenty of one and two family homes just a block or two from downtown if you’re looking for a bigger place to spread your wings.