Federal Funds Fix Broadway

As Broadway is the central business district in South Amboy, city officials have leveraged state and federal funding to install lampposts, crosswalk pavers, planters, benches, wayfinders and signage along Broadway.

In the past few years, Broadway has drawn several new businesses, including cafés, a grocer, a karate school, day care, pastry shops and a weekly farmers' market. A downtown group, Main Street South Amboy, has also been formed to promote all the great downtown businesses, both new and old.

Now, the city is using federal Community Development Block Grants to expand the Broadway façade improvement program to further enhance the aesthetics of the downtown.

“Our efforts to fix up Broadway are evident,” O’Leary said. “If you look back 10 years or so, many of the ground-floor businesses were empty. Through our use of state and federal dollars, we are proud to say that we have a 90 percent occupancy rate and plenty of interest in our business district.”

The downtown is now experiencing a parking crunch which the city is looking to solve. He notes a parking dilemma demonstrates the downtown is now in demand, adding it is a pleasant problem to have, and one that will be addressed.

Creating that turn-of-the-century, small-town atmosphere will help the city compete with every highway, every mall, the Internet and other downtowns, O’Leary said. Already, the area's nightlife has grown as a result of previous city improvements.

A landscaping plan is also being prepared that will become part of the city’s proposed “greenway,” which will ultimately circle the city. The greenway is in the planning stages with landscape architects. Broadway will be linked to the waterfront and ferry service through different passageways as part of this long-term plan.