Presentation for Fostering an Innovation Economy session.

1. Redevelopment a Continuous Evolutionary Process
Borough of Somerville

2. Fostering an Innovation Economy — Wherever
You Are
Not every place can offer all the elements
Amazon is seeking for its HQ2. But every place
can invest in the kinds of durable innovation
assets that residents, employers and a vibrant
local business community are seeking, and in
the process make itself an irresistible
destination for living, working and playing.
Panelists will discuss innovative approaches to
enlivening your downtown, broadening the
appeal of your housing stock, and building a
full portfolio of “innovation amenities.”

3. The Borough of Somerville is:
• County Seat of Somerset County “Downtown Somerset County”
– population grows from 12,400 at night to over 22,000 during the day.
• 2.2 square miles in area
• 3 public schools
• 2 parochial schools
• 40 miles from Downtown NYC
• Located at center of the state
– all major state and federal highways in region pass through or near
• Center for government, medicine and pharmaceutical
More Urban than Suburban
• Aggressive redevelopment – 3 redevelopments areas on Main Street
• Very busy Main Street
• Main Street (Downtown) is a destination
• Main Street is State Route 28
• Borough is on the NJT Raritan Valley Line – Station one block from Main
• Borough Downtown core Area is part of a designated Transit Village

4. The Borough of Somerville – Part of a three municipality Regional Center
Transportation Links

5. Transit Village
District
NJ Transit
Station
West Main St
Redevelopment
Area
East Central Business
District Redevelopment
Area
Station and
Landfill
Redevelopment
Area
Three RD Areas within the Downtown Core and Transit Village Boundary

6. • Planning
• Zoning
• Development
• Partnerships
• Cooperation
• Implementation
• Context
• Master Plan
• Redevelopment Plans
• Redevelopment Agreements
Making It All Work - Synergies

7. Redevelopment is a Continuous Evolutionary Process
Original Positioning
•Redevelopment areas focus on Downtown access
•Focus includes elements not normally included in many community plans
•Parking regulations
•Bicycle and Pedestrian improvements
•Place Making
•Main Street Management organization (SID)
•Community Events
•Arts and Culture
•Provides a comprehensive umbrella:
•Designed to provide rapid access from local roads to “planned” new parking
structure(s) at the station
•Designed for pedestrian safety and circulation
•Contiguous with and compliments existing Main Street businesses
•Design to relieve or remove commuter vehicles from bypassing the Somerville circle
via local surface streets and direct them to Main Street and the station
•Somerville is an important station on the Raritan Valley Line
•Somerville Station rebuilt in 2011 to meet future needs of commuters

8. Somerville is Transit Focused

9. Veterans Memorial Drive – Making it Easy to Reach Transit

10. Main Street – Busy All The Time

11. The Somerville Landfill Redevelopment Project
Returning over 100 acres to productive use

12. Duke Farms
Borough Hall
Station
New Cemetery
Landfill Redevelopment Area

13. Landfill Redevelopment Area Elements
Wetlands
Somerset Dev
TOD
SOMA
Landfill
Station
Shoprite
New Mixed Use
108 Units
30,000 Retail
Future
Mixed Use
135 Units
Wellness Center
30,000 Retail
Duke Farms Estate
Station Road
link Rt 206 to
Station Area
South Davenport Street
Built to link Main Street to
Station Area

14. Landfill Redevelopment Area

15. Green Seam Impact on Landfill Area – From Vision Plan

16. Landfill Station Area – Developer Concept

17. Construction
•Jobs=2,502
•Pay-role=$140 million
•Construction materials purchased=$101 million
Post Construction
•Create >460 new jobs Regionally
•Post tax pay-role= >$20.4 million
•Creation of new residential units
•Will generate new consumer spending= >$88.7 million
Currently No Revenue
Benefits to Community
•Rehabilitation and return of contaminated properties to tax roles
•Creation of environmentally safe site for construction and recreation uses
•Creation of green infrastructure throughout project
If Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) offered
•Borough net = $2.3 million annually after expenses
Landfill Redevelopment
What does this mean for Somerville?

18. Cooperation and Communication
What we have achieved through working together
The Borough Landfill Redevelopment Team has worked with the
DEP Office of Brownfields Reuse, the EDA and other agencies for many years to:
• Obtain a $3.3 million grant for the environmental Investigation for the landfill
and production of the RIR/RAW for stage 1 - the GREEN SEAM Remediation
• Due to the size and scope of remediation secured three Remediation Grants
totaling $12.2 million
• To provide the 25% matching Borough contribution worked with the NJ EIT
to Obtain a loan of $3.9 million
• The end result will be a 15 acre public green space in an area that has been
closed to the public for over 80 years.
• We will commence planning the rehabilitation of 20+ acres of wetlands in the fall

19. Landfill Redevelopment Area Elements
Wetlands
Somerset Dev
Richards
Landfill
Station
Shoprite
New Mixed Use
108 Units
30,000 Retail
Future
Mixed Use
135 Units
Wellness Center
30,000 Retail
Duke Farms Estate
Station Road
link Rt 206 to
Station Area
South Davenport Street
Built to link Main Street to
Station Area

20. Tunnel Location and Traffic Circulation Plan
Redevelopment
Planned
Reconstructed
Wetlands
(future)
Proposed Access
To Rt. 206
Green Seam
Station Area
Development
Bridge/Tunnel
Station

21. Recap Redevelopment Outcomes
The Boroughs Redevelopment activities has the potential to:
• Drive infill development in to and adjacent to Main Street
• Attract new and unique retailers to town
• Bring new visitors to town and – and they are returning
• Allow existing retailers and businesses to grow faster than ever
• Open 40 acres of new public recreation space
• Increase Consumer disposable income by up to $50 million + per year
 This will drive more retail and business growth
• Create up to 700 new permanent jobs (150 to 200 already created)
• Create new residential units, rental & purchase to suit a variety of income levels
• Create up to 2,000 new construction jobs

22. Continuity
Having a plan and sticking to it!
Good things happen

23. Division Street - Before

24. Division Street - After

25. Changing View of West Main Street

26. Changing View of West Main Street

27. Changing View of West Main Street

28. Changing View of West Main Street

29. Changing View of West Main Street

30. East Central Business District – Three Locations

31. East Central Business District – Main Street

32. Veterans Memorial Drive – The Cobalt
Concept Rendering

33. Veterans Memorial Drive – Messenger Gazette Location

34. Veterans Memorial Drive – The Station House

35. Kirby Avenue Redevelopment Area – General Conditions

36. Kirby Avenue: Parkview – Concept Plan

37. Working Together – New Reality - New Opportunities
•Communication – more is better
•Communication – face-to-face is best, if not possible use the phone!
•Communication – people like to help you if they can
•The Borough has worked hard to establish relationships with all State Departments
and Agencies and works with them to improve our community.
•Some Examples:
•Department of Environmental Protection
•Office of Planning Advocacy
•Department of Community Affairs
•Economic Development Authority
•Department of Transportation
•One example of this is the Economic Redevelopment Growth Grant program
created specifically to provide GAP financing to locate a supermarket into the West
Main Street Redevelopment area.
•The Borough works closely with Somerset County Departments to offset costs
through “shared service” arrangements or as contractors to the Municipality
•We work at a State and Federal level to seek funding where ever possible

38. The Borough Redevelopment and Circulation Plans are endorsed by:
• Somerset Count Freeholders
• Somerset County Planning Department
• New Jersey TRANSIT
• Regional Plan Association
• New Jersey EDA
• These Plans are incorporated into the Somerset County CEDS
The Borough has been designated:
• A TOD Area – NJ DOT Designation
• A BDA – NJ DEP Designation
• An ERG Area – NJ EDA Designation
• A Main Street NJ Community – Main Street NJ Designation
The Borough has received financial support from:
• Somerset County – Open Space fund and other
• NJ EDA
• NJ EIT
• NJT – for Landfill Visioning and RD Planning
• NJ DOT – Landfill Visioning & Division Street
Making it Work

39. Lessons Learned – Redevelopment is a Continuous Evolutionary
Process
New Positioning
•Redevelopment areas remain focused on Downtown access
•Since the economic downturn local government HAS to approach redevelopment as a
participant, not a recipient!
•Local government has to change many long established practices to encourage
development investment, including:
•Fee structure
•Escrow expectations
•Streamlining the approval process
•Work with the developer earlier in the process to save time and money
•Local government has to be prepared to “invest” in redevelopment to “make it happen”!
•Infrastructure improvements beyond the RD area
•Explore alternative financial models
•Partner with developer to obtain state and federal funding/support
•Possibly take role of Master Developer to ensure completion of project
•While “taking on” these new roles and responsibilities continue to support the plans and
objectives originally established by the community

40. Thank You