The City of Newark has been ravaged by the flight of capital and disinvestment.
However, a partnership of business and the City have offered Newark's commercial business
district a much-publicized rebirth. Unfortunately, the Newark neighborhood of West Side
Park has seen no such city or private commitment. Revitalization efforts have been left to
those within the neighborhood, including the New Community Corporation and Corinthian
Housing Development Corporation. These groups have charged us with a two part challenge.
First, New Community and Corinthian have asked us to research the Special Improvement
District (SID), a strategy used to revitalize neighborhoods nationwide. Second, they have
asked us to study SID examples and to develop a best practices model. This report
addresses these questions and how the SID concept can be applied in the West Side Park
neighborhood.
However, our research and discussions with existing SID staff members and owners, local
merchants and officials in Newark, and experts in the field of community and economic
development revealed that it was necessary to broaden our study focus. First, it was
imperative that we capture and illustrate the organizational process which precedes the
implementation of any neighborhood revitalization strategy. It is a long and complex
process that requires the commitment and cooperation of all neighborhood actors: business
and property owners, residents, public and private agencies, and the nonprofit community.
Second, we needed to look beyond the SID for alternative strategies. The district is a
culmination of an organizational process that takes many years, but it is only one option.
In this report, we have discussed a number of revitalization strategies for the future of
West Side Park. Some are used as alternatives to the SID concept, while others may be used
in conjunction with a district.
Third, we look at the local, state, and federal resources available to neighborhoods that
are committed to revitalization. While the motivation for revitalization must come from
within the community, outside sources of funding, training, and assistance are invaluable.
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