Stakeholders in Red Bank are continuing to determine the “biggest economic assets” that could help boost economic growth in the downtown area of the borough.
Members of the public are continuing the discussion regarding the creation of a redevelopment plan that could be implemented with the goal of encouraging economic growth in Red Bank.
A second strategic meeting, which was held on July 16, included a local roundup of Red Bank stakeholders who met to discuss specific economic assets that could be leveraged to encourage an increase in the number of visitors, consumers and tourists that are attracted to Red Bank.
James Scavone, executive director of Red Bank RiverCenter, a nonprofit organization that manages Red Bank’s Special Improvement District, said the formation of a strategic plan that would be used to help reshape the borough’s business district will follow five public information meetings that are expected to take place through October.
Scavone said the second meeting attracted between 60 and 70 people. The meeting was held at the Oyster Point Hotel. The third meeting is scheduled for Aug. 13 at the Two River Theater, which is located at 21 Bridge Ave.
Bill Fontana, executive director of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, was hired to facilitate the development of a strategic plan that will map out the direction Red Bank’s stakeholders would like to see the community move toward, Scavone said.
Representatives of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center will analyze Red Bank census data, community engagement, residents’ attitudes and aspirations for the community, and survey responses from members of the community in order to expedite the planning process, according to a press release from the borough.
The Pennsylvania Downtown Center will assist in creating actions to ensure the continued success and growth of Red Bank’s downtown business community, according to the press release.
The downtown district is defined as the area between the east side of Broad Street to the Galleria at the corner of Bridge Avenue and West Front Street, Scavone said.
In an interview on July 18, Scavone said, “(Fontana) consolidated and presented the data” that was accumulated from the inaugural meeting that was held on June 18.
Scavone said Red Bank stakeholders emphasized they believe three of the community’s greatest economic assets are recreational uses of the Navesink River, Riverview Medical Center and the theater district.
Scavone said the stakeholders will continue to brainstorm the ways in which those specific assets could be further improved and used. He said RiverCenter officials and Fontana will use those assets as the foundation for the third public meeting.
“One of the highest values was the idea of community and collaboration. Some of the feedback from this past meeting included people’s responses to these values. There was a lot of discussion about who we are marketing to and how we market ourselves now,” Scavone said. “We thought, if the river is an asset, how can we improve that?”
Prior to the meeting on July 16, Scavone said small focus groups gathered earlier in the day and were facilitated by Fontana. He said the focus groups consisted of commercial property, restaurant and business owners who offered insight toward the redevelopment process.
“The purpose of those meetings was to get a little more specific, and a little more focused, on where RiverCenter needs to be with people who had similar interests. For example, with the restaurant owners, we talked about the restaurant industry in Red Bank and what we at RiverCenter could do to help them,” Scavone said.
“Next month, we will not only get the feedback from the public meeting, but also from the focus group meetings,” Scavone said. “We hope when this all done to have a five-year plan with some very specific and measurable strategies that we can take to achieve whatever vision we end up with at the end of this process.”
Resident Sue Viscomi, who attended the second strategic meeting, said she believes it would be beneficial to include individuals from other municipalities in the action plan that is being devised by Red Bank stakeholders.
Viscomi, who is running for a seat on the Borough Council, said additional input is required from other communities in order to understand the perception of the borough and how it is received from individuals who do not live or work in the 2.2-square-mile community.
Currently, the monthly meetings solely consist of residents, business owners and members of the Red Bank community, she said.
In a subsequent interview on July 25, Scavone said any member of the public who resides outside of the municipality and is interested in contributing their thoughts and ideas toward boosting the economic growth in Red Bank is welcome to attend the monthly meetings.
