PROJECTS
Paterson Parking Authority
"The Silk City's Economic Engine"
Redeveloping Paterson's Geographic Heart
MADISON AVENUE
Paterson has a tremendous opportunity to redevelop a heavily populated section of the City that is in need of revitalization. The new Passaic-Bergen rail service that is set to break ground in the spring of 2010 will create pedestrian-friendly transportation opportunities for the residents of this area in Paterson"s geographic center.
Paterson will be home to five "neighborhood" stations along the new rail line, which begins in Hawthorne and ends in Hackensack. Each station will provide unique opportunities for the people who live near the new stops; new housing and enhanced economic development will be a direct result of this innovative transportation option. The locale with the most potential for immediate revitalization is around the planned station on Madison Avenue just south of Broadway.
In anticipation of this new rail service, the Paterson Parking Authority has obtained approximately four acres of former industrial and commercial property adjacent to the proposed station, which is currently undergoing environmental restoration. The County of Passaic, understanding the potential impact that rail service could have on this neighborhood, has commenced the Madison Avenue Commuter Rail Study. This process will focus on how public investment can improve the lives of the residents currently living in the area and help guide the City of Paterson and private developers on how to best utilize smart growth principles in the effort to revive this neighborhood.
What is abundantly clear is that there is a critical need for additional public parking to support current businesses, future residential developments and a local grammar school. The addition of commuter rail service will only heighten the need for parking, as no other proposed station in the City of Paterson has land in close proximity to provide parking. The PPA site is large enough to ensure that parking will only be one facet this property's redevelopment.
Once again, the PPA is at the forefront of a new and exciting venture and looks forward to working with the Mayor and Council and the residents of Paterson in order to help move this great city forward.New Paragraph
Supporting the Great Falls
MARKET STREET
On March 30, 2009 President Barack Obama signed into law the Great Falls National Historical Park Act. The measure gives National Park status to one of America's natural wonders that generated the power to make Paterson one of our nation's first epicenters of industrial might.
The Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park encompasses approximately 35 acres of the Great Falls Historic District including the upper, middle and lower raceways, a portion of Upper Raceway Park, and many of this historic buildings, mills and ruins within the designated area. The granting of National Park status for this area in conjunction with its status as a New Jersey State Park is the impetus for an economic revitalization that has already begun.
At the center of this rebirth is the Paterson Parking Authority (PPA). The PPA currently owns and operates a 212 space facility -- the Lower Market Street parking lot. What makes this site unique is not only its size but its location, as it is adjacent to or is within walking distance of many of the historical significant sites that comprise the Historic District including:
The Ivanhoe Wheelhouse;
The Society for Establishing Useful Manufacturers Gatehouse;
Overlook Park and the S.U.M Hydroelectric Plant;
Allied Textile Printing including the Colt Gun Mill ruins;
Mallory Ruins;
Waverly Mill Ruins;
Todd Mill Ruins;
The Rogers Locomotive Company Erecting Shop;
The Paterson Museum;
The Great Falls Visitor Center
The Lower Market Street Lot is currently at capacity supporting local businesses that currently exist in the Historic District. In order for the City to adequately realize its plans for both private and public investment and revitalization in this vital locale, the existing transportation opportunities and available parking in the Historic District must be greatly expanded
The PPA is fully committed to working with city, state and federal officials to realize the potential of the newly minted Great Falls National Historical Park and understands its responsibility in helping to ensure that residents and visitors have convenient and safe access to the area in order to live, work and play. To this end, the PPA has developed a conceptual plan and design for a new state-of-the-art 1,000 space parking facility on the site of the current Lower Market Street parking lot. This garage will be the key ingredient toward a recipe for success in this very important area. The PPA is working in conjunction with the City of Paterson to find alternative funding mechanisms to construct the garage in order to have the least possible impact on the taxpayers of the City of Paterson.
Thanks to the leadership provided by Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. and our Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres the City of Paterson has finally received long overdue recognition from the United States government. Along with the Great Falls' enhanced status comes great responsibility. The Paterson Parking Authority is ready to work hand-in-hand with the residents of this great city to ensure that it reaches its fullest potential.