Perth Amboy’s commercial district and train station are among the areas that city officials are prioritizing as part of a renewed push for planning and economic development. — Photos by Aaron Houston for Real Estate NJ
By Joshua Burd
A large stretch of downtown Perth Amboy is now an area in need of redevelopment under state law — as are several other sections of the city — allowing local officials to offer tax incentives, condemn blighted properties and take other steps to help revitalize the properties.
The municipality on Friday detailed five zones that now carry the designation after recent action by its city council. They include an area spanning 387 lots in the heart of its business district, on Smith Street between State and Elm streets and a section between Fayette and Market streets, where officials are weighing the need for more housing to replace underused office space.
The Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency noted that new residents would stimulate the downtown economy and likely draw additional restaurants and retail. Those plans come as NJ Transit’s Perth Amboy train station undergoes a $47 million upgrade.
PARA added that the legal designation allows the city to adopt redevelopment plans and use tax abatements and special financing that encourage developers to invest in targeted improvement projects.
“For many, many years, these parcels have been underused and, in some cases, have been considered to be eyesores,” said Tashi L. Vazquez, PARA’s executive director. “The city is now taking aggressive steps to encourage redevelopment in these targeted areas, as we believe the designation will have a positive ripple effect across entire neighborhoods.”
The city’s other newly designated areas in need of redevelopment include:
- The Second Street corridor: The area includes parcels that are a short walk to the train station and minutes from the Route 440 connector. City officials say that some of the 130 lots in the corridor, such as junk yards and mechanic shops, are blighted.
- High Street and Buckingham Avenue: The area would serve as an extension of the planned Harbortown community, comprising 17 lots of undeveloped property that PARA says are ideal for residential or mixed-use development.
- High Street, from Broad Street to Washington Street: The zone includes 23 lots that city officials consider the missing pieces of waterfront connectivity on the Arthur Kill, between residential developments.
- Buckeye Raritan Bay Terminal at 577 Smith St.: The four lots on the property straddle Perth Amboy and the Keasbey section of Woodbridge, PARA said, noting that officials from both communities envision commercial and light industry development, such as warehousing, that takes advantage of their proximity to major highways. Any development on the site would not impact traffic in residential neighborhoods, the city said, making it ripe for opportunity.
Vazquez said PARA will work closely with Mayor Helmin J. Caba, the city council and the municipal planning board to market the properties to developers who share the same vision.
“Our focus is to create the type of uses for these properties that will be exciting for our residents,” Caba said. “We want walkable, mixed-use communities that create quality living and eclectic businesses. Through smart and ongoing redevelopment, we want to entice many more people to explore Perth Amboy and consider living and investing here.”
Perth Amboy making new push for planning, redevelopment around key city properties
