promise to boost economic growth while prioritizing sustainability. “We attract a lot of attention,” describes Mayor Elsie Foster. “Walkability is a big thing for us, and while we’re working on redesigning and growing our downtown, we want to make sure that Highland Park still sustains the small-town charms that it currently has.” DESTINATION DOWNTOWN At the heart of Highland Park’s plans is the redevelopment of its downtown core, in partnership with Garden Homes. This signature project will transform the downtown with a mixed-use building featuring a clever combination of apartments, commercial space and a sizable indoor/outdoor public plaza and community space. The single building has been broken down into a series of distinct architectural elements so that it feels approachable and fits into the surrounding area. “We have been working for more than 25 years on developing our downtown,” affirms Mayor Foster.“We recently shared our vision along with renderings that were developed collaboratively with our development partner and the Borough is now ready to transform our downtown area.” Rebecca Hersh, Director of Main Street Highland Park, emphasizes the importance of creating spaces that attract foot traffic.“Our downtown has so much great potential, and from the perspective of the downtown businesses, a lot of them say that what they really need is more people walking around the town,” she says. A centerpiece of this revitalization is the creation of a dedicated public pedestrian plaza, a $1 million investment that will serve as a community hub. Hersh expands,“We’ve been using an old municipal parking lot for things like our farmers market, tree lighting, outdoor concerts, and other community events. It will be wonderful to work with the borough to create a more well-designed public space that will meet all of the needs of the community. We’re really excited.” Councilman Matt Hale, who chairs the economic development committee, notes that creating spaces where people can gather will drive economic growth 145 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01 HIGHLAND PARK, NJ
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