Downtown Cranbury Businesses

[wcody]

from the Cranbury Township Committee Minutes – July 27, 2009

Mr. Stannard reported he and Mr. Cody had met to “fine tune” those areas they want to bring forward to the Township Committee to make the Township more “business friendly”. He reported they will be focusing on the idea of streamlining the procedures for the Cranbury Planning and Zoning Boards. Mr. Stannard stated an application for a small business should not have to face the very lengthy, tedious and expensive process that a warehouse does. Mr. Stannard reported he will be studying the procedures for applying to the different boards to try to eliminate some of the expenses. Mr. Cody stated he will be looking at a “vision statement” as to what is the goal for downtown businesses in Cranbury. He intends to get some feedback from businesses and residents. Mr. Cody stated the Township wants to have a vibrant downtown business and needs a vision of what the town wants. Mr. Stout added he believed there was a “downtown study” done quite some.time ago (perhaps in the late 90s) and suggested Messrs. Cody and Stannard review it.

Richard Stannard and myself are looking at how to improve downtown to make it more “business friendly” while maintaining the character of downtown. We have seen too many businesses fail and have heard difficulties in new businesses opening. Downtown should be an asset for all township residents. We are crafting a vision of what downtown should be as well as trying to streamline the process for opening a small business in town. We would like to hear feedback from residents and business owners. There will be having a public hearing at an upcoming meeting on the topic after we gather more information and come up some preliminary ideas. I would appreciate to hear feedback beforehand to help us put together an initial plan. Feel free to post items on this board or send me an email at wcody@alum.mit.edu or let me know if you want to talk. I look forward to hearing thoughts.

Win Cody

[Guest]

One fundamental issue I assume is that our township population is so small that most businesses can't sustain themselves on local support alone, yet there is no major draw for people who are not local to come to Main Street. Personally unless the business I was opening was either a very low cost affair, like Gil & Bert's or some family-oriented service that was not already oversatured in the market, like the ballot school, I would be hard pressed to decide that Main Street was the ideal location for my business. We can locally support a couple restuarants but not that many. And the days of being able to do something like a local hardware or furniture ware-type store seem past when most people are satisfied to go to larger chains nearby... I don't envy your challenge.

[Guest]

One suggestion- Reach out to Allentown and to Hightstown. Allentown is very similar to Cranbury and they have been able to sustain a thriving downtown business district after years of waning support.

Highstown has just revitalized and I understand from residents there that the downtown is drawing people in.

Some suggestions- look at grants to put in lighting like hightstown and the baskets- Make Main Street more historic looking where people will want to walk and spend time. The downtown after 5 pm in the fall, winter and early spring is very dark.

There are a lot of people walking with the walking guides you get at the house next to the fire station. Perhaps advertising local businesses in the guide.

There is rarely anything posted in the Time Off Section of the Press which is the same section as the Packet, Messenger Press, etc...

It may not be popular, but try and actively recruit businesses that would be draws, our town is very passive and there is a stigma that they are not wanted. We have residents opposing stores for name alone. Let's remember though that right on Main St. we had a cumberland farms. For example, Star Bucks fit in with their surroundings. They would be a perfect fit in a place like PNC bank. We'd have huge draws. Same with pharmacy's. Don't wait for businesses to come to Cranbury try and recruit some that would be anchors.

The old downtown had stores people needed- Hardware, Pharmacy, Teddy's, Dandelion (Clothing), a barber, deli. People would come in for regular items that they needed on a regular basis. Restaurants are great, but most people won't go there 2-3 times a week like they may a deli or hardware store. I know I was at Rocco's at least a couple times a week. I also know we were at the deli regularly getting milk, bread, etc... We can't afford to eat out regularly and therefore we visit downtown less. You need staple stores- Dry cleaner, deli (bagels), stores that are not pushed by large chains, but that meet a need.

Make it easier for businesses to get approvals. We know the parking situation, don't force businesses to repeat the same studies over and over. Reduce our engineer involvement. She's causing people to do numerous studies and evaluations. Make a business planning committee- 1 Rep from the PB, ZB, TC and Business assoc. Give them guidelines and allow them the authority to make approvals. If they decline for a reason then they can expedite it through their board.

Bring in the Business Assoc as a partner. Have them as a representative just like the library, shade tree, enviornmental, or other committees.

[Guest]

Guest wrote "It may not be popular, but try and actively recruit businesses that would be draws, our town is very passive and there is a stigma that they are not wanted. We have residents opposing stores for name alone. Let's remember though that right on Main St. we had a cumberland farms. For example, Star Bucks fit in with their surroundings. They would be a perfect fit in a place like PNC bank. We'd have huge draws. Same with pharmacy's. Don't wait for businesses to come to Cranbury try and recruit some that would be anchors.

The old downtown had stores people needed- Hardware, Pharmacy, Teddy's, Dandelion (Clothing), a barber, deli. People would come in for regular items that they needed on a regular basis. Restaurants are great, but most people won't go there 2-3 times a week like they may a deli or hardware store. I know I was at Rocco's at least a couple times a week. I also know we were at the deli regularly getting milk, bread, etc... We can't afford to eat out regularly and therefore we visit downtown less. You need staple stores- Dry cleaner, deli (bagels), stores that are not pushed by large chains, but that meet a need. "

I totally agree. Bring in a deli, Please bring in a deli...Wawa would be great !

[Guest]

Any new business that comes in should be forced to supply their own parking or show that it won't negatively impact the Main Street community. I find it amazing that the BR Bakery was allowed to open with no parking. Its customers have made a huge change in the number of open spaces. During the middle of the day you can't find a spotdown there. Meanwhile a building with parking (PNC) sits empty. Who allowed this?

[Guest]

[Guest]

My suggestion is to come up with a regular event that can draw a crowd to town on a regular basis. For example, we can have a monthly farmers market in the school parking lot area, featuring locally grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, etc. Cranbury has land in the Cranbury school parking lot area; use that area wisely.

[Guest]

[Guest]

There is no parking problem as long as the PNC lot remains available to the public. That is not a guarantee. The new owner may decide not to donate it. And at 1.2M who could blame them?

[Guest]

Why would they not want to donate the spaces? It forces people to walk by their business? It helps build good will in town and with other businesses. Even if the business drew enough cars to fill that lot it would be a great thing because that business would be drawing in huge crowds and the businesses in town should be appreciative of such a large draw.

[Guest]

[Guest]

I honestly believe this is a legacy issue. When there was Teddy's, a deli, Hardware store, pharmacy and two hair places parking was hard. Now with the small number of businesses I don't think the issue is as large as it was, but people still remember when it was a bigger problem.

[bumpkin]

[ichal Quinn]

[Michael Quinn]

[quote="forget prking for now stop thinking--every walk downtown at night? you ca not see--use old fahioned has light type fixture. no noe would even think of stopping. light the area first--make us friendly and welcoing We look like a dead town, so we will be. Look alive and business will follow--no WAWA, think Historic, Different restaurants, exican, spanish, first rate anything. We have nothing to come her for.

I have Plenty of psrking ideas but what good i no one will come. We need small historic night life First--Light downtown. Peop;e willl come

Quinn 5 Maplewood ave. We have so much to offer but no one can seee it=take a walk when dark--Very scary--use you head people. Stop the damn thnking process--infrastructural first/ Wake up, or die

[okay]

Someone is off their meds.