"If you build it, they will come."
This simple expression of faith has become cliché, a punch line used to denigrate a dreamer and belittle their ambitions as naive or misguided, especially those who envision something so completely different, or so far in the future that most other folks can't see it. An example that comes to mind is the Dakota Building in New York City, best known as the home of John Lennon. When Edward Clark began building in 1880, the upper west side was so remote his friends said he might as well have built it in the Dakota Territory. Clark knew that it was just a matter of time and today NYC’s streets and buildings roll far beyond 72nd St. A better illustration might be Disney World. When Walt Disney bought 44 square miles of swamp in the middle of nowhere, in a state with little to no major transportation or infrastructure, his associates thought he was ruined, but Walt's vision was so far reaching there are elements he designed for the park that are still decades away from being built. Every story we tell to inspire our children share these elements, vision and undeterred faith: Marco Polo, Brunelleschi, Colombus, Jefferson, Adams, Ford, Sears, Gates, Jobs... Of course not everyone sees their dream realized. The list of failures is certainly longer over history than the successes, but the list of those that dared not to dream or were too afraid to try, is longest of all. So I propose a modified call to arms for Point Pleasant in our time of trial and transition:
"If you build it I can't promise they'll come, but if you don't, I guarantee they won't."
When my wife and I moved here it didn't take long to identify the businesses that were well established cornerstones, but other than that handful, what I saw was a lot of turnover and a lot of vacancy, and this was before the "financial collapse". I remember thinking what a shame it was that businesses didn't seem to do so well here, but I chalked it up to two things; Pt. Pleasant Beach had a "downtown" and the Boardwalk that drew traffic and commerce away from the Boro, and because of Rt. 88, the Boro was more similar to a "highway town" with scattered strip malls and storefronts like Middletown, where I grew up. From the background I’ve been given this condition was neither intentional nor accidental. Businesses in the Boro were left to sink or swim, no special conditions, little nurturing, and no sign of brighter days down the road, with the general feeling that more business, like active recreation, was an unwelcome disturbance to a “quiet vacation and retirement community”.
The more Pt Pleasant became my home, the more disappointed I was in the under utilized potential. We have so many great places and spaces to offer a visitor. The problem I began to see was that the successful, established businesses are all individual destinations. Someone patronizing one of our stores comes, takes care of their business, then turns around and leaves. If the real potential is going to be fulfilled then they need a reason to stay.
The example I always fall back to when talking about my views on business and the inter-workings of a business community is Red Bank. That’s just where I worked, grew up, observed, and learned. Whenever I bring up Red Bank it's usually pointed out that they already had a downtown area, but let me tell you as a firsthand witness to the challenges they faced, our towns are far more similar than not, and the conditions are surprisingly the same.
As a small child I certainly wasn't aware that Red Bank was at a historical low point but I vividly remember when the McDonalds closed. It was devastating to a 6 or 7 year old and looking back now I realize that it was certainly the death knell. If McDonalds can't survive in your commercial climate than no one can. For more a decade little or nothing was done to try and resurrect "Dead Bank" as it had become known. Occupancy was 40% at best and much like our own Boro if you went to Red Bank it was to go to Dorn’s, Clayton & McGee, Hobby Masters, or Jack's Music Shoppe and leave. There was nowhere to walk to and no reason to stay.
The turn around was pure synchronicity. There was no plan or design, at least at first, just a divine confluence of events. It began with Kevin Lynn moving the Dubliner Pub from Bridge Ave to Monmouth St and opening the Dublin House. There were no restaurants at this time, just a few breakfast diners and dive bars. Now there was a reason, albeit a small one, to come to Red Bank and stay after 5pm, and half a block’s worth of Monmouth St was where it all began. The House of Coffee opened in its first location across from the Dublin House. No one knew what a Starbucks was and this was a real first. Soon came the Laughing Bean Coffee House and Comedy Club, Backward Glances vintage shop, and the Upstairs Coffee House. The spark caught elsewhere in town too: the Murphy Style Grille, the Broadway Grille, No Ordinary Joes Coffee Shop, the Internet Café, Broad Street Cinemas, the Downtown Bar, the Galleria was created out of an old factory and soon became home to The House of Coffee, the Pool Hall, TCBY, and the first Two River Theatre- home of Pt Pleasant’s own Mike O’Keefe’s Comedy Improv Jam, even the old Red Bank Diner closed for 20 years was re-opened. All of this and more happened from about 1990-1996. Once the spark was lit, the transformation was fast and furious.
There was a feeling of community and support that had not existed during the down years. Prior to this informal business association Red Bank's town officials were just making a pit stop on the way to higher county and state jobs and the chamber of commerce was an ineffective old boys club. Notice was out that things were changing for the better and new people came in with new ideas and new desire. Red Bank established a Special Improvement District and formed the Red Bank River Center to direct the growth of the town. They certainly had their work cut out for them. Red Bank’s infrastructure was a shambles. The first couple of years all they could manage to organize were sidewalk sales and car show nights to start raising the town’s profile and improve visitorship, but they had a careful, long-term plan. Money was invested to fix up Marine Park and begin the Riverfest. Momentum continued to build, new businesses came, and residential ownership increased. Better home values and increased tax revenue were invested in the future. An ambitious streetscaping project was designed to connect all the little established commercial pockets and make the town walk-able. Walking from Monmouth St, down Broad, and up West Front is a much longer distance than the length of Bridge Ave from Forte to Sundae’s. The "antique district" that struggled for years became a marketing entity. New buildings were going up. Old ones were being restored. Riverfront Park was built and became the home of “Jazz in the Park” as Riverfest had grown and splintered into multiple events.
Of course the rush to prosperity created a bubble destined to burst. The goldfish overgrew its bowl and you can argue how that happened, but I agree with the skeptics that say we don't need to become another Red Bank or Princeton. We know our community couldn’t support that kind of growth and it would undermine the closeness and smallness we all value. But that doesn't mean we can't learn from their example and adopt the aspects of their growth that would serve our community and help us become a fertile and desirable location for new business.
As I wrote in the first part of this essay, we have a huge leg up on Red Bank and the challenges they overcame because of our parks and facilities. They had to build all the wonderful places they enjoy; we already have them. The next piece of the puzzle is our “Complete Streets” program. Not only is this an important goal for our neighborhoods’ and residents’ quality of life, this is a critical move toward a walk-able, shop-able commercial district.
Simply for the practical benefits and safety concerns this is a long-term goal we must commit to. There are sections of every major road in town that are perilous to a bicyclist or pedestrian. There are so many streets that I don’t feel safe on with a stroller that I do most of my walking with the baby backpack, but not just the neighborhood and through street, there are whole sections of Bridge Ave and 88 that are flat out dangerous. There are too many streets I would be terrified to let my children cross on their bikes. A Complete Streets program creates bicycle, pedestrian, and stroller safe routes for all major traffic routes. This is an undeniable value to our families. Point Pleasant is bustling with bike and foot traffic all year long, children and adults alike, going to school, work, or play. Making this aspect of our community a priority protects something we already value, adds to our town’s attractiveness, will positively impact home values, and supports our commercial future immeasurably.
The Bridge Ave corridor is a mile of road that if connected by an unbroken series of sidewalks and parking areas would be as attractive as any downtown area to visitors and prospective businesses alike, and what existing business would not benefit from increased visibility and traffic? Of course pockets of like businesses and mini sub-districts would form- just as they do in any robust town, but this should be encouraged, it's the basis of the character and uniqueness that will come to further define Point Pleasant. Imagine a family restaurant somewhere between Dairy Queen and Community Park and maybe a coffee house creating a nice little area to go out on a Friday with your kids or on a date? Maybe a restaurant and bar closer to Stop and Shop and a single screen theatre that shows old drive in movies and show cases bands or local theatre? What about a block or two running west of River with a series of boutique shops like Bay Ave in the Beach and a nice outdoor café or two for an afternoon with friends?
As I wrote in Part 1, opening our parks to events like Summerfest, Earth Day, hopefully Jazz In The Park and more will draw new people and new commerce to Point Pleasant. Our town has grown and changed. The mean average age in Pt Pleasant is 37, and 5 out of 7 homes have school age children. No longer a “retirement and vacation community” we are a young and vibrant community with the demand and the means to grow. “Complete Streets” will be a momentous second step in developing an attractive and prosperous environment.
Step three, the final part of this essay, will get deeper into the “reasons to stay” and how to cultivate the commercial identity of a new Point Pleasant. Once we've cleared the fields and tilled and fertilized the soil, we have to decide what to plant and how to manage the crops for the optimal yield and sustainability?
A simple googling of “complete streets” or “pedestrians and economic growth” will lead you to thousands of pages worth of supportive data, but here are some places to start. The first is an awesome article, now almost 20 years old, that many credit as the start of this movement, detailing the need for renewed focus on suburban planning after decades of neglect.
