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• Newark will strengthen its status as a global transportation and logistics center by building on growing trade at Port Newark, improving its competitiveness in the growing logistics industry, creating greater access to port and airport opportunities for city residents, and using environmentally sound development practices at port, airport and rail hubs.
• The city will build upon its location, infrastructure, and existing offices to position Newark as a Regional Office Center. Newark will also create and support Business Improvements Districts in commercial and retail nodes throughout the city.
• Newark’s status as regional knowledge center will be promoted and enhanced by making its higher education institutions a focal point for the expansion of academic and research activities, new industries and housing opportunities that more closely integrate these institutions with Newark’s neighborhoods.
• Newark will leverage its arts and cultural assets to define the city as the premier cultural and entertainment center of New Jersey to attract audiences, residents and businesses, create new retail sectors and improve both citywide image and neighborhood quality of life. Also capitalize on the opening of the new arena, Prudential Center, and new residential projects to draw new residents, restaurants and nightlife.
• Re-position Downtown as a 24 /7 mixed-use Central Business/Residential District. Business districts throughout the country are thriving by promoting a broader mix of uses, including residential. A new downtown living initiative is at the core of this effort to transform the City’s Downtown area into a vibrant destination.
• Newark’s 150,000 jobs represent the largest municipal concentration of jobs in New Jersey, but the city’s economy has the potential to provide a much higher quality and quantity of jobs for its residents. In order to more effectively meet the employment and training needs of Newark residents and to ensure compliance with funding regulations, the city has undertaken a restructuring of Newark Works (Formerly the Mayor’s Office of Employment and Training). The agency is now positioned to truly take the lead in local workforce development as the Operator of the Newark One Stop System as well as a One Stop Partner agency delivering Workforce Investment Act, Work First New Jersey and Workforce Learning Link employment and training services to Newark residents.
• Newark has formed the Brick City Development Corporation (BCDC). BCDC is a non-profit 501c3 public benefit corporation, which was formed and funded to become the key agent for economic development, business attraction and retention. BCDC has established relationships with city and state agencies, including NJ Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Economic Development Agency, and Newark Urban Enterprise Zone to promote and facilitate business development in Newark.
• To ensure that we optimize the value of the City’s assets, we have established a new city planning department to comprehensively coordinate planned development of the City’s neighborhoods and key growth areas such as the port. Likewise, we are restructuring our housing department to improve planning and services and developing a City wide strategy to create affordable and market rate housing.