None of us will be satisfied with New Rochelle’s redevelopment efforts until we experience the street-level commercial energy that makes a downtown successful and attractive. I believe strongly that residential growth inevitably leads to a healthier business climate, as additional customers create a market for current and future entrepreneurs, but the City is eager to accelerate this process.
This presentation to the City Council describes a pilot initiative for what our planning team is calling the “Vanguard District” around North Avenue, Lecount Place, and Anderson Plaza. Within this area, the City will experiment with a variety of approaches,including physical enhancements and financial incentives, aimed at achieving a critical mass of retail and service energy. Successful strategies can then be applied across a wider portion of the downtown.