NEWARK SHOWCASES COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR
IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
Halsey St. Block party event to include art exhibitions,
live music and movie screenings for Newark residents and visitors
Newark, NJ – September 24, 2009 – Mayor Cory A. Booker and Deputy Mayor for Economic and Housing Development Stefan Pryor, along with leadership from Brick City Development Corporation (BCDC), the Greater Newark Convention and Visitors Bureau, Glocally Newark, the Newark Arts Council, The Newark Downtown District and Rutgers Business School launched a three-week block party and showcase of Halsey Street in downtown Newark today.
The showcase will include the closure of Halsey Street between the blocks of Central Avenue and Bleeker Street on September 24, October 1, and October 8 between 5:30 – 10:00 pm. Programming for the consecutive Thursday evening events include art displays to decorate vacant windows in commercial buildings in partnership with the Newark Arts Council and featuring local artist Jerry Gant and other area galleries; open mike and musical entertainment; vended crafts and street dining with local establishments 27 Mix, Coffee Cave, Art Kitchen and Newark Art Supply. Each event will also feature an outdoor presentation of a motion picture that was filmed, partially or fully, in Newark – “Brick City: Episodes One and Two” on September 24; “War of the Worlds” on October 1; “Cadillac Records” on October 8.
“We are celebrating Newark’s excellence as a cultural and dining center as well as its attractiveness to major filmmakers by hosting a three-week block party in our historic Halsey Street,” Mayor Booker said. “Residents and visitors alike will experience Brick City’s diversity, talent, and spiritual strength. I congratulate our partners on this event and welcome everyone to join us for our Block Party.”
The Halsey St. Block Party celebrates the emergence of the Halsey corridor as a vibrant destination. The festivities are part of a pilot program designed to promote the revitalization of key retail and mixed-use corridors within Newark’s neighborhoods.
“With support from BCDC and other partners, restaurants and retailers have begun to make Halsey Street into a vibrant stretch for both daylife and nightlife and a premier destination for the entire region,” said Deputy Mayor Stefan Pryor who is Chairman of BCDC. “This Block Party series shines a light on the emerging excitement along Halsey Street and will attract more energy, foot traffic, and investment to this critical corridor. Thanks to our multiple partners for joining with us in preparing and launching these festivities.”
Halsey Street enhancements for the pilot program will include streetscape, lighting, and other features. In addition, programs and incentives for small businesses through the Brick City Development Corporation and the Rutgers Business School Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development hope to increase the access and investment opportunities for entrepreneurs along the corridor. Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corporation served as a consultant to a working group of institutions and organizations to help make these events happen.
Details for the Halsey Street Block Party can be accessed at www.GlocallyNewark.com, on Facebook at the “Halsey Street” fan page or at twitter.com/HalseySt.
-NEWARK-
Contact: Press Information Office - (973) 733-8004
Pressoffice@ci.newark.nj.us
Garnesha Crawford - (973) 943-1353
Brick City Development Corporation
crawfordg@bcdcnewark.org
About the City of Newark, New Jersey
Newark, commonly referred to as Brick City, is the third oldest city in the United States and the largest in New Jersey, with a population of more than 280,000 people. Newark sits on one of the nation’s largest transportation super-structures including an international airport, major rail connections, major highway intersections and the busiest seaport on the east coast.
With a new Administration as of July 2006, Newark continues to see signs of a strong revival. In population, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the northeast. Its six major colleges and universities are further expanding their presence. The production of affordable housing has doubled, businesses are returning and crime is going down. There is still much work to be done but Newark is on its way to achieving its mission: to set a national standard for urban transformation.
For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website at www.ci.newark.nj.us
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