April 1, 2002

RCP, CITY TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR TRAIN STATION PLAZA

RAHWAY, NJ – Mayor James Kennedy announced this week that the city and the Rahway Center Partnership have won an Excellence in Downtown Award from Downtown New Jersey, Inc., in the category of public space for the new plaza in front of the NJ Transit train station downtown. Kennedy and representatives from the Rahway Center Partnership will receive this award from Downtown New Jersey on Thursday, April 11 at 6:00pm at the Nassau Inn in Princeton.

The plaza features benches, landscaping, flagpoles and a kiss-and-ride area for commuters. It is home to the RCP’s seasonal farmers market, baby parade and other public events. Construction on the plaza began in April 2000 and was completed later that summer. Vermont-based firm The Cavendish Partnership designed the plaza, and Viola Contracting Company of East Orange performed the actual construction work. The $600,000 project was funded by a combination of city, state and federal monies.

Downtown New Jersey acts as an advocate for downtown commercial districts in New Jersey by providing information and educational opportunities for both the professional and volunteer leadership of downtown revitalization organizations, by recognizing the best efforts of these organizations, by tracking judicial and legislative issues which would affect the success of New Jersey's downtown commercial districts, and by providing opportunities to foster communication among the business, political and professional leadership of towns which are concerned with the well being of their downtown commercial districts. For more information, visit http://www.downtownnj.com.

“The success of our train station was not fully realized until the completion of the plaza,” said Kennedy. “It has provided needed open space for our residents, been a focal point of culture and positive activity downtown and has brought in a variety of private developers who are interested in the new growth downtown. The plaza was a major factor in attracting a developer to build a hotel on the site of the old gas station at the corner of Irving and East Milton Avenues. The city is pleased to receive this award from Downtown New Jersey for redeveloping our central business district around a transportation hub and amenity like our train station. I would like to especially thank Rahway Center Partnership Director Ray Mikell and the RCP Board for their support and promotion of this great public space.”

The $16 million NJ Transit train station was completed in 1999 and serves approximately 2,600 rail commuters daily.