GUSCIORA TO CCRC: MODIFICATIONS NOT ENOUGH

State Building Redevelopment Plan Still a Missed Opportunity for Trenton

(Trenton, NJ) – Speaking on Wednesday morning, Reed Gusciora, Assemblyman and Candidate for Mayor of Trenton, issued the following statement in response to the Capital City Redevelopment Corporation’s (CCRC) modified proposal for the State Office Building Redevelopment Plan:

“It is my understanding that the CCRC has made some modifications to Governor Christie’s State Office Building Redevelopment Plan, which proposes to demolish the State Taxation, and Health and Agriculture buildings, and replace them outside the Capital City’s Transit Center, and Downtown Business Corridor. Specifically, these modifications include incorporating mixed use components in the new building designs, and constructing a thoroughfare between the existing Labor Building and one of the new office buildings to promote commercial access.

While billed as a compromise, this modified plan still does nothing to fulfill the mission of the CCRC to promote public and private economic development within the Capital City and Downtown Business District. It is unfortunate that the State’s commitment to infuse $250 million into Trenton will do little to encourage the economic development in some of the City’s most underserved areas, and that the bodies responsible for financing revitalization and redevelopment are more concerned with cutting on real estate costs than fulfilling their mission.

The fact remains that economic development in Trenton will only be achieved once State buildings enhance the business district; for instance, it is unlikely that residents or workers will want to use the new thoroughfare to access businesses at the Department of Labor, simply because of the distance from other Downtown attractions. In effect, this new “mixed use” component becomes a publicly-accessible cafeteria for State workers.

If the CCRC were truly interested in developing a public partnership that furthers economic development in the Capital City, then I would urge members to reject the proposal and relocate the proposed State Office Buildings to the Downtown Business Corridor, or within the Transit Center (or, ideally, both). The plan as it stands – even with modifications – represents another missed opportunity for the City of Trenton, and further evidence that Governor Christie’s priorities in promoting it were securing bond counsel fees for political cronies rather than revitalizing New Jersey’s Capital.

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