Small Business Committee in Borden Town- Idea for Cranbury?

[Guest]

I saw this today and the idea may be a good one for Cranbury considering the TC interest in helping out Cranbury Businesses. More of the story can be read at: http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-18/1261464312229840.xml&coll=5

Committee striving to bring new business to Bordentown
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Beth Fand Incollingo
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Marguerite Mount believes that Bordentown City has it all.

But that isn't enough, the lifelong resident says.

Mount has always appreciated the mile-square city's accessible waterfront, walkable downtown filled with restaurants, galleries and stores, and variety of housing options just minutes from major highways.

Now, as the leader of a new, volunteer Economic Development Committee, she wants to bring new business opportunities into the city -- and more customers in.

It isn't that Bordentown City's downtown has been significantly hurt by the recession, said Mount, a certified public accountant who serves as a managing director of the Mercadien Group, a financial services firm in Hamilton.

"We want to just continue to enhance it," she said, "and make it a better place to work, live and play."

Meeting since June, the seven-member committee of local business, planning and government representatives has identified its goals for the historic city and is ready to get to work.

Its five-point plan will involve gathering opinions from business owners about how the downtown should be developed, collaborating with Bordentown Township next door, keeping housing in good shape and intelligently marketing the city -- all under expert leadership, Mount said of the group created at the behest of the city's board of commissioners.

To get the plan off the ground, the committee will identify concerns and ideas by surveying members of the business community, Mount said, noting that one goal will be to bring shops into town that may not be "destination businesses" but will generate customers for existing galleries and stores.

In a city where restaurants are one of the biggest draws, she said, "you'd want to look at bringing in some more office, daytime workers, and not just relying on night traffic."

[Guest]

The downtown businesses would never go for this. They are just concerned with their own little piece of turf. Just look at the way they blocked the stores near Dey Rd. They are not inventive or modern enough for real growth, happy to hide behind the historical nature of the town. Hopefully Bordentown will get a better group then we have on Main Street. Btw... a bank, coffee shop/bakery, pizzaria, shoe repair, dentist, used bookstore and 3 interior designers won't spark the imagination of other businesses looking for new digs.

[Dan Mulligan]

Earlier this I year during the business association candidates night I proposed the idea of having a volunteer position for the town to help bring businesses to Cranbury. The concept I presented was to have this person or persons go out and meet with businesses in the area which may want to relocate or open another site in our town. Businesses that would make sense and compliment what we already have. Further I brought this same idea to the attention of the Township Committee in November when they reviewed the findings of the subcommittee for the business community. I still feel such a position of a volunteer to help advocate for Cranbury and help to bring in businesses that make sense would be a good idea for the long term development of our business community. Hopefully it is something we will see happen in 2010.

[Guest]

Where will parking be for a new business? The street? Or maybe sweetwaters parking lot. I'm sure they will love that.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Parking will be fine... We need more businesses in this town to make people want to come... Look at New Hope, there are tons of businesses and everytime we go there we can never find a spot, we might have to park a little ways away, but that is OK. We need more businesses in this town , but who would want to start one is the question? There are to many rules the township has to even think about starting something. A deli would be great - but you have to find a person willing to do it... We will not let anything in this town and that is sad. Look at Jamesburg, they have a subway right in town and its made to "fit" the town. I am not saying lets go for franchises, but we can try and offer business owners incentives to come to this town. We are NOT the only historic town in the country - but for some reason we seem to be the only historic town that makes it hard to move new business in this town and keep them!!

[Guest]

The entire Planning Board should be replaced.

[Guest]

I remember one time this town had a lot of businesses and it was great to go shopping. We had Harrolds, the stitch nitch, the cranbury cook, the pharmacy, the deli, the cranbury food sampler, at one time there was a coffee place. I wish there were more places for shopping

[Guest]

From a rumor I heard, the Planning Board has denied a strip mall out on South River Road. Probably because the "Downtown" businesses are afraid of any competition.
I just can't understand why they will not allow any new businesses to start up in Cranbury.
I do absolutely "NO" shopping in downtown Cranbury, it has nothing to offer !

[Guest]

[Guest]

There was no srip mall denial that I heard. I did hear the zoning board denied a hotel and shops at the end of Dey Rd. The problem is that the area is not zoned for stores or hotel there. If the zoning board says yes to that then any developer can challenge and cite the approval that was granted. If the board says no to the next developer then the town ends up in court and will likely lose.

If they decide that stores should be allowed then the zoning needs to change.

[Guest]

The business association spoke out at this meeting against the project. They are out of touch . Why would they be against a new business project? They are only for business if it already exists on Main street.

[ByeByeBuick]

On a somewhat related note, did anyone else notice that the Perrine auto dealer on Rt 130 seems to be in the process of closing down? I drove past Sunday and all its inventory was gone! Not that I expected something otherwise for a dealer of a bunch of now-dead GM brands, but that could well be another Cranbury business that bites the dust.

[Guest]

Perrine might just be moving inventory around to clear the snow, I hope they are not going out of business.

Something needs to be done about Cranbury fighting every business trying to get in here!
TC members PLEASE get to the bottom of this and allow some good businesses into town.

I would love a WAWA or 7-11 so that I don't have to drive out of town to make purchases or pay $3-5.00 for a cup of coffee on Main Street that isn't that good anyway.
I want to support Cranbury business but I can't find one I want to support other than the occassional pizza or Chinese food.

[Guest]

[bumpkin]