After more than half a century of suburban growth and expansion, people are

returning to our inner cities. A major study released last year by Rutgers University declares that inner cities are poised for a dramatic period of growth and revitalization.

I have seen a similar trend in Orange. Our population increased from 29,000 in 1996, at the time of the city’s nonpartisan election, to the current 33,000. And this growth is expected to continue.

Going Places A portion of this growth is attributable to the city’s excellent access to public transportation. By rail, Orange is approximately 15 minutes from Newark and less than a half hour from Manhattan. Interstate 280 connects with the vehicular network. Given our strategic location and the rising cost of energy, we anticipate benefiting from the current trend towards Smart Growth redevelopment.

A New Start for Abandoned Properties And Smart Growth has come to some of our most distressed neighborhoods. As recently as six years ago, Orange had over 300 vacant problem properties concentrated in three neighborhoods. These properties had a corrosive effect upon local quality of life and threatened neighborhood stability in a city already burdened with a home ownership rate of only 26 percent. City officials and community groups focused serious attention on developing strategies for eliminating this blight.

Today there are fewer than 80 vacant problem properties and only about one quarter of those are long standing problems.

These (derelict) properties had a corrosive effect
upon local quality of life and threatened
neighborhood stability in a city already burdened
with a home ownership rate of only 26 percent.

In addition, Orange is the first municipality in New Jersey to adopt an ordinance allowing the city to use the newly enacted Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act, which I am proud to have sponsored. Among its other attributes, this ordinance redefines the balance of rights between private owners and the community, enabling the city to apply more aggressive tax foreclosure and demolition procedures to these properties.

Thanks to the nonprofit community group HANDS Inc. and its “High Impact Strategy” for neighborhood revitalization, these properties have been rehabilitated to like new condition and sold to first time homeowners. The “High Impact Strategy” targets the worst problem properties and clears away title obstacles, so that properties can be rehabilitated.

And finally, for the first time in 35 years the municipality has embarked upon a comprehensive update and revision of its master plan, evaluating housing with the whole array of planning elements: transportation, open space, recreation, utilities, economic development, historic preservation and zoning, among others. The new plan will be completed by the end of this year.

Orange will continue to promote infill renewal, but to really advance growth, redevelopment plans have been formulated to promote low-rise, market-rate owner occupied housing of approximately four stories. This brownstone model thrived at the turn of the 20th Century and promoted the tightly knit urban centers of the past. The city plans to devote its efforts to major revitalization concentrated in three areas.

East Main Street Currently an area of primarily vacant, underutilized retail, body shops and junk yards, East Main Street will be redeveloped with market-rate owner occupied housing and a few retail outlets, keeping the retail focus along the balance of Main Street.

Central Orange The largest redevelopment area, Central Orange was the site of the blighted Father Rasi public housing project. Residents have been relocated and the site cleared. This year a mixed income housing development known as Essex Court will be built in its place, for very low, low and moderate-income households. Additional mixed-income housing will be built in Orange as replacement housing for the housing project. Most of the Central Orange redevelopment area will become new market rate housing, with hundreds of units and supporting facilities such as retail outlets, day care, open space recreation, and other services being proposed.

The first building to be redeveloped in the Central Orange Redevelopment Area is the historic Chronicle Building. HANDS acquired the badly deteriorated landmark just off Main Street near the Orange train station — saving it from demolition. The building is now being rehabilitated for commercial use.

Central Valley The third redevelopment area was formerly the home of manufacturing centers and the international capital of the hatting industry. The abandoned factories, which remain, are largely the legacy of the residential-industrial city of 100 or more years ago. Many of these obsolete vertical buildings will need to be adapted for use as market rate housing. Two examples of this type of development are the Highland lofts redeveloped in the late 1990s and the proposed Valley Renaissance Center in the former F. Berg hat factory which will include 29 market rate condominiums, supporting retail, and a community arts space for arts programs, workshops and events. HANDS has acquired the Berg site and worked through the remediation of significant environmental issues and safety with both EPA and NJDEP.

One Neighborhood — Two Towns Orange and West Orange are working together on a strategic revitalization plan for the Valley neighborhood, which spans the two municipalities. With the support of a Department of Community Affairs Smart Growth planning grant, the two municipalities are looking to revitalize this former industrial neighborhood. This section of Orange is also known for its upscale, multi-star rated restaurants.

The Valley is the first neighborhood in New Jersey to receive the Department of Community Affairs’ approval for its comprehensive neighborhood plan. The approval qualifies the area for special corporate tax credit contributions with corporations who contribute funds receiving a 50 percent tax credit. The Valley Revitalization Initiative uses the arts as an engine for improving the neighborhood, enhancing education, attracting businesses and creating jobs and careers.

Each of these redevelopment areas is within a five to ten minute walk of one of the two Orange train stations or a third station in nearby East Orange. We are working to upgrade our train stations and seeking an increase in Midtown Manhattan Direct
commuter rail service. The town’s rail initiative also includes adding convenience stores at the stations and improving bus linkage.

To really advance Growth, redevelopment plans have
been formulated to promote low-rise, market-rate owner
occupied housing of approximately four stories.

Schools Benefit from Abbott Funding Main Street School, opened last September, and was the first school completed with Abbott schools funding. In fact, it is the first new school building built in Orange in more than 30 years. Almost $150 million of Abbott funding is available to expand and renovate many other Orange public schools largely built between 1880 and 1931!

The cycle of progress will continue as this larger tax
base allows us to provide improved and increased
public facilities and services for the people
of a fully revitalized City of Orange.

A Plan for the Next 20 Years Today Orange is on track and tomorrow we will have arrived. Over the next 20 years, we will build upon a stabilized housing inventory. Our excellent location and new market rate housing will continue attract new citizens. In turn, the area will attract even more upscale commercial development, which will enlarge our tax base. The cycle of progress will continue as this larger tax base allows us to provide improved and increased public facilities and services for the people of a fully revitalized City of Orange.

Feature Article in March 2005, New Jersey Municipalities