Gloucester Township has been awarded a 5-year designation, including an initial $125,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP). Pending annual State budget capacity, the Arts District in Downtown Blackwood is anticipated to receive up to $125,000 a year for a total of five years to assist with economic and community development.
In addition to funding, the State’s NPP Team of place-based revitalization experts will provide a robust array of technical assistance and training to guide and empower this local effort. The focus will be on revitalizing the Downtown Blackwood section of Gloucester Township.
“I am thrilled to announce that Gloucester Township will be receiving the NPP Grant this year to further enhance and revitalize the Arts District in Blackwood section of Gloucester Township,” said Mayor David R. Mayer. “Though efforts at revitalization have been made in the neighborhood, the support of the NJDCA and the funding available through the Neighborhood Preservation Program will have an enormous positive impact on the community!”
The program is designed to increase place, economic, civic and social value. It seeks to achieve this by enhancing buildings, streets and a district’s entire physical realm, by supporting and coordinating small business recovery, growth and sustainability, and by marketing district events and activities while also engaging local stakeholders in planning and relationship building.
The state’s NPP Team will work closely with the municipality and the stakeholders to support an array of bottom-up efforts that create visible and tangible change, leverage other public and private resources, and address real needs and aspirations of the Gloucester Township’s Arts District stakeholders, including residents and business owners.
An NPP Coordinator with support of a local NPP Stakeholder Team will create an NPP Implementation Plan that combines significant community engagement, local knowledge, and hard data. The resulting Implementation Plan is an achievable and comprehensive set of projects and programs that address local needs and build on local assets in its NPP District.
In total, 31 communities applied for only 20 available NPP designations. Gloucester Township is part of this new group of 20 communities that include Atlantic City, Wildwood, and New Brunswick among others.
Gloucester Township is seeking feedback from people who live, work, shop and eat in Gloucester Township Arts District for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP). The online survey will help determine the projects and priorities designed to revitalize and rejuvenate the area located in downtown Blackwood section of Gloucester Township and boost economic growth. The deadline for completing the survey, which is available in multiple languages, is Friday, Dec. 31. Go to www.GloTwp.com to help us create a community-driven vision for the future of the Gloucester Township Arts District.
For more information, please call 856-374-3515 or rcaristo@glotwp.com
