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Black Horse Pike Economic Development Project Underway
For Immediate Release: May 30, 2008
Contacts: Andrew
Levecchia
Bellmawr, NJ – The Black Horse Pike Regional Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy project, being managed by the Camden
County Improvement Authority, is underway and community input is
important to this initiative. The purpose of this project is to
support local governments and businesses within the Black Horse
Pike region so they can, cooperatively, take greater advantage of
economic development opportunities within their communities. The
municipalities taking part in this project include: Audubon Borough,
Audubon Park Borough, Bellmawr Borough, Brooklawn Borough, Haddon
Heights Borough, Haddon Township, Mount Ephraim Borough, and Runnemede
Borough.
The
centerpiece of communications efforts for this project is a blog/website
located at http://blackhorsepike.blogspot.com. All meeting agendas,
presentations, summaries, as well as prior plans and studies can
be downloaded from this site. The consultant team and the Steering
Committee encourage the community-at-large to visit the blog/website
to view the posted information and comments and to provide suggestions
and ideas about the Black Horse Pike.
A Steering
Committee consisting of local government officials, business-owners,
and residents from each of these municipalities, will be taking
part in a series of monthly, topical meetings led by a consultant
team. The Steering Committee will provide valuable information about
what is needed to enhance the Black Horse Pike and increase its
regional competitiveness. The Steering Committee will also learn
about national examples of similar economic development initiatives
that may be relevant to Black Horse Pike. Several important suggestions
have already emerged from the initial questionnaire and meetings
that are being further examined.
Local
officials, business owners, or residents interested in attending
one of the Steering Committee meetings may contact Andrew Levecchia
at the Camden County Improvement Authority at andrewl@camdencounty.com.
The Steering Committee needs to have broad representation in order
for this initiative to achieve its maximum success. In addition
to the Steering Committee, we will be launching an online survey
by the end of May to solicit broad input about the region and suggestions
for improving this corridor.
The
project will have three outcomes:
- A
Strategy. The creation of a comprehensive economic development
strategy for the region. This document will organize and direct
local and regional policies, projects, and investments within
the Black Horse Pike municipalities. This document will serve
as a handbook for local officials to retain existing businesses,
attract new businesses, and encourage increased employment.
- A
Coalition. The formation of a multi-municipal economic development
coalition. The resulting coalition will carry the voice of the
local officials and business and civic leaders throughout these
communities and help implement aspects of the comprehensive economic
development strategy for the region.
- A
Plan. A series of “center-based revitalization plans”
that present new land use, design, and transportation concepts
and parameters within the Black Horse Pike area to promote responsible
and context-sensitive economic development.
The
consultant team will draft the regional comprehensive economic development
strategy (RCEDS) and the center-based revitalization plans (CBRP)
based on the information gathered from the Steering Committee, the
on-line survey, and other information gathering tools that will
be utilized.
The
lead consultant is Philadelphia-based Brown & Keener. Assisting
Brown & Keener is Urban Partners, also of Philadelphia.
This
project has been made possible by a Transportation and Community
Development Initiative grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission to the Camden County Improvement Authority.
For
more information, visit the project blog/website at http://blackhorsepike.blogspot.com.
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