Regional Center Partnership Announces Community Grants

The Regional Center Partnership of Somerset County has approved the 2020 Challenge Grants to benefit the member municipalities of Bridgewater, Raritan and Somerville.

The goal of the Regional Center Partnership (RCP) Challenge Grant Program is to help achieve the broadly accepted Regional Center vision that includes creating vibrant connections within the Regional Center, increasing pedestrian movement and bicycle usage, strengthening Regional Center resiliency and sustainability, enhancing natural resource protection, and supporting economic development and downtown revitalization. Funding is made available on a year-to-year basis depending on other planned work program activities.

The overarching goal of the 2020 Challenge Grant program is to support efforts to bolster the resiliency and economic recovery of the Regional Center in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its profound impact on the local, state and national economy and quality of life. Funds can be utilized with broad discretion to support activities directed towards strengthening resiliency and/or economic recovery efforts.

Bridgewater will use the matching funds to reinvigorate the “Shop Bridgewater” program in which residents obtain “Shop Bridgewater” cards that will allow them to enjoy discounts at participating Township merchants. Funds will be used to purchase cards, fund necessary equipment purchases, improve the web site, and create a promotional campaign.

Raritan applied for and will receive matching funds to support a year-long effort to bring new economic life to the central business district. The first program will be a traditional Christmas Market that will make available holiday merchandise and gifts along with holiday refreshments.

The second initiative will engage the Economic Development Committee to select various store fronts and seek applicants to set up retail operations for a period of six months.

Somerville will utilize the matching funds on a project in partnership with the Downtown Somerville Alliance to establish a location for pop-up retailers. The initiative will include identifying appropriate commercial space, negotiating a master lease with the property owner, engaging a contractor to prepare the space, and developing and implementing a plan to attract retailers.

For information on Regional Center programs and initiatives visit www.rcpsomersetnj.org, email info@rcpsomersetnj.org or call James Ruggieri of the Somerset County Planning Division at 908-231-7021.

BACKGROUNDER

The Somerset County Regional Center is the strategic center of the County consisting of 12.6 square miles encompassing Raritan Borough, Somerville Borough, and a portion of Bridgewater Township. The Center is connected by U.S. Route 206, U.S. Route 202, U.S. Route 22, NJ State Route 28, and I-287 with public transit options and serves as the focal point of County government and the regional economy.

The Regional Center designation illustrates the State Planning Commission’s support for:

• achievement of policy objectives in priority areas for economic growth and investment

• encourages development and redevelopment by reclaiming brownfields, and a broad range of planning and

implementation initiatives

• makes available priority funding for economic and community programs that provide for assistance with redevelopment in existing downtown business districts, new infill development opportunities, and residential and non-residential development along major highway and mass transit corridors

• will foster more effective mass transportation linkages and may provide priority funding for key intersections, corridor improvements and improved pedestrian accessibility

• makes available priority support for open space concepts by planning and designing new and existing active recreation facilities, for passive open space acquisitions, and for new and existing historic preservation and revitalization programs.

PRESS CONTACT: Rich Reitman 908-526-1390 or 908-400-6061