Broadway Businesses Want You Seeing ‘The Best of Fair Lawn’

Geographically speaking, Broadway in Fair Lawn is a connecting road. It leads into Route 4 in Elmwood Park to the west, and Route 4 in Paramus to the East.

But in terms of the area's image, the Broadway Special Improvement District (SID) has much greater plans.

"We want to change the entire look of Broadway," Bob Beshlian, president of the Broadway Improvement Corporation, said. "We want to make it into a destination rather than just a place you drive through."

The special improvement group–established by the borough's Broadway Advisory Committee in 2007–helps the district improve the visibility of signs and train stations, add benches, secure grants and loans for included businesses, and improve aesthetics, among other initiatives.

Primarily depending on volunteer work from people in the community and beyond, the Broadway SID works with the Broadway Improvement Corporation and the borough to achieve its goals, Beshlian said. The group also has one paid consultant to work on the financial aspects of its endeavors. A board of directors from the borough and local businesses also works on much of the planning for the SID.

Beshlian said the SID is working to enhance Broadway's visuals by improving crosswalks and by making the divider on the highway clear, rather than just a gray brick fixture. Volunteer groups have also helped clean up litter and debris from the highway.

The signs for the town, businesses, and the train are also important to the Broadway SID.

"Lots of people would just drive straight through and not even see the train," Beshlian said. "They also wouldn't even know they were in Fair Lawn without the new signs."

Some of the businesses on Broadway that have worked with the SID are JJ's Pub, Chicken Galore and Columbia Bank. One current program the group instituted to help local businesses is the Broadway Bucks promotion, which people can enter to win $25 gift certificates for use at 10 different businesses on Broadway. Registration for the event is found on the SID's website.  

Beshlian said two other North Jersey towns–Hasbrouck Heights and Paramus–are examples of why it would benefit Fair Lawn to further improve the business district on Broadway.

"I think that Broadway can work like the Boulevard with all the businesses in Hasbrouck Heights," he said. "It can help with taxes and takes pressure off of the homeowners. If you own similar homes with one in Paramus and one in Fair Lawn, the Paramus owner is going to be a lot less in taxes thanks to all of the businesses."

Beshlian said that although the businesses are an important priority, but re-emphasized how much the image that Broadway means to Fair Lawn.

"This might be the only part of Fair Lawn people see as they drive through," he said. "So we need to make sure people see the best of Fair Lawn!"