Democratic Candidates Support for Madison Downtown Development

By David Luber

In a prepared joint statement, Democratic candidates for re-election, Mayor Conley, Council President Astri Baillie and Councilman Ben Wolkowitz underscored recent actions taken by borough government to enhance our downtown. Two such actions are allowing for outdoor dining and the serving of beer and wine and approving the proposed KRE development of the Green Village Road School property.

“Downtown is the heart of Madison” the candidates stated. “It is not surprising that over 1000 residents, local college students, and owners and employees of Madison businesses join together each year for the annual Downtown Development Commission (DDC) sponsored May Day cleanup.”

The candidates also noted that prospective home buyers, when asked why they are attracted to Madison, cite the beauty and quality of our downtown business district on their short list along with quality schools, safety (Madison was recently rated 19th safest town in New Jersey by Safewise.), and easy transit access to New York. When livability.com rated Madison 24th of the 100 Best Small Towns in the US in June, three of the specific qualities mentioned were our town’s “excellent educational options, cultural attractions and well-preserved historic buildings.”

Mayor Conley continued, “Astri, Ben and I believe that a vibrant downtown business community contributes to the overall quality of life in Madison. A vibrant business district includes attractive and successful restaurants that attract people to the downtown area. Because our restaurants have to compete with those in neighboring towns like Morristown, Chatham, and Summit, it is critical that we do what we can to promote our own. In May the borough council passed an ordinance permitting sidewalk dining including the serving of wine and beer. We supported passage of the ordinance because we believe that it is going to make a positive difference enhancing the appeal of our restaurants.”

Wolkowitz and Baillie added, “The development of the former Green Village Road School property by Kushner Real Estate (KRE) Group will have a significant impact on the town. The result of a joint collaboration between the borough government and the Madison Board of Education, this transit-convenient development will include 135 units of residential units, 7500 square feet of retail space, and 3000 square of space for community cultural events. This exciting new project will not only expand our downtown but significantly increase the foot traffic within our business district.”

Conley, Baillie, and Wolkowitz concluded, “Outdoor dining and the KRE development will contribute to Madison’s local economy. If re-elected, we will continue to look for other ways to make our downtown even more attractive to visitors, shoppers and diners. We will continue to work with the DDC, the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and individual business and property owners to find ways that borough government can help enhance Madison’s business environment.”