Revitalization Reports

Current Initiatives

Revitalization/Subcommittee Reports
Mall Advisory Committee Report to Cape May City Council

February 6, 2007

Since Dec.’06, our diverse group has met four times. Participation from the Revitalization Committee include Tom Carroll (HPC member); Skip Loughlin (HPC chair); Jim Wyatt (Kiwanis); Hugh McCauley (professional planner); and Hilary Pritchard (Mall Merchants). In addition, valuable community input has been offered by Jinny Hesel (retired school administrator living in Village Green); Cindy and Bill Huf (owners of Good Scents on the Mall), Jim Moffat ( Cape May Stage board member), and Christine Miller (leader of last summer’s Mall Referendum.)

After discussions and brainstorming, the group identified short and long range goals.

It was agreed that the Washington Mall is a unique public asset; the centerpiece of our town. We aspire to provide residents and visitors with a small town, historic, well landscaped, gathering place. Traffic and pedestrian flow are vital concerns so that residents and visitors are able to navigate the area safely, including access for emergency vehicles. It is a “Community Mall” that needs to accommodate strolling, shopping, dining and “people watching.”

Positive discussions about Mall Merchant responsibilities and partnerships with the City resulted the following suggestions that could be implemented immediately for the upcoming 2007 season:

Short Range Goals:

1. Recruit cooperation from Mall Merchants to fix up the “back side” of the Mall; it is, actually, the first thing that visitors see when parking behind the Mall. Creating more attractive trash and recycling enclosures, painting and beautifying buildings and appropriate signage will benefit everyone.

2. Coordinate recycling efforts and enforce ordinances so merchants and restaurants do not leave trash, beer kegs, cardboard, etc. out in public view. Stronger ordinances may be needed that include fines for violations. Allow merchants to use City Recycling area and/or change recycling day so debris is not sitting out all weekend. Acknowledge owners who set good examples.

3. Purchase new trash and recycling containers (approved capital expense) that would “dress up” the Mall and coordinate with final design standards. Paint bicycle racks and place them appropriately to encourage bicycle riders and reduce automobile parking.

4. Contract or hire a professional to oversee design, planting and maintenance for all planters and trees on city property. Plan ahead for rotating seasonal displays. A landscape professional has offered to donate design services on the Mall for this year.

Discussion with Mall Merchants has resulted in a pledge of cooperation.

Long Range Goals:

1. Explore the possibility of a remote parking area for mall staff, with frequent shuttle service during peak parking hours. Due to the large number of business employees who drive into Cape May (upwards of 200 cars per day), a remote lot would relieve some of the parking pressure in the perimeter area around the Mall.

2. Improve access to the Mall for visitors by creating remote parking options with shuttle service, networking with bus and train lines.

3. Promote Rotary Park for additional entertainment and as a venue for art shows and events that have outgrown the Mall. The Parks and Gardens advisory committee is looking at ways to make the space more attractive and to use the space more effectively.

4. Create a downtown Business Improvement District (BID), funded by businesses, to help defray costs of marketing, maintenance, beautification and special events in the downtown business area.

Washington St. Mall Infrastructure and Re-surfacing Project is seen as an important priority. Funding is already in place for all underground infrastructure repairs, and all survey work has been completed. This advisory committee is united in the opinion that the above- ground work should be done once and done right. Many trees are sickly and have outlived their life expectancy; pavement is patched and uneven; pedestrian flow needs to be improved. The use of historic looking, natural materials that will hold up in a high traffic environment is favored over a quick fix, even if the scope of work in each phase has to be reduced. In order for work to begin this November, city engineers need to begin seeking bids in April. This advisory committee would like to offer the following ideas and compromises to the original Mall improvement plan:

Phase I - Resurfacing of the three core blocks of Washington Street Mall, with key walkways to Rotary Park, Lyle Lane and Carpenter’s Lane and a slight widening of Perry Street sidewalk.

Eliminate “public plaza” concept from in front of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church (consider Rotary Park as new festival space).

Eliminate extension of pavers across Ocean Street towards Victorian Towers.

Work with Conectiv to remove or at least reduce size of Electrical Transformers. If structures must remain, integrate small flower stall or newsstand to disguise them.

Other cost saving measures include: utilize existing Victorian style benches; leave Rotary clock in current location; reduce number of water features from three to two.

Improvements worth investment include: Purchase of new recycling and trash containers, planters and light fixtures. Install irrigation system, unless planters are removable.

Unify the Mall by extending new surface materials across Decatur and Jackson Sts.

Plant shade trees with deep taproots, surrounded by metal tree grates.

Basic idea of layout: Recreate the “feel” of the original Washington Street, by using red brick that extends 10’ from storefronts to create a “sidewalk” for window shopping and easy access to stores. (Currently there are bushes, small trees and planters that act as obstacles). Next , a 12” stripe of gray granite would create a “curb” effect . The original plan called for bluestone or fieldstone to comprise the main “street” area which would be wider and shady with trees, benches, flower boxes and an additional strolling lane. If natural materials in this area are deemed too costly, exposed aggregate could be substituted. There are concerns that concrete may be too slippery, would crack over time and may be difficult to keep clean. All surfaces would be at the same level to accommodate wheelchairs and baby strollers.

It is hoped that as a result of the proposed compromises, the total cost of the project could be reduced substantially, bringing the entire project closer to a figure of 2.5 million dollars. It is difficult to know how much the costs have risen in the past year, and waiting another year may push costs up even higher.

Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas with you. We look forward to next week’s visit from Rhodeside and Harwell. Let’s continue to be the “second most visited place in New Jersey”. Hopefully, residents and business owners will join together to help assure that the City of Cape May will be known for its civic pride, historic charm and economic opportunity.