The Bayonne Urban Enterprise Zone (BUEZ) came onboard in 2002 and in those 16 years, prospects for enterprises of all kinds have continued to improve.
At the helm of the operation is BUEZ Coordinator Terrence Malloy, and his longtime assistant, DeeDee Bottino. Together, they continually strive to improve Bayonne’s shopping district and promote business activity. This is done not only with advertising, but with the sponsorship of family activities, music and cultural events, and programs designed to help beautify the shopping district. Popular events that the BUEZ have had a hand in include holiday celebrations, sidewalk sales, classic car shows, concerts, the Bergen Point Fall Festival and Bayonne Hometown Fair.
The BUEZ has used various funds, grants, and donations to help create jobs and boost business. It has been instrumental in Bayonne’s development and has lent its hand to many projects, including converting a brown-field site which is now The Bayonne Crossings Shopping Plaza, development of the Maidenform factory to SilkLofts, and purchasing land for the development of the 19 East 19 luxury rental building.
Helping local businesses launch and thrive is important to the BUEZ team, continually striving to beautify the Broadway shopping district. Initiatives such as Clean Team, building façade improvements, security cameras, and street paving are only part of the multi-dimensional plan.
Outdoor Art
The BUEZ, in partnership with the The Bridge Art Gallery, facilitated a renewed cityscape, with local artists painting seven utility- and fireboxes in Bergen Point and a mural on the light rail bridge. Residents will recall that the bridge featured an ad for a long-closed Burger King. Another mural is featured behind European Day Spa, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Last summer seasonal flower boxes were placed on nearly every corner on Broadway. The BUEZ plans to introduce life-size bronze statues on Broadway. “Our goal is that by beautifying the area, we will continue to attract new people and new businesses,” Bottino said.
Fairs and Festivals
The BUEZ had a hand in reviving the much-loved Bayonne Hometown Fair, which had a two-day debut on Broadway between 22nd and 24th streets in June 2015. It was popular in the 1990s, and nostalgic Bayonne natives with memories of Ferris wheels and fair fare, re-launched it with play houses, face painting, mini-golf, bands, karate, cheerleaders, police cars, health units, souvenirs, and tons of fun food.
“Bayonne is becoming an initiative-driven town,” Adam Semanchick, president of the Bayonne Theater Company, told the Bayonne Community News. “Individual people are taking initiative, such as with the Hometown Fair.”
Bottino also organized 2016’s Bergen Point Festival. The fair, which took place on a beautiful October weekend, featured food, apparel, prizes for various contests, musicians, and artists, with galleries and restaurants opening their doors to fair-goers.
“We try to help highlight the Bergen Point merchants and remind people who live uptown about the unique appeal of this business district,” Bottino said at the time. “We’re also working to help promote the area and attract people beyond the border of Bayonne. Bergen Point is very convenient and is just a short walk from the 8th Street Light Rail Station.”
The Soul of the Street
The Music on Broadway series, which debuted in fall 2016, is hosted jointly by the BUEZ and partnering businesses. The concept started as a monthly music show at the Bayonne Community Museum. “Music Mondays at the Museum was a hit, but it was only once a month and we wanted to do something more for businesses.” Bottino said. The popular program has been successful in promoting Bayonne’s musical talent, while boosting traffic in the shopping district every Friday. “Restaurants or taverns pay a portion of the musician’s fee for that artist to perform at their location,” Bottino said, adding that the BUEZ is trying to encourage local businesses to experiment with unique ways to attract new business. “Stephanie Tych, co-owner of The Rock, a pub in Bergen Point, told BCN, “We almost never have music in here. I thought it would be perfect to give our customers something different.”
Cheryl Mack, co-owner of the Bridge Art Gallery, which also hosts musicians, said, “It makes live music accessible, so people don’t have to leave Bayonne to find it.”
Heritage and Cutting Edge
“Bayonne is unique in Hudson County,” BUEZ Coordinator Terrence Malloy told BLP. “It’s a city of over 60,000. It’s always had a hometown feel about it, which we want to maintain while attracting new residents.”
Noting that Bayonne has a lot to offer both longtime residents and urban adventurers, he said, “We want to bring Bayonne forward with great neighborhoods, quality homes, and new luxury development, while maintaining its hometown character.”—Kate Rounds.
