TRENTON-- After working on a city-wide market study for the past few months, Mayor Eric Jackson presented the findings to a room of nearly 100 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Trenton today.
"We're now again a very attractive city for economic development," Jackson said at the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce event.
The market study determined that there are five main "pillars" that will improve the capital city: density, industry, diversity, quality of life and retail development.
"But before we can talk about development and redevelopment, crime has to be under control," Jackson said, noting crime is down about 20 percent year over year, and violent crime down about 40 percent for the same period. Jackson credited these decreases to Police Director Ernerst Parrey.
"As we all well know, economic development is only motivated by strong public safety," Jackson said.
Trenton's Director of Housing and Economic Development Director Monique King-Viehland outlined the city's plan for the next few years. She said the city needs to find ways to encourage people to both live and work in the city.
"People in the city of Trenton are spending their money, but they're spending it out of the city," King-Viehland said.
The city has developed a plan to restore spaces, such as the Roebling Complex and the former Bell Market Building, and turn them into storefront and apartment spaces in an effort to bring not only new residents in, but also more jobs.
"Trenton is poised and well positioned for businesses, and the welcome mat is out to show it," Jackson said.
The City Council previously said it is trying to get the many vacant buildings and properties in the city redeveloped.
In November, the city council unanimously passed an ordinance that would charge a fee to the owners of vacant properties that remain without a redevelopment plan.
"You can no longer sit on a property for ten or fifteen years and not pay a fee and not have a plan of how to develop it," King-Viehland said.
The city council is also conducting a housing-conditions study to be published this year that will provide a "micro-understanding of the neighborhoods in the city," King-Viehland said, as well as running quarterly local contractor meetings to give insight to Trenton's workers about job and growth opportunities.
"There is still much work to do," Jackson said. "The best is yet to come."
Brielle Urciuoli may be reached at gurciuoli@njtimes.com.Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.