By George N. Saliba, Editorial Assistant

An aerial view of the City of Trenton.

When viewing an aerial photograph of Trenton, it's hard to tell what's new in New Jersey's historic capital city. The baseball stadium, which appears as a minature diamond, is surrounded by parking lots, a highway and nearby buildings. However, a closer investigation of the state's capital reveals that it has been steadily revitalizing for more than a decade, has many new developments and has a healthy sense of accomplishment.

"The biggest thing that excites me," says Trenton's Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, "is that corporations are eager to do business in Trenton now. It's exciting because I have been mayor for 12 years and 12 years ago if anybody showed any interest in Trenton it was like "Well, at least somebody is interested." But now we are more pragmatic and we are building on our successes."

One of those recent successes is the opening of the Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Hotel, located on Lafayette Street, not far from the Delaware River. The hotel, adjacent to the War Memorial, is a short distance from the New Jersey State Capitol Complex and Battle Monument Park, where General George Washington defeated Hessian mercenaries during the Revolutionary War.

With 197 guestrooms that have voicemail and cable TV, the hotel also boasts an 108,000 square-foot executive conference center with 11 meeting/conference rooms. It even has a 6,015 square-foot ballroom that divides into three sections.

Palmer says the addition of the hotel is one of the most significant changes to take place in Trenton in recent years because it allows people to spend the night in the city.

"The hotel's occupancy rate is getting better and better each week," he enthuses. "There's a strong interest around the hotel area. We're looking at developing businesses for retail and other restaurants around the Warren Street area."

Trenton is also looking to develop some of the city-owned parking lots, turning them into structures with retail stores on the ground levels and "decked" parking levels above the stores. "We look at that as being a compliment to the hotel," Palmer says.

But the city is also moving beyond the hotel and parking lots. The XArena is a project that could happen. The 230,000 square-foot facility would be built along Route 1 near Olden Avenue and would be used for motocross (off road motorcycle) riding. It would have two tracks with a pro-shop, restaurant and nightclub.

The mayor says XArena would be a $25-million project. "I didn't realize [motocross] was such a big market, but it is," he says.

Besides that possible arena, Trenton is working with the developer, Pennington Properties, to build 222 market-rate rental units behind Trenton's justice complex and alongside the William Trent House. The housing development, Trent House Square, will include 132 apartments, four live/work town homes and 86 regular town homes.

"We see that as very positive to bring these kinds of market-rate rentals into that area," Palmer says, "which will help us also provide more in terms of our retail commerical economic base."

Palmer notes that the market-rate housing project and the XArena are each $25-million projects that would bring approximately $2 million dollars in combined tax revenue.

Advance Realty, Bedminster, also has its finger in Trenton with the recent opening of a new 930-car parking garage on the Trenton waterfront, near the intersection of Cass Street and Route 29. The garage helps fill the parking requirements for state government employees, parking for the Trenton Thunder baseball games and for special events.

That's not all Advance Realty has planned. Ultimately, the developer expects to invest $100 million that will include 400,000 square feet of Class A office and retail space, an additional 930-car parking garage, a restaurant on the water and 200 conventional multi-family housing units. The Hillier Group is serving as planner for the redevelopment planning.

Palmer says Trenton is also expecting the addition of two full-service supermarkets in the western section of the city. He says the city wants to expand the light industrial park in the West Ward (the former Hill Refrigeration site) to two light industry businesses.

Besides business growth, Palmer says there is a tremendous amount of rehabilitation taking place in neighborhoods that aids in home ownership. Also, the city currently has "approved plans" to build four new schools and renovate six.

That construction hopefully will start next year. Palmer says it will help "link those schools and the community schools and will enable us to do development in and around those schools as well."

All these changes on the economic and housing fronts have altered this city of 85,403 people with a workforce of more than 50,000.

"I see more business people coming here," says Palmer. "I see more empty-nesters and younger people moving to Trenton. And that's why we want to continue to build more quality market-rate rental properties for now and build some market-rate homes as well."

Trenton businesses are doing well, too. Patrick M. Ryan, president and CEO of Yardville National Bank, which has a Lalor Plaza branch (in south Trenton), says he has been pleased with his Trenton business.

"We're very satisfied with the banking business that we've been able to do in our Trenton office and certainly hope that the City of Trenton continues to revitalize itself both physically and economically."

He adds, as a member of the business community, that "We have to recognize that Trenton is part of our total Mercer County and state community. Our efforts to revitalize that area are going to be extremely important as we go forward in time."

Trenton is more than business, however. It is a historical city. Located at the intersection of North Broad Street and Brunswick Avenue, Battle Monument Park will receive a facelift via the state-funded Green Acres program, an Urban History Federal Grant and city funds. The restoration calls for cast iron benches, curbed walkways and special lighting along the perimeter of the park, among other changes.

"The restoration of this park is important because it will enhance an already revived neighborhood and continue improving the quality of life for residents as well as vistors to this historic site," says Palmer.

The nearby 7,000-seat Waterfront Park stadium, which opened over eight years ago is home to the Trenton Thunder minor league baseball team and has a healthy attendance record.

Mercer County Executive Robert D. Prunetti says the stadium "continues to be successful. We had a couple of tough years because of all the construction down there, but even in those tough years, we sill draw in about 400,000-500,000 people each season."

The stadium has been part of a broader waterfront revitalization that includes a park to be built on top of the recently opened Route 29 tunnel. The $105-million tunnel was built to improve access to the city as well as through the city. It is a means to get to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and to Interstate 95.

"The fact that you couldn't [previously] get through that area easily made it difficult towards development," Prunetti says. "Now there's an easy thoroughfare and, in fact, the tunnel has made [that area] even more pedestrian friendly."

North of the waterfront, on Hamilton Avenue, one finds the Sovereign Bank Arena, home to music concerts, hockey games, basketball games and various other events. The arena, which can seat 10,500 during a full-house concert, houses seven concession stands, three bars and two grills. It is easily accessible from all points north and south and is fully equipped with an in-house broadcast system and production studio.

"I think the perceptions that Trenton is dangerous and there's nowhere nice to go are beginning to fade and we are starting to get more positive impressions and that really was generated by the arena and the baseball stadium, particularly," Prunetti says.

On a related note, the city is working on developing the area across from the Sovereign Bank Arena. The developer, Keating Partners, of Bala Cynwyd, Pa., will build office buildings, a sports bar/restaurant, a parking garage and a YMCA fitness center.

"We've already signed our developer agreements "hopefully they'll be breaking ground sometime late this fall. They are in design right now" they still have to get some site approvals," says Prunetti.

Manex Entertainment, Inc., the California-based company known for its special-effects work in movies such as The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, may open shop Trenton.

At press time, Prunetti said it would only be a few more weeks until "final documents" were signed. He added that Manex's move would "bring at the outset, 500 jobs."

Performa Entertainment Real Estate, Inc. of Memphis, TN may develop restaurants, shops and bars along South Broad Street. Prunetti says Performa would include market-rate housing as part of its development.

He adds that the possible plans are "a little beyond discussion. . . We have had extensive talks and we are just preparing contracts to be signed and approved by the Mercer County Improvement Authority."

For any part of the city that is distressed, help can come from The Economic Development Corporation for Trenton (EDCT), a private, non-profit real estate development corporation that was created in September of 2001. Its goals are to "facilitate economic and community development within the City of Trenton." For EDCT to accept a project, the project must benefit an economically distressed Trenton area by employing local residents and have an "assumption of 'social covenants' by contractors and other businesses participating in the project."

Palmer says Elgin Clemens is the executive director of EDCT. "He, with a very strong cast of regional businesses in the area, have put up money and they are helping us in our developments in the downtown area."

The City of Trenton is growing in all the right directions, is getting the assistance it needs and is poised for exciting growth in the years to come.

Mayor Palmer sums it up well: "For the City of Trenton to continue to move forward, we certainly need a strong working relationship with the private sector, as it relates to looking at Trenton to do business. We also need state government to work with us as partners and we need smart growth."