Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced yesterday that Newark is embarking on a planning process that will involve stakeholders and residents in creating a shared vision for the city’s Port-Industrial District. The Forward-Bound Doremus Plan, will aim to balance the needs of industry, the environment, and community while positioning the city for increased economic and environmental resilience as the region enters an exciting period of rapid growth.
The public, the media and all stakeholders are invited to participate in the Virtual Project Launch Presentation of Forward-Bound Doremus, a Redevelopment Plan for the Port-Industrial District, on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 6 p.m. This will be a 90-minute presentation on Zoom and Facebook Live to introduce participants to the project goals, team, process, timeline and how to get involved.
“Our port area is essential to Newark’s economy,” said Mayor Baraka. “It provides thousands of jobs for residents, but it is also a major source of pollution causing serious illness in the nearby community. We are creating a comprehensive planning process that brings together residents, businesses, environmental leaders, city officials and other stakeholders to chart the future of the Doremus area. We can plan a future for the Port-Industrial District that is healthy, clean, and environmentally sustainable while strengthening economic vitality and preserving community values.”
A rethinking of how the Port District operates is necessary because:
* Frequent and increasing flooding is causing disruption, health risks, and financial losses.
* Pollution from trucks and other industrial sources is making people sick
* There is a need to invest in aging infrastructure – road networks, sewer, rail, and electric.
* The encroachment of industrial uses into residential areas has made it critical to better manage the interaction of industrial and non-industrial uses.
* Rapid change in maritime shipping coupled with rapid loss of industrial land near the port make it necessary to rethink land uses.
The prime consultant for the Port-Industrial District Redevelopment Plan is WRT, an award-winning, national practice of planners, urban designers, architects, and landscape architects headquartered in Philadelphia.
The planning process will advance in four phases between now and May 2021:
* Phase 1: INITIATION – Project Launch + Existing Conditions Analysis (February – October 2020)
* Phase 2: EXPLORATION – Issues and Opportunities + Concept Plans (November-December 2020)
* Phase 3: VALIDATION – Plan Development (January-March 2021)
* Phase 4: DOCUMENTATION – Draft and Final Redevelopment Plan (April – May 2021)
Information on how to access the project launch presentation via Zoom and the City of Newark Facebook page can be found at https://newarkehd.com/planningzoning/doremus
