WESTWOOD, N.J.—Mayor Ray Arroyo was optimistic at the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce annual mayors breakfast Jan. 29, noting, “I know folks are concerned about empty storefronts—losing L&N Grand and recently The Canteen—and that the former Jos. A. Bank site sits subdivided and empty.”
But, he said, “I think folks who haven’t been in town that long may not have the full picture and may tend to put more significance in empty storefronts than is warranted.”
At the gathering at the Iron Horse Restaurant, Arroyo cited research from Celebrate Westwood and the Westwood Chamber of Commerce, with data assembled and organized by Historic Preservation Commission members Camille Sesena and Lauren Letizia.
He said facts show that from 2015 to now “There have been 50 new, expanded, or relocated businesses within the Central Business District (CBD) and Central Business District/Special Pedestrian Environment.”
Although the sight of any empty storefronts is “jarring,” he said, the stores that have closed have been “mostly corporate chain stores, typically in standalone buildings occupying unsustainable oversized footprints.”
He cited Gap, Jos. A. Bank, and Chico’s as examples.
“Their leaving supports a ‘brick and mortar retail is dying’ narrative but it doesn’t quite tell the whole story,” Arroyo said.
According to Arroyo, “National big box brand names are fading to several small businesses that are filling the empty storefronts. These smaller profile enterprises fit so seamlessly into the CBD that we may not even notice the transition.”
He said the net gain of businesses in the CBD/SPE in the past five years is 13, with 25 businesses closing and 38 opening. A third of the closed businesses were either chain stores or medium sized regional franchises such as Muscle Maker Grill.
Arroyo said 92% of new CBD/SPE businesses and all relocations and/or expansions were by small businesses, and such “churn and dynamism was evident in all parts of the CBD.”
Among the borough’s success since 2015, Arroyo said, are renovations and new projects such as Farmhouse Cafe & Eatery, the expansion of Hanami Restaurant, the addition of Kimchi Smoke Barbecue, the expansion of Westwood Ophthalmology, “and the privately funded $300,000 renewal of the sidewalks and tree wells.”
He said the once empty Gap building was renovated in 2016 and now features three retail uses fronting Westwood Avenue, two retail food uses fronting Center Square, and two luxury apartments.
In 2018 the 35,000-square-foot Westwood Regional Veterinary Hospital replaced the racquetball club on Kinderkamack Road.
Last year work began on the old Parian Jewelers site, which will be converted to a ground floor food use and utility spaces above.
Also last year, he said, Westwood Prime Meats expanded into the former Chico’s storefront with Prime Eats, “a multi-generation family of old-school butchers— now gourmet food purveyors as well.”
Arroyo characterized such work as “ongoing evolution guided by thoughtful and deliberative planning and zoning adjustments.”
“That five-year slice saw in the neighborhood of $45 million to $50 million of private equity invested in our CBD/SPE, with potential investors lined up and poised to invest more,” he said.
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