2025 NJ Downtown Conference & Excellence Awards
October 23, 2025 – Join us in Flemington for the 2025 NJ Downtown Conference & Excellence Awards where industry experts will provide insights about downtown management best practices.
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TOD in Your Downtown Forum: Filling the Gaps: Infill for Transit Connected Communities
September 30, 2025 – Panelists from public agencies, municipal government, and the private sector will share strategies for building on vacant or underutilized sites near transit—including surface parking lots, brownfields, and other parcels with untapped potential.
Retail Reset: Trends Shaping the Future of Downtowns
June 26, 2025 – Join us for a dynamic panel discussion featuring experts in development, retail strategy, design, and dealmaking. This session will explore emerging retail trends impacting walkable downtowns, strategies for attracting and retaining tenants, and the evolving relationship between restaurants and retail.
Op-Ed: Don’t Fix What’s Not Broken – Preserve New Jersey’s Tip Wage
Restaurants across the state thrive on a system where tips are a meaningful part of take-home pay. But now, Assembly Bill A5433 threatens to upend that system. The bill would
eliminate the tip wage and require employers to pay tipped workers the full minimum wage before tips.
The Starbucks Dilemma: A Tragedy of the Commons
Starbucks recently reversed its open-door policy that allowed members of the public to utilize seating and bathroom facilities without the requirement of making a purchase. The move reflects a growing concern about loitering, disruptive behavior, and even drug use, which has surfaced inside Starbucks locations in both urban and suburban settings, creating an uncomfortable environment for paying customers and staff.
Planning Support for New Jersey’s Downtowns: Emerging Centers Grant Now Open for Applications
The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) is accepting applications for its Planning for Emerging Centers Program, which helps municipalities advance plans for walkable, transit-supportive, and economically vibrant communities.