Matawan revitalization

entering a new phase

Brookdale program to give town ‘a boost,’

says mayor

MATAWAN — In this tiny borough of historic buildings and a downtown commercial district struggling to make a comeback, there’s a new sense of excitement .

The Borough Council recently approved $3,000 to retain the input of eight architecture students at Brookdale Community College in Middletown under the guidance of Professor Edward O’Neill to create a more pleasing streetscape in the downtown business area.

The inaugural meeting between the students, who will design streetscapes in accordance with guidelines provided by the borough, Mayor Robert Clifton and representatives from the Downtown Matawan Alliance (DMA) and the Matawan Historical Society took place March 1 at the Matawan Community Center.

The study area is along the center portion of Main Street, from Cartan Lane to Summit Street.

"This program with Brookdale is a psychological boost for all of Matawan," Mayor Clifton said.

Although the inaugural meeting drew only about 25 residents, fewer than had been hoped for, more meetings are planned.

One resident questioned the intent of this program, whether it was for aesthetic or business purposes.

"This program will give us the ability to create an ambiance to enhance business," answered Downtown Alliance Director Ralph Treadway. "We’re not competing with the malls, but revitalization will certainly make it more attractive for people to shop in downtown."

"Right now there is a collage of many different buildings, unattractive signage, and unsightly power lines," added Robert Montfort, president of the Historical Society and member of the Historic Sites Committee. "By making it prettier, it will increase business."

The eight Brookdale students are Andrew Burian and Vincent Parise, both Middletown; Glenn Dantuono, Manalapan; Ralph Delia, Long Branch; Shuhel Kawogoe, Tinton Falls; Mark Kinn-Gurzo, Manasquan; Al Stewart, Union Beach; and Keith Wickersty, Marlboro.

Although this project is the first of its kind for these students, former Brookdale architecture classes have worked on similar projects in the North Middletown and Campbell’s Junction neighborhood commercial districts in Middletown and on two different projects in Red Bank.

With the North Middletown project, Middletown was able to secure $150,000 in grants via a booklet proposal submitted by the Brookdale students. For this project, the students will be rendering a similar booklet proposal.

The Matawan target area has a mix of architectural styles, including Victorian, Queen Anne and Colonial. The area just south of the study area, from roughly Summit Street to Route 34, dates almost exclusively to the 19th century, with 80 percent of the buildings having been constructed between 1830 and 1900.

The Downtown Alliance, in conjunction with the Historical Society and the Borough Council, has moved the revitalization program to this stage of dialogue and design, with the Brookdale partnership viewed as the first step in a long-term project.

Currently in Matawan, there is no historic district, and a Downtown Preservation District covers only two blocks. The possibility of a historic area designation is something that will be addressed in the near future.

Fred Sklenar, a Downtown Alliance board member, said that what is presented by the students, called the "deliverables," will be used toward the overall assessment of architecture in the downtown and surrounding areas.

The next phase for the students will be to develop design principles and apply them to the various styles of architecture.

At the next meeting O’Neill said that the students sitting beside him will be the ones to field the questions. He figures about three more meetings will take place, though no dates have been set.