By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Four businesses, two nonprofit groups and one township resident were honored Wednesday morning at the Lawrence Township Growth and Redevelopment Committee’s 16th annual economic development awards program.
Nearly 100 people attended the event, which was held at the Brio Tuscan Grille at the Quaker Bridge Mall and co-sponsored by the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce.
Guest speaker Gerald Fennelly, president of NAI Fennelly Associates Inc., which is a commercial real estate brokerage, offered the audience some insight into the impact of the geographic movement of two generations at opposite ends of the spectrum — the Baby Boomers and the Millennials.
Baby Boomers are in the 51- to 66-year-old age group and Millennials are in the 19- to 31-year-old age group. They account for two major population groups that are thinking about moving at the same time, yet they have different needs, Mr. Fennelly said.
Baby Boomers account for about 50 percent of the population, and they mostly live in non-metropolitan areas because the cost of living is less and the pace of life is slower, he said. But Millennials are attracted to metropolitan areas. They want a community that is diverse, open-minded and has the presence of major universities.
"Wait a minute. Many of these characteristics are present in our area," Mr. Fennelly said.
While Lawrence Township is a suburban community, it may be possible to keep Millennials in the area because the immediate access to mass transportation — specifically, railroads — makes commuting to the city much easier for them. In fact, the population has stayed constant or even increased in communities along a rail line.
"Some Millennials view this area as their city, with mass transportation three minutes from here. They want to eat, sleep, work and socialize in a walkable, mass commuting area," he said.
Many corporations — mostly pharmaceutical companies — have moved to Lawrence Township and Mercer County, creating about 2,000 new highly technical and high-paying jobs per year, he added.
Another issue is that "even though Millennials have access to transportation, they have a different need for entertainment close to where they work. Their biggest complaint is that the suburban areas don’t provide this," Mr. Fennelly said.
While he is not advocating building more bars, "events like the Ironman competition, downtown festivals and similar entertainment venues help to keep a diverse population coming back with significant tourism dollars, which equated to $1.2 billion in Mercer County last year," he said.
"So in spite of all this movement we are reading and hearing about at both ends of the generational spectrum, I believe the net effect on Lawrence will be neutral. But this won’t go without some work and continued effort on our part," Mr. Fennelly said.
"Lawrence has great potential as we look forward. The housing stock exists to satisfy all generational needs. Smaller is better, with walkable entertainment and mass transportation. (And) the potential exists for continued business diversity, bringing in other types of companies," he said.
Then it was time to hand out the Growth and Redevelopment’s economic development awards — starting with the Mayor’s Award, which was given by Mayor Cathleen Lewis to the nonprofit Lawrence Township Education Foundation. The foundation gives grants to teachers, which encourages them to create a unique learning environment, the mayor said.
The Ralph Copleman Environmental Award was given to the Friends of the Lawrence Nature Center. In accepting the award, Anne Demarais said there is a "unique partnership" between Lawrence Township, which owns the property at the end of Drexel Avenue, and the nonprofit group.
"The award recognizes our mission is successful," Ms. Demarais said. That mission is to help children make the connection with nature. Future generations will be able to enjoy the preserve eco-system that exists at the property.
The New Building/Renovation Award was given to Bellacina Kitchen & Bath on Brunswick Pike. It is located on the site of a former piano business. The owners spent much money to renovate the space, and hired mostly local contractors, said committee member Charles Lavine, who presented the award to the new business’s owners.
The New Small Business Award was given to the owners of the Route 1 Diner, which is located in the former Crystal Diner space — also on Brunswick Pike, down the street from the Bellacina Kitchen & Bath business. Committee member John Conroy said the transition "from a good business to a better business was seamless."
Drs. Michael and Melissa McCue of Colonial Valley Chiropractic received the Business Service Award for their role in the annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s fundraising efforts for childhood cancer. The event, in which participants agree to have their heads shaved, has raised about $650,000 over several years.
And finally, Kathlinda Saretsky received the Podmore/Dwyer Historic Award. Each year, Ms. Saretsky — who lives in the historic Anderson-Capner House on Ohio Avenue — opens her home to second-graders at the Slackwood Elementary School students. The goal is to educate children on the importance of historic preservation.
"It is my pleasure to share the house with the second-graders. They really ‘buy into it.’ They think I knew George Washington personally," Ms. Saretsky said with a laugh, as she accepted the award.

