NEWARK DOWNTOWN DISTRICT (NDD) RECIPIENT OF DOWNTOWN MERIT AWARD BY THE INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION
During its most recent annual conference the International Downtown Association recognized the Newark Downtown District with a Downtown Merit Award for its work and initiatives related to its cutting edge Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, designed to maintain their multimillion-dollar Streetscape Improvement Project.
Specifically, the Newark Downtown District’s GIS Technology is a web based Geographic Information System, which combines a public information and education portal with a real-time complaint tracking and asset management solution. Competing against 73 submissions from countries all over the world, the Newark Downtown District won this award as proof of the organization’s commitment to create successful programs and strategies to recruit new businesses or to improve retention efforts in the downtown business district. “The NDD has consistently made efforts to come up with innovative ways to improve the downtown central business district and make it a thriving metropolis,” said Russell Tepper, NDD Board Member and Capital Committee Chairman and Vice President of Development for Matrix Development Group, a NJ-based, privately-held, full service real estate investment and development firm with significant ownership and investments in downtown properties adjacent to Newark Penn Station.
The Washington, D.C. based International Downtown Association (IDA) is a champion for vital and livable urban centers, and strives to inform, influence, and inspire downtown leaders and advocates. With 600 members and thousands of friends, IDA is a guiding force in creating healthy and dynamic centers that anchor the well-being of towns, cities, and regions.
“Once the NDD Board of Trustees made the commitment to bond the $10 million dollars to improve public streets with decorative lighting, trash receptacles, decorative tree pits, planters, granite curb-cuts, and benches, it presented me with the challenge of ensuring the longevity of these elements,” Anthony McMillan, Executive Director of the Newark Downtown District, said in the news release. “Our GIS technology is composed of three aspects: a website, handheld reporting devices, and numerical barcodes. Barcodes are placed on every asset and the handheld device is utilized to scan the coordinate location for status monitoring. The website is utilized for logging reports and delegating repair tasks to the appropriate entity. The public portal allows people to view and interact with a map that displays key locations by category; users can pan and zoom around the map and view links to additional information about upcoming events, transportation options, and the many amenities available in Downtown Newark.” Mr. McMillan continues, “The NDD’s website’s GIS map also shows the improvements being made to the Downtown District Improvements and uses layers to display our improvements by category on the map. Users can link to a map interface to submit a damage report for any asset in the district—for example, if a business owner notices that the NDD planter in front of their business was hit by a vehicle and cracked, they can use the map to zoom to their location and select the planter. Basic information and a photograph are displayed on the map to confirm that the correct planter was selected; they can then select the option to “Report Damage” and automatically submit a damage report to NDD Management. Additionally, a user that submits a report is notified automatically when the report is assigned for repair and when the issue has been resolved. “
It is clear to see why the NDD’s GIS Management System was the recipient of the 2010 Downtown Merit Award by the International Downtown Association.
The Newark Downtown District is the advocacy and management organization representing the interests of property owners in downtown Newark, NJ, and is a member of the International Downtown Association.
