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Actually, A.C. could easily get into the Green Electric industry and fishing simultaneously. By building offshore windmills and then using the to create gigantic offshore fish farms, Atlantic City could not only power the entire state, but feed it too. There are a myriad of benefits that Atlantic City could reap from this without disrupting ocean views, reducing green house gases, providing more food, and actually helping the tourist industry.
What it really need right now, is for the casinos, (the largest job providers in the region, even my town half an hour away has a substantial number of people who work for them) government, and people to work together for a change.
Atlantic City needs to (IMO)
*raise the boardwalk up above the dunes so that people
*focus on Atlantic and Pacific Avenues, they could be BRILLIANT retail areas
*fix up City Park
*fix the Boardwalk w/o shortening it.
*FINISH REBEL FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!!
*focus on building offshore windmills
*improve transportation on all of the island
*improve transportation to Philly (day trippers), NYC (weekenders), and Southern NJ (commuters)
A.C., like Newark, Camden, and Trenton is a key city in the revival of NJ.
Also, it's the Inlet and Venice sections that are the worst.
AC has a long way to catch up to Jersey City , Paterson , New Brunswick , Rahway , but with a few things it will get there. I would target crime and off the boardwalk area. Fill up the vacant lots with Dense Housing for the Middle Class and wealthy. Re-zone off the boardwalk , upgrade the transit network. AC , Newark , Camden , Trenton , Elizabeth ,all have a long way before i will put them in the Category , with the turned / turning around cities. But i do beleave they will get there. The state needs to start cleaning out the corruption and sending more $$$ to fight Urban Crime.
OK, first off, Paterson is a toilet. Jersey City is a toilet except for one neighborhood, New Brunswick is a conglomeration of illegal aliens and college students. There really are ZERO urban success stories in New Jersey right now, and the only reason why Jersey City has a few wealthy blocks and Hoboken gets high rent is because of what's across the river.
You want to revive A.C.? You start by reducing crime. Period. Nobody - nobody - will live in a crime-infested city. Now, the city council and mayor's office is so unbelievably corrupt, that will never happen. And God knows the people who live there will never elect representatives who are pro-police, pro-cleanup, etc. So the state needs to take over the whole city. Yes, even our dysfunctional state government is better than A.C.'s motley crew.
Second, you start with tax breaks and incentives. The COL in Atlantic County is less than up north. Use that to the city's advantage. Lure pharmaceutical and environmental companies away from Mercer and Middlesex counties. The city is an hour away from Philly and close to three colleges (Stockton, Rowan and RU Camden). There's no "brain drain" in the area - you just have to KEEP people in the area once they graduate!
But it all starts with reducing crime. The issue, ironically, with A.C. is that all of the towns that surround it (save Pleasantville) are nice, affluent family communities. Why would anyone move to a crime-ridden ghetto when they could go next door to Brigantine, Linwood, Northfield, etc. etc. They need to get crime under control and start gentrifying BIG TIME. Convert the old row-houses into nice places. Knock down the projects and let the cockroaches scurry away somewhere else. The city SHOULD be successful - both from tourism and from other industries that can be invited in.
OK, first off, Paterson is a toilet. Jersey City is a toilet except for one neighborhood, New Brunswick is a conglomeration of illegal aliens and college students. There really are ZERO urban success stories in New Jersey right now, and the only reason why Jersey City has a few wealthy blocks and Hoboken gets high rent is because of what's across the river.
slightly off topic, but Hoboken is still an "urban success" story.
As for A.C., and all the other cities in NJ, the key is jobs and getting people to change their role models and start caring again.
slightly off topic, but Hoboken is still an "urban success" story.
As for A.C., and all the other cities in NJ, the key is jobs and getting people to change their role models and start caring again.
Indeed it is IMO, but regardless, who holds the master criteria for what an 'urban success' story is in the first place?
Also: I don't think crime reduction is the final answer. While crime reduction is important, think if Newark had very low crime rates: It would still be one of the nation's poorest cities, the city would still need assistance, and the budget would still be stretched beyond limits.
Also: I don't think crime reduction is the final answer. While crime reduction is important, think if Newark had very low crime rates: It would still be one of the nation's poorest cities, the city would still need assistance, and the budget would still be stretched beyond limits.
Why would it be one of the nation's poorest cities? If crime went down and it was an acceptable city in which to raise children, non-poor people would move in.
There's nothing patently wrong with our urban areas except for the crime rates and (because of this and the overall crime-accepted culture) the schools. Reduce crime and people will start moving in - people who will take pride in their city and beautify it, only adding to property values and the overall desirability of living in the city.
OK, first off, Paterson is a toilet. Jersey City is a toilet except for one neighborhood, New Brunswick is a conglomeration of illegal aliens and college students. There really are ZERO urban success stories in New Jersey right now, and the only reason why Jersey City has a few wealthy blocks and Hoboken gets high rent is because of what's across the river.
You want to revive A.C.? You start by reducing crime. Period. Nobody - nobody - will live in a crime-infested city. Now, the city council and mayor's office is so unbelievably corrupt, that will never happen. And God knows the people who live there will never elect representatives who are pro-police, pro-cleanup, etc. So the state needs to take over the whole city. Yes, even our dysfunctional state government is better than A.C.'s motley crew.
Second, you start with tax breaks and incentives. The COL in Atlantic County is less than up north. Use that to the city's advantage. Lure pharmaceutical and environmental companies away from Mercer and Middlesex counties. The city is an hour away from Philly and close to three colleges (Stockton, Rowan and RU Camden). There's no "brain drain" in the area - you just have to KEEP people in the area once they graduate!
But it all starts with reducing crime. The issue, ironically, with A.C. is that all of the towns that surround it (save Pleasantville) are nice, affluent family communities. Why would anyone move to a crime-ridden ghetto when they could go next door to Brigantine, Linwood, Northfield, etc. etc. They need to get crime under control and start gentrifying BIG TIME. Convert the old row-houses into nice places. Knock down the projects and let the cockroaches scurry away somewhere else. The city SHOULD be successful - both from tourism and from other industries that can be invited in.
Why do you hate the cities so much? ,even when they provide 60% of the states jobs. Most of them are turning around , New Brunswick , Rahway , Linden , Elizabeth , Paterson were never as bad as Newark. All those cities are turning them-selfs around. The problem in this state is ppl don't realize that with alot the cities , the suburbs would be ghost towns.....Suburbs and Cities work together........You seem to no nothing about the Urban areas except old facts and fear mongering ....
...(because of this and the overall crime-accepted culture)...
Bingo, there's the source of many of our problems. The fact that people WANT to be criminals living on welfare selling drugs with 15 kids all with different fathers. People need to start wanting to be successful and to start taking care of things, starting with themselves and their children. We need to stop with this glorification of "the ghetto". I live in an area with many holocaust survivors, these people know NOTHING of life (and the many attempts made by the Nazi's to end it) in "the ghetto". It's time that people start caring and trying to fix their cities, as opposed to keeping them down for fear of "outsiders" taking away their welfare money.
Why would it be one of the nation's poorest cities? If crime went down and it was an acceptable city in which to raise children, non-poor people would move in.
There's nothing patently wrong with our urban areas except for the crime rates and (because of this and the overall crime-accepted culture) the schools. Reduce crime and people will start moving in - people who will take pride in their city and beautify it, only adding to property values and the overall desirability of living in the city.
Perhaps I am not as optimistic, I just can't see folks moving in on account of low crime. It is expensive to build in Newark, combine that w/ the desirable prices it doesn't command doesn't paint a pretty picture.
Also, the red tape in the city government and certain residents resisting change seriously hamper progress. The Mulberry St. Prom should have been built but was shot down in favor of tire shops, car dealerships, etc.
You seem to no nothing about the Urban areas except old facts and fear mongering ....
I "no" nothing excepts facts? Hmm... that's one to digest.
Anyway, I would argue that there are far too many people who play down the very real safety threats in most of our state's cities. And also, for what it's worth, the suburbs probably would be ghost towns if the cities were livable - meaning low crime rates, good schools, strong communities, good honest residents. The bottom line is that except for a couple notable exceptions in Hoboken and a small area of Jersey City, nobody lives in urban areas unless they have to in this state.
I don't hate the cities. However, I hate the fact that these municipalities are on welfare courtesy of the rest of the state (mostly due to Abbott and machine-driven penchants of politicians to shovel money into these places) which drives our taxes through the roof. I say it to you all the time and I'll repeat it: If these cities are so successful and have so much commerce and provide so many jobs, why can't they support their own municipal budgets and school systems? If you need billions of dollars in state aid to support the basic functions of government, your city is a failure.
Anyway, it argues that A.C. problems truely began as early as the end of Prohibition in 1933. Though, the massive exodus of roughly half of the population in the post-war period seems to be the real undoing of the city. In fact, during WWII A.C. had 66,000 people, now it is down into the 30,000's. Anyway, as you all know the city tried to turn itself around by returning to its sinful roots and allowed for casino gambling in the 1970's. However, the opening up of so many other casinos around the country is helping to prevent A.C. from truely recovering from the recent downturn. Too much competition. So what is Atlantic City going to do? Is gentrification possible? It does not seem like an ideal place to gentrify, especially when there are so many other nice communities in Atlantic County. Could the city attract other industries besides entertainment? I understand that there is now a rail service directly from NYC and NEwark that goes straight downtown. However, it is not helping too much. If you were elected Mayor of A.C., what on earth would you do?
Secondly, I am just a bit curious. The article mentions a "northside" of Atlantic city that has always been poor. Is this the area up by the lighthouse and marina? If so, what are the rest of the neighborhoods in AC like? Are different areas (away from the casinos) different from each other or is it as simple as casino areas vs. ghetto areas? Are there even different neighborhoods in AC that have different income and safety levels or is it all the same? Please explain.
I am interested in AC since reading that article. It seems to be such an important city (despite its small pop) that is simply really down. I am hoping that AC, like Newark and Paterson, can see a turn around, but I want to hear from other people on what the possibilities are.
AC's successes were built upon "illegal" activities in the 19th century, so unless the city makes some drastic changes (like having more tourist family-friendly attractions or allowing the going-ons of today's "illegal" activities) it may not have much of a chance. As an Atlantic County resident, I'm rooting for AC to become a success story! South Jersey can certainly use one.
Honestly, I can't tell you exactly where all of the AC districts are (don't know them by their names). However, there is a poor section north of the AC walk and Convention center; that may be the "northside," I'm not sure though. I believe there is a poor section by the marina & lighthouse (near rt. 30). There's poor sections all throughout AC.
For AC to make a comeback, the cutting down of crime would certainly be a big help. However, the nasty mix of corruption and law enforcement makes it very difficult.
Making AC more "family-friendly" would also be a big help. Ocean One (a mall of the boardwalk) was a great place to send the kiddies when you wanted some alone adult time. My mom used to let my cousin and I go to Ocean One together when we were younger. There was an assortment of stores, fast food joints, and an arcade downstairs!
Too bad they knocked it down and built The Pier instead many years ago. The only thing good about that place is that you can sit on the chairs on the 2nd floor and "feel" like you're on the beach while overlooking the beach and boardwalk. It's all about the "high rollers" nowadays and The Pier (with the fancy, high-end outlet stores and ghost-town bars/clubs)...
Although AC is about 40-something miles east of Philly geographically, it is NOT really "close" as say Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City is to NYC in terms of public transit. Take the AC rail line from AC to Philly or drive on the AC Expressway/42 to Philly sometime, it's not considered close at all! The AC line takes an hour and then some to get from the AC Convention Center to 30th Street in Philly. Oh, and the trains run about an hour apart each! And depending on the time of day, you can encounter heavy traffic on the expressway and then even more traffic when you get into Philly. You're only alternatives to the AC expressway (from AC to Philly) are rts. 40, 322, and 30. These are even WORSE!!!
Despite the lack of both major roadways and decent mass transportation, the encouragement and welcoming of other industries could also possibly save this city. Maybe with its wind farms (located off of rt. 30 a few miles past Absecon), AC could attract "green" energy companies.
When the casinos open up in the 70's you didn't NEED a college degree to get a job at the casinos. Heck you didn't even need a H.S. diploma to work there (my mother worked at Caesars for 25 yrs and only had a G.E.D.). Since times have changed and a Bachelor's degree is considered the "new H.S. diploma" nowadays, AC would not only have to attract college-level skilled business (law & accounting firms, tech & pharmaceutical companies, etc.) to attract college graduates; the city would also have to bring in businesses that have a lot of low-skilled (education wise) job positions for those without the college education.
This can boost the city's income and wealth big time...attracting people from surrounding townships and towns, stimulating a need for major improvements in SJ public transit. Job creation and sustainability is one of the most important elements in the making of a successful city!
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The only thing good about that place is that you can sit on the chairs on the 2nd floor and "feel" like you're on the beach while overlooking the beach and boardwalk. It's all about the "high rollers" nowadays and The Pier (with the fancy, high-end outlet stores and ghost-town bars/clubs)...
The AC line takes an hour and then some to get from the AC Convention Center to 30th Street in Philly. Oh, and the trains run about an hour apart each!
And depending on the time of day, you can encounter heavy traffic on the expressway and then even more traffic when you get into Philly. You're only alternatives to the AC expressway (from AC to Philly) are rts. 40, 322, and 30. These are even WORSE!!! 
