To revitalize Old Town Newark as a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood, with a strong sense of place, thriving retail and commercial businesses, a range of housing choices for existing and future residents, a streetscape that prioritizes bicycles and pedestrians, and public space that allow community members to gather with their neighbors.

This Specific Plan brings together over 30 years of planning and analysis of Old Town to identify a grand vision that is matched by clear realistic steps for implementation. Relatively low commercial and residential rents have been a benefit for small business, workforce housing, and social equity in the neighborhood. However, these low rents have prevented revitalization goals expressed in previous planning documents: the cost of construction is too high to support redevelopment. This Specific Plan aims to implement long-standing goals for revitalization, including new multi-family and residential mixed-use development, by responding to current market conditions and State housing requirements. At the same time, this plan, along with State law requirements, provides steps to maintain the existing housing stock and avoid displacement of existing residents and businesses.

Purpose

This Specific Plan fulfills the following purposes:

• Vision: Expresses the vision for public improvements and private development through the 2040 planning horizon.

• Implementation: Articulates the steps to achieve this vision through private development, improvements to the public realm, and community participation; provides a set of tools to communicate future development potential; provides more certainty to the development community; and guides City staff, decision-makers, and community members during individual project review.

• Zoning Amendments: Modifies zoning standards in the Commercial Mixed Use (CMU) and Residential Medium (RM) districts to align development standards, use requirements, and design standards with current market conditions and building types.

• Streetscape Improvements: Identifies a streetscape plan for Thornton Avenue as a catalyst for revitalization. The streetscape plan will complement improvements in the private realm and create a safe, attractive, destination for residents and visitors, whether on bike, foot, or in a vehicle.