Middlesex Chamber Invites Business Owners to Meet the Mayors

The Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce invites local businesses and companies to take advantage of its "Meet the Mayors" series.

Organizations join the chamber to "Be in the know," said Alex Hollywood, Executive Director of the Chamber.

The purpose of the series is to provide a forum for chamber members to learn about the initiatives in their communities and network with their community leaders, she said.

On March 28, the mayors of New Brunswick, Cranbury, North Brunswick, South Brunswick and Plainsboro were the featured speakers at the inaugural "Meet the Mayors" event.

The focus of the forum was economic initiatives and tourism in each of the five municipalities represented.

South Brunswick saw $875,000 in hotel taxes last year, and has 10,000 acres of open space, said Mayor Frank Gambatese.

"We still have room to grow," he said.

An upcoming project for South Brunswick is to rezone a seven mile stretch of Route 1 that runs through the township, Gambatese said. He urged those present to attend the hearings associated with the rezoning to stay informed of coming changes.

North Brunswick Mayor Francis "Mac" Womack said that the township is in the middle of a "Very exciting time", including the construction of a new BJ's and a new Costco, both located on Route 1.

A new train station is coming to North Brunswick, and around it, a transit village complete with 1,800 housing units and retail space, Womack said.

The township is also looking to improve the Livingston Avenue corridor that leads into New Brunswick, he added.

In New Brunswick, a new high-rise apartment building on George Street called "The George" is slated to open in about two weeks, and will have a restaurant located on the ground floor of the structure, Mayor James Cahill said.

The site of the Ferren Mall is in the works to be transformed into a mixed use complex of retail, office and residential space within walking distance of the New Brunswick train station, and the Somerset Mews will bring an additional 238 residential units to the corner of Somerset Street and Easton Avenue, Cahill said.

Cahill said that New Brunswick's below average unemployment rate and $2 billion investment in redevelopment makes New Brunswick the fastest growing urban center in the state.

The next Meet the Mayors date is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. May 23 at the Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main St., Woodbridge.

Mayors from Carteret, Perth Amboy, Woodbridge, South Amboy and South Plainfield are scheduled to attend.

Visit www.mcrcc.org for more information.