FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES (North Jersey Media Group)
Friday, January 19, 2007
By DANIEL HAUSMANN
The Express-Times
PHILLIPSBURG | Next month, the town has a chance to pitch the South Main Street area to potential business owners.
The town and Urban Enterprise Zone are hosting a business recruitment seminar at Warren Hospital on Feb. 12. UEZ Director Mark Portnoy said 110 business owners will be on hand.
"We're really excited; we're hoping for the best," Portnoy said.
The seminar is the latest step in a more ambitious approach by town economic leaders. UEZ and the Downtown Association have already teamed up on Shopping On The Main, a promotion to get consumers in South Main Street shops.
"I believe (UEZ) is moving in the right direction," Council President David DeGerolamo said. "The board is a very active and creative board."
The town and UEZ budgeted $15,000 for the half-day program on Feb. 12. Most of town council has been behind the business recruitment efforts.
"It's fantastic; this is exactly what we need," Councilman Jim Shelly said.
Portnoy and members of the UEZ board hope they can come away from the seminar or lay the seeds for five new businesses.
"I think this is going to be a very positive thing for this town," UEZ board member Carole Diee said.
Officials hope to lure businesses with UEZ's incentives such as free rent for a year and facade grants.
The morning program at the hospital will feature testimonials from successful UEZ businesses. Also scheduled to speak are Mike Perrucci, who plans to build a large development on Howard Street, and Mayor Harry Wyant.
"I think it's tremendous," Wyant said. "It's one of the best things I can think of to promote the town of Phillipsburg."
After the morning presentations, entrepreneurs will board a trolley for a tour of South Main Street to see available properties.
UEZ mailed out 3,000 postcards to businesses in the Poconos, the Lehigh Valley and other parts of New Jersey targeted as good fits for South Main Street.
They've also advertised more aggressively and have set up a Web site for the seminar at phillipsburgfreerent.com. The seminar costs $25.