The boroughs of Highland Park and Metuchen have been approved to receive a combined $50,000 in funding from the Main Street New Jersey District Transformation Grant Program.
The grants, provided to the Metuchen Downtown Alliance (MDA) and Main Street Highland Park (MSHP), will augment the boroughs’ respective downtown revitalization efforts, benefiting residents and visitors.
The funding is also part of a larger commitment from Governor Phil Murphy’s administration to allocate more resources to community revitalization programs that focus on small businesses and neighborhood improvement projects.
Senator Patrick Diegnan, Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak and Assemblyman Sterley Stanley thanked Murphy and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for their commitment to improving downtowns in their legislative district.
“Programs such as Main Street New Jersey are integral to supporting local businesses, stimulating economic growth, and making our downtowns more attractive,” Diegnan, Karabinchak and Stanley said.
“Metuchen and Highland Park are among New Jersey’s many shining examples of how revitalizing downtowns positively impacts our communities.”
MDA will receive a $26,000 award to create a visually engaging space in an alley situated on Main Street, visible from the train station and in between a series of popular shops. The grant will provide funds for a set of parallel murals and a stamped concrete floor.
MSHP will receive a $24,000 award for the purchase of numerous public amenities, including lighting, community game tables, outdoor Wi-Fi, speakers, and seating in the Market Square area of the borough’s downtown.
“We’re proud to have such great towns in the 18th District and these grants illustrate how important it is, not only to our residents, but to the state, to continue investing in our downtowns,” Diegnan, Karabinchak and Stanley said.
“Metuchen and Highland Park are fortunate to have such terrific community organizations working every day to support the lifeblood of their towns.”
Since 2019, the MSNJ program has distributed more than $4.3 million in grants to MSNJ district organizations.
This marks the second consecutive year Metuchen and Highland Park have been awarded MSNJ grants.
Senator Patrick Diegnan 