– Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy and city planning officials announced today the expansion of the city’s Restaurant Row during a press conference at Madame Claude’s Café, a French restaurant now situated in the new Restaurant Overlay Zone.

In August, Mayor Healy and the City Planning Division presented the ordinance expanding Restaurant Row, which was adopted unanimously by the City Council on Aug. 31, 2011.

“The expansion of Restaurant Row on Newark Avenue – and south on Jersey Avenue and Grove Street – is one of several initiatives by my administration to make Jersey City more business friendly,” said Mayor Healy. “Not only will this improve the quality of life for our residents, but it will also be an additional marketing tool for Jersey City as a destination for commercial and residential development.”

Restaurant Row now extends west along Newark Avenue and south on both Jersey Avenue and Grove Street and also includes the current location of Taqueria Downtown on Grand and Grove streets. The new district encompasses dozens of current restaurants and creates the potential for dozens of future restaurants.

Previously, the City’s Restaurant Overlay Zone was about 10 blocks including about 153 buildings, totaling about 16 acres of land. The expanded Restaurant Overlay Zone will more than double in size to about 25 blocks, 392 buildings and approximately 40 acres of land.

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This summer, the administration introduced amendments to the Sidewalk Café Ordinance which was approved by the City Council. In addition to restaurants, the new Sidewalk Café Ordinance will allow the option of sidewalk cafes at other permitted food service establishments such as bakeries, ice cream parlors, taverns and delicatessens. The ordinance also extends the dates of café operation and allows them to remain open longer, weather permitting. [Previously: April 1 through October 31, inclusive. New dates: March 15 through November 30 inclusive, or on any day December 1 through March 14 that the temperature rises above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.]

“Our expansion along Newark Avenue coincides with the city’s vision for redeveloping that commercial street in the Village Neighborhood,” said Planning Director Robert Cotter. “This will increase the marketability of ground floor commercial spaces that accompany the new and future housing developments along Newark Avenue.”

The administration is also working on revisions to the Entertainment Ordinance, which is another measure that will make Jersey City more attractive to businesses and which will provide additional cultural and entertainment opportunities for our residents, while balancing the concerns for noise and other quality of life issues.

All media inquiries should be directed to Jennifer Morrill, Press Secretary to Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy at 201-547-4836 or 201-376-0699.///

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