Paterson Great Falls Arts + Revitalization Plan

Paterson, New Jersey is on the verge of a dramatic rebirth. While plans for the nation’s newest National Park in the Great Falls Historic District are being developed at the same time that the city’s Mayor seeks to revitalize and connect Paterson’s diverse communities with fresh initiatives, there is a great opportunity to align these processes and tap into an abundant resource found throughout the city to help boost revitalization efforts: its many talented artists.

The capacity of vibrant, artistic communities to transform neighborhoods and cities, not only as economic engines but also as catalysts for cultural development and identity, is well documented. Arts play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life of communities where they are valued and nurtured. And building on Paterson’s storied artistic past – the city has inspired the literary works of William Carlos Williams and Allen Ginsberg, as well as visual masterpieces by Oscar Bluemner and photographer George Tice – the arts can provide a strong foundation on which to build a thriving, creative, regional center for residents and visitors alike.

Capitalizing on the comprehensive work led by NJCDC to produce the Greater Spruce Street Neighborhood Plan (January 2009) – which called for a variety of recommendations around the arts, culture, tourism and the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park – this strategic plan provides a framework for how the arts can be synchronized into park planning and revitalization efforts. Specifically, the plan summarizes past work carried out in this unique site; discusses the planning process used to work with city residents and artists to collect the valuable ideas that informed this plan; identifies the most opportune areas for using the arts to revitalize the community; lays out a clear set of implementable recommendations arranged into six categories, identifying responsible parties for each; and finally, offers real-world local, national and international case studies to demonstrate that opportunities are within grasp in Paterson.

Given its location, both its human and natural resources, and the recent designation of America’s 397th National Park, the city of Paterson is brimming with opportunities that have informed this planning process. These opportunities include:

• Paterson lies less than 15 miles west of Manhattan – a global capital of arts and culture – and is well-connected via rail, bus and roadway;
• Tourism – which is a highly local industry – is the third largest industry for the state of New Jersey and is expected to grow;
• Planning for the nation’s newest National Historical Park is underway in the heart of Paterson’s Great Falls Historic District, where new resources, investment, and development energy will flow into the neighborhood;
• A comprehensive, youth-focused revitalization effort led by NJCDC and supported by the Governor and the State;
• Paterson is a city of diverse communities of people of all ages, socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds; and
• Paterson has historically been home to a large concentration of arts organizations and individuals, inspired by the natural and human-made beauty that surrounds them to create.