At the Insiders Forum of the Newark Regional Business Partnership, business leaders from Audible and Lotus Equity, to Rutgers Newark and the Newark Community Economic Development Corp. sat down to discuss the potential for a “Live, Work, (Learn), (Spend) and Play” environment in the Washington Park District.At the Insiders Forum of the Newark Regional Business Partnership, business leaders from Audible and Lotus Equity, to Rutgers-Newark and the Newark Community Economic Development Corp. sat down to discuss the potential for a “Live, Work, (Learn), (Spend) and Play” environment in the Washington Park District.



“It’s certainly great to see, not only the dots connect in the Washington Park area, but the dots being connected throughout the city,” Chip Hallock, CEO and president of the NRBP, said. “We’re beginning to see projects that have happened in isolation for many years beginning to grow together and form what we know will be a very strong city.



“One of the things we talk about is, (it’s) easy to focus on buildings and investment, but we all know that in the long run, we know it’s all about people.”



Audible’s vice president of public policy and community affairs, Colin Newman, spoke of the many ways in which Audible has shown its commitment to the city since the company moved to Newark 10 years ago.



“The ‘live local, play local’ environment is really important to us,” he said. “That’s why, this year, just in the last few months, we’ve started more programs in Audible to invest in the streets and invest in the community in terms of creating a 24/7 lifestyle.”



Newman said Audible offers its employees a $250 rent subsidy to live in Newark. And, earlier in the year, L&M Development worked with Audible to give 20 employees one year of free rent at the recently renovated Hahne & Co. building.



“In order to have a deeper impact in the street and be able to show retailers and restaurants and developers that there is an economic development behind us and the community, we want to sponsor our employees to go out, so we’re paying for our employees to go out to lunch,” he said. “Starting just last week, we are giving our employees prepaid debit cards to go out to lunch to restaurants in the community.”



Rutgers-Newark Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice Chancellor for Administration and Economic Development Arcelio Aponte; Fidelco Group Chairman Marc Berson; Newark CEDC Executive Vice President and Chief Real Estate Officer Carmelo Garcia; and Lotus Equity Group Chairman Ben Korman spoke of the importance of revitalizing Newark and the efforts they themselves have made towards that common goal.



Garcia and the other panelists also acknowledged the revitalization of Newark continues to happen as a community.



“We wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing without the vision of a leader like Mayor Ras Baraka,” he said. “Two of the most critical success in a city’s revitalization and redevelopment is having a city council that understands development, that wants development, and is welcoming and accommodating investors and developers in the city.



“The Washington Park area is significant; this is the high-tech gateway, as we’ve classified it. And we continue to work on bringing the dining and retail.”



“Whether it’s students, Audible getting people to get to live downtown, the community that many of these organizations have, it is all about people.” Hallock said. “It’s so important for the city to develop its human capital, as well as the real estate and the institutions that we need.”

