RIVERCENTER ANNOUNCES $150,000 TRANSFORMATION GRANT FROM MAIN STREET NEW JERSEY

The Red Bank RiverCenter is proud to announce that it is the recipient of a $150,000 Transformation Grant from Main Street New Jersey, the statewide coordinating program of the National Trust’s National Main Street Center.

Proceeds from the grant will be allocated to four separate and distinct RiverCenter initiatives:

1. Downtown beautification with the addition of new flower beds on Broad, White, Monmouth and Front Streets.

2. Expansion of overhead bistro lighting on White, Mechanic and Wallace Streets.

3. Enhancement of our business recruitment and optimization of our current business operations through a two-year subscription to Placer AI. Placer AI is a cutting-edge online service that uses anonymously sourced mobile location data to calculate the number of active cell phones in any locality during a specified time. Placer AI is a gamechanger that allows users to truly understand their trade area and target market.

4. A partnership with the Count Basie Center for the Arts on a future project focused around its 100th anniversary celebration in 2026.

Bob Zuckerman, RiverCenter Executive Director, said “I’m thrilled that we received $150,000 in grant funding from Main Street New Jersey. This project provides the perfect mix of placemaking, beautification and economic development tools to truly transform our downtown district.

Our new plantings and lights will shine and delight the thousands of people who visit downtown Red Bank each year, and the Placer AI software will help us recruit some great new businesses.


Furthermore, the grant will provide us with the opportunity to partner with the Basie to properly commemorate their 100 years of serving downtown Red Bank with some of the finest arts programs in the nation.”

RiverCenter Board Chair John Anderson stated “This grant award will make a profound difference for our organization in so many ways. We have already seen the incredible beauty that our new plantings brought to our district, and by adding more plantings we will have an even greater impact on beautifying our downtown. The new lights will also be a magnificent addition and the Placer AI software will greatly help us with our business recruitment efforts.”

As a Main Street America Coordinating Program, Main Street New Jersey helps to lead a powerful, grassroots network consisting of over two dozen Coordinating Programs committed to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.

Historically, Main Street New Jersey provided selected communities with technical assistance and training of proven value in revitalizing historic downtowns. The program helps special improvement districts and other like-minded organizations improve the economy, appearance and image of their central business districts through the organization of local citizens and resources. Main Street New Jersey is housed in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

The Red Bank RiverCenter is one of the dozens of organizations that participate in the Main Street New Jersey program, which was a prerequisite for applying for the 2024 Transformation Grant.

Executive Director Bob Zuckerman will be attending the National Main Street conference as a representative of the RiverCenter. The conference this year will be held in Birmingham, Alabama from May 6-8.