Dear Editor:
Restaurant Row hasn’t happened on Newark Avenue, why should it? The Avenue remains dirty and noisy. Why would anyone risk investing in an area where the city doesn’t enforce its own rules on littering and loud music? Perhaps they should hang a banner that says “Welcome to the Historic Downtown Fingernail Polish Promenade.”
But seriously, the Avenue does function as a working class shopping street, what is wrong with that? I imagine that once the Henderson Yards and the block facing the Grove Street escalators are developed, the Avenue will upgrade in response to the market. In other parts of downtown small restaurants seem to be opening and doing well, providing good food for local residents and their friends. The three that I am acquainted with north of Newark Avenue are welcome and unintrusive neighbors in residential areas. (In addition, there are several in Paulus Hook that I haven’t tried.) Perhaps the city should be encouraging the reopening and reuse of the shuttered bodegas and other small stores scattered throughout downtown.
Imagine our downtown neighborhoods sprinkled with bakeries, restaurants and other food shops and maybe a few outdoor cafes. Sounds like a nice place to live.
Alan Sommerman