Commercial and Economic Development
Greater Newark & Jersey City LISC has always invested in increasing the housing stock in the communities we work in since its inception. In acknowledgement that communities need more than housing to create viable neighborhoods, LISC has broaden its level of support to CDCs to encompass commercial and economic developments ranging from schools, supermarkets, and other retail developments that will generate employment opportunities for residents as well as provide access to amenities where they live.
Two such investments has delivered two child development centers in Newark. The first completed in October 2003 is the "The Smith Street Center". With a loan from LISC coupled with other support, Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (UVSO)'s facility is a 10,350 square foot school in Newark's Vailsburg area. The new facility offers 97 children a safe place to learn, grow and play.
The second, was recently completed by La Casa de Don Pedro - "Early Childhood Development Center" which held its Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on November 30, 2004. The facility is located on First Street in Newark. The project was made possible with a $1 million dollar loan from LISC as well as other financial support the organization was able to obtain. The facility is 14,000 square feet, accommodates 120 three and four year old children as well as houses La Casa's food catering service, La Olla, which provides nutritious meals to child care facilities in the greater Newark area. To view pictures from the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, please click here.
Today, through our Greater Newark Neighborhoods initiative we are focusing on 
Lower Broadway's Commercial Corridor. Working with LISC MetroEdge with a generous grant from the Garfield Foundation, our partner La Casa de Don Pedro ("La Casa") coordinated a comprehensive retail analysis of the Corridor.
LISC MetroEdge is a national program of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Since 1998, MetroEdge has been at the national forefront in collecting and analyzing market data for urban neighborhoods and helping communities devise market-based strategies for successful commercial revitalization. The MetroEdge process is not just about rigorous data collection – it is also about engaging community stakeholders such as yourselves in formulating and participating in the ‘next steps’ necessary to ensure that the data and information presented result in real improvements to the commercial district.
Priority improvements for the Corridor including cleanliness, safety and parking have been identified in the study by the Corridor's stakeholders together with representatives from the Newark Police Department, Department of Planning & Community Development and the Urban Enterprise Zone.
Download the LISC MetroEdge Lower Broadway Preliminary Findings Presentation