Interface Studio

    Greater Spruce Street Master Plan
    Paterson, NJ

    The New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC), an active, accomplished, and ambitious organization committed to a brighter future for Paterson and its people, recognized an opportunity to leverage then pending, now enacted, legislation to create a National Park around the City’s Great Falls. The Great Falls, the 2nd largest waterfall east of the Mississippi, had already been designated a State Park with a plan designed by Field Operations. NJCDC sought a strategy to better connect the Falls and the Park with the surrounding community – the Greater Spruce Street neighborhood – which encompasses Paterson’s oldest industrial structures as well as part of downtown. Through extensive public engagement, the plan established a series of goals intended to build upon the City’s natural assets, multiculturalism, and industrial history.

    Proposals included the development of new open spaces to support and link the National Park to nearby amenities, strategic redevelopment including the reuse of former mill buildings, and strategies to build upon NJCDC’s full service community schools initiative. A critical element of the redevelopment plan included the reuse of the Roger’s Locomotive Works complex. To improve the site as a major gateway to the City, highway access was consolidated and redesigned to enable a direct link to a new parking garage hidden within the back of the NJ Transit “bus barn.” The remainder of the site is planned for new housing and office uses, a spice market, teen center and a connected open space system that links directly to the Great Falls.

    Client: The New Jersey Community Development Corporation

    Project Team: Value Research Group, LLC

    The vision was geared toward addressing several key themes that build on the City's historical significance and present-day challenges.
    The vision was geared toward addressing several key themes that build on the City's historical significance and present-day challenges.
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    Despite close proximity to NYC, Paterson and the Great Falls are not on the radar for day trips.
    Despite close proximity to NYC, Paterson and the Great Falls are not on the radar for day trips.
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    Greater Spruce Street has an enormous number of foreign-born residents.
    Greater Spruce Street has an enormous number of foreign-born residents.
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    Recent investments by NJCDC and its partners have created the foundation for an urban campus dedicated toward lifelong learning.
    Recent investments by NJCDC and its partners have created the foundation for an urban campus dedicated toward lifelong learning.
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    Redevelopment of the Rogers Locomotive Works includes new housing, a teen center, spice market, open space and a parking garage linked directly to nearby highways.
    Redevelopment of the Rogers Locomotive Works includes new housing, a teen center, spice market, open space and a parking garage linked directly to nearby highways.
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    The plan includes a new trail - the Mill Mile - designed to promote awareness of Paterson's industrial legacy.
    The plan includes a new trail - the Mill Mile - designed to promote awareness of Paterson's industrial legacy.
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    A view of a new entrway to the area's "raceways" that channel water from the Great Falls.
    A view of a new entrway to the area's "raceways" that channel water from the Great Falls.
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    Conceptual plan for S.U.M. Island which includes community gardens and a composting center.
    Conceptual plan for S.U.M. Island which includes community gardens and a composting center.
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    Re-thinking the historic plaque - an idea to use historic photos to experience history at the street level.
    Re-thinking the historic plaque - an idea to use historic photos to experience history at the street level.
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    A series of strategies were developed to encourage more activity in Main Street's storefronts and upper floors.
    A series of strategies were developed to encourage more activity in Main Street's storefronts and upper floors.
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