News Release
For Release: Wednesday, December 23
Contact: Frank Baraff 914-469-3775

Mayor Hawkins announces  $583,000 grant for Orange train station improvements

Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. announced today that Orange has received a $583,000 grant from the NJ Transportation Trust Fund to improve the area around the Orange train station. The project, Orange Train Station Improvements, is part of the NJ Department of Transportation’s Transit Village Program.

In May, Governor Jon S. Corzine designated Orange as the state’s 20th Transit Village, and the city was awarded $100,000 in state funding as a part of its designation.

The new state grant will be used to beautify and landscape Tony Galento Plaza and improve the pedestrian corridor from the train station to Main Street. It will include resurfacing the parking lot, replacing brick pavers, planting trees, installing benches and other streetscape improvements.

Statement by Mayor Hawkins

“The Transit Village designation and this grant are only the beginning. The train station improvements will help attract real estate development in Orange. Transit related development will make a big difference for those who live and work here, and will help grow the city’s economy. We are committed to revitalizing and redeveloping the area around our train stations into compact, mixed-use neighborhoods with strong residential and business components.

As part of the train station improvements, we are in discussions with NJ Transit to explore the possibility of a limited-hours welcoming center and police substation at the train station.
I want to especially thank Valerie Jackson, Director of Planning and Development and her staff for their tireless and capable work in securing this grant.”

Statement by Valerie Jackson, Director of Planning and Development

“This grant will make our train station and the corridor to Main Street an impressive gateway to Orange. The Tony Galento Plaza improvements will help Orange benefit from the fact that we are only twenty minutes from mid-town Manhattan by train. It will encourage use of public transportation and help restore the historic importance of the railroad to Orange. It will help us create a more economically viable and pedestrian-friendly downtown including housing; and jobs, restaurants, arts and entertainment and preservation of our rich architectural character within walking distance of the train station.”