Photo by City of Summit
Summit Named Great Place in New Jersey
The City of Summit and Summit Downtown, Inc. recently announced that Downtown Summit has been chosen as one of the 2021 Great Places in New Jersey by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association (NJ APA) in its Downtown category.
Each year, the NJAPA awards a downtown that represents the gold standard of exemplary character, quality, and planning as a “great place.” Award-winning towns possess a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement and a vision for tomorrow.
“We are thrilled to receive this designation,” explains Mayor Nora Radest. “Although we have always known that our wonderful and accessible downtown is one of the greatest places in New Jersey, now others will know as well. I am extremely proud of the cohesive community effort to support our local shops and restaurants these past two years. Summit’s downtown has a vitality that has been sustained and celebrated by a community that values it.”
Summit Downtown, Inc (SDI) is a non-profit organization that represents retailers, businesses and property owners in the downtown Special Improvement District. SDI organizes events, oversees marketing of the downtown and its businesses and works with city stakeholders to create and maintain an engaging downtown experience for visitors and businesses. The application for the NJ APA award was submitted by SDI.
“Downtown Summit is a vibrant regional destination and absolutely one of the great places in New Jersey,” describes SDI Board of Trustees Chair Bob Conway. “We share this recognition with everyone who has thoughtfully invested in our downtown’s beautification, preservation, and economic and social vitality.”
Previous recipients of this award include Morristown, Westfield, Cranford, and Lambertville.
“We are very proud to receive this award, but it is not exactly a surprise,” says SDI Director Nancy Adams. “Summit’s downtown is very special. It has a lively art, shopping, and restaurant scene, providing visitors with a true sense of place and community.”
For more information on Summit and other great places in New Jersey visit greatplacesnj.org. For information on Downtown Summit, go to summitdowntown.org.
