A New Phase in Our Downtown Resurgence

Since coming on as the administrator of The SACK Business Alliance in December of 2021, our goal as Commercial District Services has been to truly understand the ins and outs of Downtown Hackensack. And right now, we can honestly see the catalyst of change going on here at Main Street.

We’re tapping into a really interesting theme here, from the transition of a suburban town into a thriving downtown scene with a more urban environment. With residential developers building in our area, we are seeing it happen in real time—especially in the commuter sector. Young people moving in, looking for affordable living opportunities, centered around the amenities—wanting a sort of shared experiential living. They’re a population thirsting for a fun walkable place filled with dining, shopping and entertainment options.

For The SACK Business Alliance our job is capturing and capitalizing on this lightning in a bottle—leveraging this young demographic with expendable income, to lure in the right retail for the area. Downtown Hackensack is not about being the next Hoboken, it’s about being the next Hackensack, which is an important differentiator.

It’s all about organically growing into a place where people can feel a sense of identity. An area with clean city streets where current and future residents can feel safe when taking a stroll at night. And of course, making Main Street more accessible, which started last year by transforming it into a two-way street. It has slowed traffic down, creating a more comfortable experience for residents and has resulted in a more traditional central street.

Creating a more welcoming place to shop, dine and be entertained couldn’t come at a better time. Currently, the downtown area has received a $1 billion investment in new housing which includes the development of 3,500 new apartment units. For retailers, this influx of new residents will also potentially contribute to the uptick in business.

At the end of the day, the core narrative is the same as other big Jersey cities. We’re on that upward trend. With a growing population we become more marketable to big businesses. This is how we will renew our faith in this area and let everyone else see what we already know. The SACK is truly BACK!