Redevelopment experts who spoke at the NJ Future Redevelopment Forum say new tools are needed to determine how to prioritize infrastructure investments in cities, towns, and regions so that businesses and jobs can grow.

The city is among ten throughout the United States to receive a $40,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to improve residents’ access to high-quality parks and green space.

On Tuesday, in recognition of the large community’s assimilation and contributions locally, the Paterson City Council voted unanimously to rename a portion of Union Avenue “Bangladesh Boulevard.”Just days later, four Bangladeshi entrepreneurs removed any doubt as to whether the South Asian nation’s Diaspora has truly adopted American culture by opening the first Halal pizza shop.

With crime rates dropping and economic development projects taking hold across the city, Mayor Andre Sayegh has clearly declared that Paterson’s highly anticipated renaissance is underway.

On a lively stretch of Main Street, one bakery is Syrian and another is Colombian and Italian. A Yemeni restaurant opened near a Lebanese spot. And across the street, there is a barbershop called Palestine, where men getting haircuts filled nearly every seat.