Over the past 17 years, Newton Town Manager Thomas Russo Jr. has played a key role in the transformation of this 3.3-square mile municipality that is home to 8,774 residents, Sussex Community College and headquarters for two major high-tech companies.
And Russo is excited and bullish about the future growth of this town that serves as the county seat for Sussex County, in the northwest corner of the state.
“Newton has gone through a renaissance, I would say, the past 10 to 20 years, and we’ve seen similar efforts in Morristown and Westfield and Red Bank and other communities in New Jersey. I would put Newton on par with those. It really is a great success story here in New Jersey,” said Russo.
“What excites me every day when I come into my office is that it’s a town of infinite potential: we have a great infrastructure in place, a great location, great downtown, great people and plenty of opportunities to grow,” Russo said.
“I think about how we can attract more people to visit Newton so that they can see the great opportunities to have a family, start a business, and to have a sense of community and well-being,” Russo said.
Major Entities Call Newton Home
“Newton is the world headquarters of Thorlabs, which is a world leader in photonics. It’s also world headquarters for Planet Networks, which is a leader in fiber optic technology,” Russo said.
In addition, Sussex County Community College and Newton Medical Center, which is part of Atlantic Health, are in town.
Russo said being the Sussex County seat is an important role for the municipality, providing an opportunity to have a close working relationship with their partners at the county.
“So right out of the gate, we have very large employers that present opportunities for individuals not just to have jobs, but to have careers.”
Investment in Newton
“There’s a lot of investment on the part of Atlantic Health into Newton Medical Center, which is significant. They’re one of the largest employers in the state and they’re a great community partner. They just finished their fourth building in the community– it is truly a story of redevelopment and how one company can transform a community,” said Russo.
Other partners, such as Planet Networks—providing fiber optic connectivity throughout the community, are also great partners and will continue to play an important role in the future growth of Newton, Russo said.
Downtown Transformation
Russo recounted a conversation he had recently with people having lunch at the Indian restaurant, Indian Masala here in town, and they came from New York City.
“Now that’s an eye opener when you realize the reach that a restaurant in Newton, New Jersey, has that we’re attracting people coming from New York City to come have lunch or dinner here in the heart of Sussex County,” Russo said.
“We always talk about how important it is to have a thriving and successful downtown, so there’s still great investment opportunities with affordable buildings and properties,” said Russo.
“We offer financial incentives for people that are interested in opening businesses, and we’re very customer oriented. We offer a lot of the things that you might find in a larger city. But we do it all in a three-square mile footprint.”
“There are still opportunities for redevelopment, whether it’s the downtown, whether it’s the 206 corridors, or whether it’s Sparta Avenue. In three square miles, there’s still so much to be done.”
The town has invested in the police department, lighting and parking in the downtown area, as well as other improvements.
Collaboration with the state
The town also participates in the New Jersey tax abatement program, adopted for the historic downtown of Newton.
“We understand the importance of bringing capital into the downtown, investing in older infrastructure and older buildings. So, we offer a tax abatement program,” said Russo.
They also offer grants in the downtown through the neighborhood preservation program.
The state of New Jersey is giving the town $125,000 each year for five years. There’s a $25,000 town match.
Russo says the tax abatement program and the neighborhood preservation program make the town unique in Sussex County
“We’re willing to be innovative. We’re willing to put dollars on the table, and we’re willing to have those conversations because we know by doing that, we will attract new and innovative businesses,” Russo said.
Russo says Newton also has a low barrier of entry for individuals that want to open shops downtown.
“We have a unified group of people that understand the potential that is here in Newton. Newton is collaborative and we all want what’s best for the community.
“And it doesn’t mean we don’t disagree on certain things or maybe need to have those difficult conversations, but we’re willing to have those conversations and dialog and we do it with respect.
“When you come here you become part of this family, where people care about one another, and they go out of their way to support each other — they care about the nonprofits in the community and how they can help those that are maybe downtrodden or need help, said Russo.
“When we talk about community, it’s about collaboration and it’s about caring for one another. We are all very excited and confident about what the future holds for Newton,” Russo said.
