Tom Lonergan, the man who has led the charge to bring new business to Montclair, beautify our shopping districts and come up with creative ways to lure new businesses and shoppers here, is moving on.
Lonergan, Executive Director at Montclair BID since 2002, will be moving to Gaithersburg, Maryland next month to become the town’s Director of Economic Development. Lonergan revealed his decision to the Board this week; the BID Board will appoint an interim Director at their September meeting, he said.
A frequent spokesperson at council meetings, Lonergan is a familiar face to Montclair business owners and residents. Since 2002, his commitment to revitalize the downtown business district has improved Bloomfield Avenue and surrounding streets.
Councilor Cary Africk says Lonergan’s departure is a major loss for Montclair. “Tom is a dynamo. He has done so much to advance Montclair and its businesses. We can look around the downtown and say “Tom did this, and ‘Tom did that, and Tom did that also ….’ It will be hard to find anyone remotely close in his capabilities.”
Lonergan has been successful obtaining designations and dollars for the district as a Main Street Community, a Transit Village Community, and securing a $500K – 0% loan for the South Park project. He won a $200,000 award from NJDOT for new way-finding signage on the district’s East side.
“I’ve been driven to help improve the quality of life and create a good buzz and street vibe, while working to improve the business climate along Bloomfield Avenue’s “slope” and 4th Ward commercial district,” says Lonergan.
Bringing the business community together, his efforts translated into seasonal district-wide shopping events (late nights, sidewalk sales), the annual Crane Park Festival, programs with the former Montclair Arts Council, and Center Stage concerts. He established the BID website and the first downtown business directory.
“I’m especially proud of the South Park Street redesign, BID Ambassador team in charge of downtown maintenance, landscaping and beautification, working with the township on DCH site redevelopment,” says Lonergan. reflecting on his years in Montclair. “The BID is really proud to sponsor this year’s annual Gallery Walk in October,” Lonergan said.
More on the BID’s activities can be found in its annual report.
Kelly DelRosso, co-owner of Semplice and founder of ShopLocal Montclair writes “I have had the good fortune to know Tom Lonergan since the BID’s inception. I was always so impressed with how deftly he handled the big politics of this not-so-big town, his ability to make the least glamorous aspects of his job seem monumental, and his heartfelt pride in Montclair, as though it were his hometown. But, my most lasting memory of Tom’s time here will be his consideration of the BID Ambassadors, Dylan and John, as family. You really could not find a guy that cared more.”
Lonergan, one of Montclair’s biggest supporters, a street-savvy forward thinker, and a genuine, nice guy, will be missed. His new job comes with a $2 million budget – and the responsibility for planning, directing, coordinating and supervising Gaithersburg’s economic development activities.
We wish Tom happy trails in his new career, in Gaithersburg…. and as a first-time daddy! Tom and his wife Judith are awaiting the birth of their son, Devon, due to arrive in the next two weeks. Any bets on which new occupation he’ll find more challenging?
I suspect the taxes in his new home will be half of what he pays here.
Thank you Tom for all your effort and contributions over these many years. They are very much appreciated and certain to be remembered as anyone who spends time in the CBD will attest to.!
My best to you in your new role and congratulations to you and your wife Judith on the arrival of your son. Exciting times! Enjoy!
I hope Tom has a big say in who his replacement is, because while Tom is totally on the ball, the rest of the people in charge are absolutely clueless.
This is a very sad announcement.
Tom should have been made head of Economic Development here – helping both existing and new businesses relocate to enhance commercial property values, bringing in grants for the Township and creating more opportunities to raise revenues while improving quality of life.
Unfortunately, this is exactly what he’ll be doing in Gaithesburg which is obviously smart enough to have a comprehensive office like this. Now Montclair has almost nothing on the ED front.
Our Council killed the little performing Montclair Economic Development Corporation ostensibly to hire a staff perform to perform those functions. That never materialized.
Today, not only are we not doing what we should in the area – but we have lost the best player at had helping us try to get it together with the little resources at hand.
Another opportunity lost to a lack of foresight that would have been a revenue producer.