New Riverside Hospital Development Could Be Key to Success for Downtown Trenton

The key to a successful downtown area in Trenton could be according to City Administrator Jim Wagner.

Iqbal A. Nasir MD, chief of staff at , recently acquired the property at 2171 West Jefferson, but development has been halted due to property contract restrictions with Wyandotte Henry Ford Hospital.

In August 2011, Nasir told Trenton Patch he'd hoped to begin transforming the property into Riverside Commons, which would include a skilled nursing center featuring 80 beds, an acute rehabilitation facility that would focus on the needs of seniors and a health services teaching school.

Nasir added the development would take nearly a year to complete. So far, little construction has begun on the property. Nasir did not discuss the deatils of the contract.

Wagner said Nasir has been meeting with Jim Sexton, CEO of Wyandotte Henry Ford Hospital, and he anticipates a speedy resolution.

"I'm positive about this," Wagner said. "If people want to make a deal, then they will make a deal. If people don't want to make a deal, then a deal won't be made."

Recently, and many of the responses centered on a destination business such as Trader Joe's.

Mark Slagel, chairman of the Trenton Downtown Development Authority, agreed with readers.

Slagel said Downtown Trenton needs an "anchor" store or a place to draw in foot traffic to help stimulate other businesses.

"You need to have a well known place that people like to go to," Slagle said. "Whether it be a restaurant or a business, but most likely a retail establishment that is well known and people like to go to."

Trenton Mayor Kyle Stack said she and other administrators are continuing to seek out businesses for the downtown area in the event Nasir's project sees more delays.

"Don't think that we are sitting on our heels at the ," Stack replied in the comment section of the article. "My staff and I have met with quite a few different people and companies, and we are ready to make a difference in this community."

Some Trenton Patch readers called for a sushi restaurant or a coffee shop in downtown Trenton, but both Slagle and Wagner agreed neither a coffee shop nor a sushi spot would be successful without the success of Riverside Commons.

Wagner said Riverside Commons would employ more than 600 people and these employees would help bring new businesses to downtown Trenton.