South Paterson's Main Street, left in decline for decades, shines with new life

PATERSON — Main Street in the southern section of the city was left in disrepair for decades after the middle class fled to greener urban pastures. They left behind empty storefronts and neglected buildings.

That's no longer the case.

South Paterson's once-moribund buildings and storefronts have been replaced or refurbished. New restaurants serving up a dazzling array of international cuisines line the main thoroughfare, along with new shops and jewelry stores with display windows bright with 21-karat gold.

The turnaround comes decades after the "white flight" of the 1960s, when the city and other urban areas suffered from a loss of middle-class families and jobs, which also relocated to suburbia.

City residents know and others are fast learning that Main Street, from Mary Street, near St. Joseph's University Medical Center, all the way to Crooks Avenue at the Clifton border, has undergone quite a change.

South Paterson is looking fabulous, many are saying.

"Absolutely," agreed Mayida Zaal, a professor of education at Montclair State University with Palestinian and Colombian roots who grew up in South Paterson. Those who have made a difference and turned the neighborhood around are people from Middle Eastern countries who "migrated in the 1970s," came to the area and "worked and saved."

As the new immigrants acquired wealth, they opened shops and focused on educating their children. Many stayed in the area even after their children grew up and moved away, and they are the ones keeping the area in great shape.

"They've come back to build the financial infrastructure of their own community," Zaal said.

It was a slow burn that started with small businesses like butcher shops and other storefronts. They added up a bit at a time, and now people are taking notice and are astonished by all the changes that have happened in the last decade. The last five years have been especially dramatic, locals and others said.

Clifton Councilman Bill Gibson, a former police officer, and South Paterson native Lenny Fabregas said the transformation has been amazing.

Fabregas said he's been frequenting his old neighborhood, which he described as safe and wonderful given the investment the community has made. It is not just about the shops and restaurants, he said, but the many rehabilitated buildings and new construction.

"It is looking great," Fabregas said. "Much different than when I grew up."

Gibson said the south section of Paterson offers an impressive array of cuisines, especially for those who love Middle Eastern food. He said the 4-mile stretch from Main Street in Paterson through Main Avenue in Clifton and back to Main Street in Passaic, specifically the part from St. Joseph's University Medical Center to Paulison Avenue in Passaic, has increasingly found people willing to invest, many of them new Americans.

Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said visitors can sample cuisine from five continents along that particular stretch of road.

On the Paterson end, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare is big. During a recent tour of the area with Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, he visited some of his favorite places, including Darna Lebanese Mediterranean Restaurant.

Saned Ziyadeh, a server at his family's restaurant, said his father, Jamal, was initially a taxi driver when he moved to the United States.

"He saved his money and slowly built this restaurant," Ziyadeh said, pointing to Darna.

What was once a humble storefront now boasts a motif based on Petra, an interior fish pond and enough seats for 270 diners. On weekend days, the seats are filled. It is especially busy after sundown during Ramadan.

"It gets insanely crowded," said Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale, who stopped in during the mayor's visit.

"I love this place," Speziale said. The area isn't just popular with the locals he said. "All the cops eat down here."

Everyday herosThe unsung: North Jersey server lives life in color to push back the dark times

Alongside the shops, restaurants and meat markets, jewelry stores are popping up. Locals say the stores are giving New York City's Diamond District a run for its money.

Across the street from Darna, brothers Rami and Amed Jbara opened Jerusalem Jewelry, attracting people from all over the country. The shop features 21-karat gold, which is a shinier and brighter yellow than 14- or 18-karat gold.

Rami Jbara and other jewelers said customers increasingly are coming from as far away as California. Sayegh said jewelers from Manhattan are relocating to the southern section of Paterson.

Zaal said that when friends and extended family return to visit the area, a big reason is to shop in the old neighborhood.

Two blocks away from the jewelry stores on Main Street, the Jbara brothers have a sign posted on vacant land announcing they are soon building the "largest" jewelry store, with more than 4,000 square feet of retail space.

"This is known as the halal district, but I call it our diamond district," Sayegh said.

On the other side of the street, Shoroq Alhussein said that when she opened her clothing store, Zena, a few years ago, in spite of COVID, it "was the best decision" she ever made. The foot traffic is amazing, she said.

People find the shop and take business cards to pass on to family and friends, Alhussein said.

It's not all positive news, even among the fans of the area. Some are concerned with affordability.

Paterson revival:See Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, the new home of the New Jersey Jackals

Rents have gone up, and Zaal cautioned that many of the reasons people remain vested in the community have to do with the fact that their parents and grandparents still live there.

Many said that while they like the improvements they see, they want to make sure the older generations aren't pushed out with high rents and expenses.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: South Main Street in Paterson is making a comeback with shops, food