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New Downtown Somerville Alliance director outlines Jazz Fest plans, dog‑friendly initiative
Summary
Dana Kessel, the new executive director of the Downtown Somerville Alliance, told the Somerville Borough Council she expects 4,000–5,000 visitors for the Central Jersey Jazz Fest and described grant-funded beautification and a dog‑friendly downtown pilot intended to boost foot traffic and local retail sales.
Dana Kessel, the new executive director of the Downtown Somerville Alliance, told the Somerville Borough Council on Sept. 2 that the DSA is focusing on events, infrastructure grants and marketing to boost downtown economic activity.
Kessel said the Central Jersey Jazz Fest is two weeks away and that organizers “expect, between 4 and 5000 visitors to the downtown area,” an influx she said the DSA will use to increase restaurant and retail sales. Kessel said the DSA has four pillars of work—marketing and foot traffic, grants and infrastructure, beautification and events—and described planned improvements on Main Street, Giardina and Division Street.
Kessel, a former high‑school principal and small‑business owner, said the DSA office is “small but mighty,” and that staff are pursuing collaborations with the Somerset Patriots and local retailers. She also described a downtown dog‑friendly initiative that would add dog‑waste stations and small green spaces; the DSA plans a kickoff event and is seeking sponsorships and volunteers.
Why it matters: The DSA is positioning events and targeted streetscape investments as tools to increase economic vitality downtown; if successful, the initiatives could help local businesses capture event‑driven foot traffic.
The mayor invited Kessel to speak and stated the borough will support DSA outreach for upcoming events. The council did not take formal action during the introduction; the DSA's grant and sponsorship work will proceed through the organization's regular application and partnership channels.
