LAKEWOOD, N.J. — One of downtown Lakewood’s most recognizable public spaces is disappearing beneath fresh parking stripes this week, marking the latest chapter in the dramatic transformation of Lakewood Town Square.
The transactional decision has thrown away the town’s history in order to provide a few more parking spots in a destructive transformation years in the making.
For generations, the tree-lined square near Clifton Avenue and 3rd Street served as a public gathering space where residents could meet, relax and enjoy one of the few green spaces in the township’s increasingly developed downtown. This week, however, township crews began painting parking lines across what was once a landscaped civic square.
The work follows an earlier decision by township officials to remove the mature shade trees that once defined the park-like downtown setting.
- Lakewood Township has striped nearly 30 new municipal parking spaces at the former Red Square/Town Square area.
- The square previously featured mature trees and served as a public gathering place in downtown Lakewood.
- The trees were removed before the parking conversion project.
- Township officials have promoted the project as an expansion of downtown parking to support local businesses.
- The site is located near Clifton Avenue and 3rd Street in Lakewood’s commercial district.
They Paved Paradise and Put Up A Parking Lot
For years, the downtown square represented one of the few places where people could sit outdoors beneath mature shade trees in the center of Lakewood’s busy business district.
In recent years, however, the location increasingly became associated with homeless individuals who gathered there throughout the day. Critics argued the township responded by removing the trees rather than addressing homelessness through housing or social services.
The township admitted that the tree removal was intended to discourage homeless residents. Officials have instead emphasized efforts to improve downtown parking availability. Instead of fixing the underlying problem, Lakewood leaders simply clear-cut the park.
This week, aerial photographs published by Lakewood Scoop showed crews painting parking stalls across much of the former square, completing the transformation from public gathering place to municipal parking.
Parking demand continues to grow
Downtown Lakewood has experienced substantial commercial and residential growth over the past two decades, creating persistent demand for additional parking.
Township officials announced the addition of nearly 30 municipal parking spaces at the Red Square area, describing the project as another step toward easing congestion in the downtown business district.
Homeless issue shifted elsewhere
The transformation also comes amid broader regional discussions about homelessness in Ocean County.
As Lakewood removed the trees and changed the character of the square, homeless individuals who had frequented the area became less visible there. Some later appeared in neighboring communities, including downtown Toms River.
Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick has publicly discussed efforts to work with Ocean County and New Jersey agencies to secure temporary housing for homeless residents. Rodrick has also said remaining federal American Rescue Plan funds were used to assist with emergency housing efforts while longer-term solutions were pursued.
Whether Lakewood’s changes directly contributed to that migration has not been officially established, though advocates have long argued that removing amenities from public spaces often displaces homeless populations rather than resolving homelessness itself.
A changing downtown
The conversion of Town Square reflects the continuing evolution of downtown Lakewood and the surrounding communities as the city becomes overcrowded and congested.
What was once envisioned as a traditional civic gathering place is now being repurposed to accommodate vehicles in one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing municipalities.
For longtime residents, the project marks the end of another familiar landmark.
Where there were once mature trees providing shade on summer afternoons, motorists will soon find rows of parking spaces serving the surrounding commercial district.
