Atlantic City is in the middle of a real comeback, and it's being built block by block in a district called the Downtown Loop. In this South Jersey Spotlight, Evan Sanchez, co-founder of Authentic City Partners, explains how a plan for one city block turned into a three-block district with new housing on the way.Who is Evan SanchezSanchez co-founded Authentic City Partners, a startup with a simple mission: Atlantic City. He says the city and its people are resilient, and that his group wanted a role in building community there. "Atlantic City is always the comeback kid," he says. "Folks love a comeback story."What is the Downtown LoopThe Downtown Loop started small, on one block of Tennessee Avenue. The idea was to create a downtown district where businesses work together rather than in isolation, and to let it grow organically over time. A decade later, it spans three blocks: Tennessee Avenue, New York Avenue, and St. James Place. Sanchez points out these are the orange properties on the Monopoly board, a nod to the game's Atlantic City roots.What's changing on the groundSanchez says skepticism was common in the early days. People told him nobody would come to the businesses or want to live in the area. He says that has already proven untrue, with people living and working in the Loop now. The next phase is bigger: he expects roughly 100 housing units to come online in the next six to 12 months, more than was built in the entire Loop over the previous 10 years. He calls that new housing the accelerant for more operating businesses and a more active small business district.Why nowSanchez acknowledges that a lot of people's perception of Atlantic City is shaped by the last 40 or 50 years, and he says some of that reputation is fair. But he argues the story is more complicated than that reputation suggests. "We need to complicate the narrative," he says. After more than ten years of work, he describes the current moment as urgent and full of momentum: "There's no doubt it is very much go time right now."Why Kensington is telling this storyThis piece is part of our South Jersey Spotlight series, where we hand the mic to people building something in the communities we serve. We're a family-run furniture and mattress store based in our Northfield showroom, and stories like this one are why we think Atlantic City's next chapter is worth paying attention to. Key takeaways Evan Sanchez co-founded Authentic City Partners to help rebuild downtown Atlantic City. The Downtown Loop started on one block of Tennessee Avenue and now spans three blocks: Tennessee Avenue, New York Avenue, and St. James Place. Sanchez expects about 100 housing units to open in the Loop over the next six to 12 months, more than was built there in the previous decade. He says new housing will support more small businesses in the district. After more than a decade of work, Sanchez describes the current period as "go time" for Atlantic City. Questions people ask What is the Downtown Loop in Atlantic City? It's a downtown district built by Authentic City Partners that started on one block of Tennessee Avenue and now spans three blocks: Tennessee Avenue, New York Avenue, and St. James Place. Who is Evan Sanchez? He is the co-founder of Authentic City Partners, the group behind the Downtown Loop revitalization project in Atlantic City. How much new housing is coming to the Downtown Loop? Sanchez says about 100 units are expected to come online in the next six to 12 months, more than was built in the Loop over the previous 10 years. Why does Sanchez call this "go time" for Atlantic City? After more than a decade building the Downtown Loop, he says the coming wave of housing will accelerate small business growth in the district.
