Greeted by one standing ovation and acknowledged with another as he concluded his remarks, Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson spoke of a new era for the beleaguered capital city Tuesday morning during a sold-out breakfast held by the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce at Trenton’s Wyndham Garden Hotel.

“The very fact that you are in this room today shows that you want to see a strong and thriving capital city,” said Mr. Jackson, who was sworn in July 1 following the tumultuous run of former Mayor Tony Mack, now serving a prison sentence for corruption. “We are off on a very strong path to move our city forward,” he added, referring to the previous mayor’s unfavorable relationship with the city council as compared to the new administration’s more harmonious one.

The focus is now on economic development, public safety, public schools, tourism, and the arts, Mr. Jackson said. While Mr. Mack made significant cuts in the police force, the city has recently sworn in a new class of 20 police recruits and a $1.5 million grant has allowed the hiring of 12 more officers who will be on the streets in 2015. Violent crime is down, “but there is still much to do,” Mr. Jackson said.

The city’s expanding tax base, its plan for a new high school building, its historic sites, housing stock, and easy access to New York City and Philadelphia are assets to be marketed, the mayor said. “We have to do a better job conveying this message,” he said, adding, “We are restoring municipal government services that have been broken.”

Mr. Jackson cited the Block 3 project in the former Roebling Steel buildings as a reason for optimism. The 450,000 square foot mixed use project by the developers HHG combines commercial, residential, offices, and restaurants aimed at the “milennials” who are the target market. “We believe strongly that this is a project that will change the direction of our city,” he said.

Mr. Jackson also expressed enthusiasm for Trenton 250, a long-range master plan designed to guide the city through its 250th anniversary in 2042. The initiative, “currently in the visionary phase,” he said, has been launched to help identify goals, strategies, and priorities. Meetings in the city’s various wards and a youth summit have already taken place, and a citywide marketing study has been done.

“My door is open,” Mr. Jackson told the assembled business and government representatives. “I am here to collaborate with you.”

Asked what kind of reception he has gotten from the state government, which was not friendly to Mr. Mack, Mr. Jackson said it was “excellent,” and “proactive, not reactive.” But he acknowledged that there is work to be done. “I have met with the governor. He hasn’t said he’s opening up the checkbook, but we’re doing some collaborations. I do want some money. We need financial resources.”

Mr. Jackson expressed gratitude for the advice he has gotten from the state and business leaders. “Stakeholders have called and said, ‘How can we help?’, he said, adding, “We want to not only move the city forward. We want to be a regional partner.”