New Jersey Future (“NJF”) announced the winners of its 2019 Smart Growth Awards earlier this week according to Joshua Burd of Real Estate New Jersey.
Founded in 1987, New Jersey Future is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes sensible growth, redevelopment and infrastructure investments to foster vibrant cities and towns, protect natural lands and waterways, enhance transportation choices, provide access to safe, affordable and aging-friendly neighborhoods and fuel a strong economy.
The seven projects that NJF will showcase at its annual awards celebration on June 5 at the Newark Museum include:
1. Walker House, Newark
• A landmarked Art Deco office building repurposed to bring new mixed-income housing to the heart of downtown
• Primary partners: L+M Development Partners, Prudential Financial, Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, Citi Community Capital
2. Mercer County Community College, Trenton
• Reactivation of a group of long-dormant buildings in an overlooked part of the city, with amenities to serve both students and residents
• Primary partners: Clarke Caton Hintz, Mercer County Community College, City of Trenton, Mercer County
3. Second Street Youth Center, Plainfield
• The first new facility of its kind in more than a decade, constructed on formerly blighted land to provide services and support to families in a historically underserved neighborhood
• Primary partners: J.G. Petrucci Co., TD+Partners, City of Plainfield, Second Street Youth Center
4. Lawrence-Hopewell Trail
• A 22-mile walking and cycling trail connecting a variety of destinations, the result of a broad volunteer collaboration among community leaders, area employers, and local residents
• Primary partners: Mercer County, Township of Lawrence, Township of Hopewell, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence-Hopewell Trail
5. People’s Bank Building, Passaic
• Repurposing of a vacant Art Deco building into an office and retail anchor to catalyze job creation in a central location in a revitalizing urban downtown
• Primary partners: New Jersey Community Capital, The Hanini Group LLC, City of Passaic
6. Hoboken Master Plan Re-examination Report and Land Use Element
• The culmination of a year-long process to update the city’s guiding land-use documents to support growth, preservation and resilience initiatives over the next decade
• Primary partners: City of Hoboken Department of Community Development, City of Hoboken Planning Board, BFJ Planning
7. Ironside Newark
• Transformation of a long-vacant warehouse into a 21st-century office and retail destination with direct connections to transit, open space and nearby attractions
• Primary partners: Edison Properties LLC, City of Newark, Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, Perkins Eastman
Congratulations to the winners and well done on their fine smart growth work!
– Brad A. Molotsky, Duane Morris, LLP