New Jersey Future Announces 2018 Smart Growth Award Winners
Adaptive reuse projects, resiliency and circulation initiatives, a vertical farm, a circulation improvement plan and implementation of a smart-growth revitalization plan are honored
TRENTON, April 3, 2018 — New Jersey Future today announced the winners of its annual Smart Growth Awards competition. “These awards showcase not just exemplary plans and projects, but the leadership teams that are setting the standard for redevelopment in New Jersey,” said Peter Kasabach, executive director of New Jersey Future. “We hope and expect that other towns, developers and designers will learn from, and emulate, these examples. That’s why we created this competition, offer short videos of the winners and then catalog their successes on our website.”
The seven winners include an innovative indoor urban agriculture project, a plan to improve access and mobility around a national historical park, three innovative repurposing initiatives for former industrial buildings, a borough-wide redevelopment effort, and a new development using cutting-edge green stormwater and resiliency techniques. The full list, including the primary partners for each project, is below.
“Redevelopment has become increasingly the norm for how New Jersey will accommodate its growth, and demand for our older, already-built places continues to rise,” said Olivia Glenn, south Jersey metro regional manager for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and chairwoman of this year’s Smart Growth Awards jury. “These winners all exemplify the highest standards for how best to capitalize on those trends. They will all have significant catalytic effects in their wider communities, and it was our pleasure to have reviewed these stellar nominations.”
Winners will be honored at the annual Smart Growth Awards celebration, taking place at the renovated and historic 15 Washington Street in Newark on June 6.
2018 SMART GROWTH AWARDS WINNERS
700 JACKSON, HOBOKEN
A transit-oriented, mixed-use, mixed-income development that includes public and civic uses and innovative stormwater management features
Primary Partners: Bijou Properties, City of Hoboken, Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects
AEROFARMS, NEWARK
An innovative, sustainable, locally focused urban agriculture enterprise
Primary Partners: Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group; Prudential; New Jersey Economic Development Authority; RBH Group; AeroFarms
GREAT FALLS CIRCULATION STUDY, PATERSON
An analysis of opportunities for redevelopment, improved circulation, enhanced pedestrian mobility, and expanded access to Great Falls National Historical Park
Primary Partners: County of Passaic; WSP; North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
HARVARD PRINTING COMPANY, ORANGE
A transit-oriented development that combines new construction with a repurposed historic Art Deco factory building into mixed-income housing
Primary Partners: Harvard Development Urban Renewal Associates LLC; Kitchen & Associates; HANDS Inc.
ROEBLING LOFTS, TRENTON
A transit-oriented project that transforms a long-vacant historic industrial building into residential rental lofts.
Primary Partners: HHG Development; City of Trenton; Mercer County Improvement Authority; New Jersey Economic Development Authority; Clarke Caton Hintz
SMART GROWTH IN ACTION, SOMERVILLE
The realization of a long-term comprehensive plan that has revitalized a community into a thriving hub of activity.
Primary Partners: Somerset County Division of Planning; Somerset County Business Partnership; JSM at Somerville LLC; VMD Associates LLC
UNION EAGLE SENIOR APARTMENTS, BORDENTOWN
An adaptive reuse of an abandoned industrial building in a gentrifying area into affordable senior and veterans’ housing
Primary Partners: Mission First Housing Group; City of Bordentown; New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency; Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Besides Ms. Glenn, serving on the Smart Growth Awards jury this year were:
- Anthony Cancro, Administrator, Township of Plainsboro
- Jonathan Cortell, Vice President, L&M Development Partners
- Maura M. Fennessy AICP, Government Relations Specialist at Princeton University and former executive director of the state Office of Smart Growth
- Joe Fiordaliso, Chief Executive Officer, NorthStar Strategies LLC and a member of the New Jersey Committee of the Regional Plan Association
- Janice Kovach, Mayor, Town of Clinton
- Courtney McCormick Esq., Vice President, Renewables and Energy Solutions at PSE&G and a New Jersey Future trustee
- Wanda Saez, Vice President, Government and Community Relations, Wells Fargo and a New Jersey Future trustee
# # #
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 organization does this through original research, innovative policy development, coalition-building, advocacy, and hands-on technical assistance. New Jersey Future serves as the backbone staff for the Jersey Water Works collaborative.