As part of Jonathan Rose Companies, Topology Principal Phil Abramson served as development manager and project planner to lead technical and regulatory strategies for a redevelopment project that has become a key part of South Orange’s Transit Village neighborhood. Implementation challenges on the 2.7 acre parcel included the relocation of the South Orange Rescue Squad and temporary relocation of commuter parking, as well as negotiations with the Township and NJ Transit.

This project is now complete and was recently nominated for a New Jersey Future Smart Growth Award. The project, built on an existing parking lot, contains 215 residential units, 10% of which are designated for low-income households. Additionally, it contains 3,000 square feet of retail space and a 529 space structured parking facility, including 255 spaces allocated for public use. The building was designed to reflect its local context through the use of traditional materials and its massing strategy.

Insight: creating strong public-private partnerships is often the difference between good and great redevelopment projects.