NJ office conversion (left); Jersey City’s 2,000-unit redevelopment plan; New Haven approves downtown upzoning; Utah’s Transit Reinvestment Zones; Azerbaijan’s TOD strategy (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
From Boardrooms to Bedrooms (and Big Boxes): Inside New Jersey’s Office Conversion Boom
Jeffrey L. Heller, Real Estate NJ | November 28, 2025
Driven by rising vacancies and demand for housing and industrial space, New Jersey is experiencing a wave of office-to-residential and office-to-industrial conversions. The state has 141 projects totaling 22.1 million sq. ft., reflecting a restructuring of the real estate market as communities and businesses adapt to hybrid work.
NJ TOD News
JERSEY CITY—This 34-Story N.J. Tower Will Transform a Parking Lot into 360 Apartments With 90 Affordable Units
Stephanie Loder, NJ.com | December 4, 2025
Lions Gate Homestead Gateway started construction at 701 Newark Ave in Journal Square, turning a former municipal parking lot into a mixed-use development. The project will feature 360 apartments—including 90 affordable units—and 3,000 sq. ft. of retail space, located three blocks from the Journal Square Transportation Center.
NEWARK—1,000-Unit Complex Could Come to 1 Penn Plaza in Newark
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | December 3, 2025
NJ TRANSIT and Horizon seek investors to redevelop NJ TRANSIT’s former office complex into more than 1,000 residential units. The proposal would create a new mixed-use hub at 1 and 3 Penn Plaza East, minutes from Newark Penn Station, and relocate Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield’s headquarters to the city’s central business district.
ORANGE—Russo Opens Transit-Oriented Apartments Near Orange Station
Jessica Perry, NJ Biz | December 3, 2025
Russo Development and NJ TRANSIT celebrated the opening of LIA by Vermella and the lease-up of Essex & Crane in Orange. Both properties sit steps away from Orange Station. Lia by Vermella offers 216 units; Essex & Crane comprises 405 units. Russo has also partnered with NJ TRANSIT to bring apartments to Metropark Station in Woodbridge.
JERSEY CITY—Jersey City Moves Forward with Six Town, 2000-Unit Plan on South Baldwin Avenue
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | December 2, 2025
Jersey City’s Planning Board approved plans to redevelop the former C.F. Mueller pasta factory into a four-building complex with over 2,000 apartments, commercial space, and a new pedestrian plaza, all within walking distance of the Journal Square transit hub. The approval revives a redevelopment effort that began in 2015 but stalled, never advanced beyond the planning stage.
Transit and Equity News
MARYLAND—WMATA Begins Construction on Affordable Housing Development at New Carrollton
Staff, Mass Transit | December 5, 2025
WMATA broke ground on a four-phase, 364-unit affordable housing development at New Carrollton Station, starting with 112 senior homes. The project is part of a broader station overhaul that adds a new train hall, prepares for the Purple Line, and strengthens pedestrian and bike access. State, county, and federal partners say the effort showcases the region’s commitment to transit-accessible, affordable housing.
GEORGIA—Skyline Apartments Brings 250 Attainable Units to Atlanta’s BeltLine
Staff, Yield Pro | December 4, 2025
Exact Capital opened Skyline Apartments, a 205-unit affordable development on the Atlanta BeltLine. All apartments are affordable to households earning at or below 60 percent of AMI, offering reliable access to jobs, public transit, and major commercial destinations.
TENNESSEE—Construction Begins on Artist Focused Affordable Housing in Nashville
Staff, AHF | December 4, 2025
Construction is underway on the Opaline at Artist Hill, a 251-unit affordable housing complex for Nashville-area artists. Led by Holladay Ventures and the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville, the project aims to combat artist displacement from rising housing costs while addressing growing TOD demand.
CONNECTICUT—New Haven Alders Push More Affordable Housing With Downtown Zoning Changes
Jennifer Cuevas, NBC CT | December 2, 2025
New Haven’s Board of Alders approved zoning changes under the “Downtown For All” plan to secure federal and state transit funding, encourage denser development, and add affordable housing. The changes allow higher-density multi-family developments and legalize housing construction in the city’s deindustrialized downtown industrial zone.
OHIO—$108 M Whitehall Affordable Housing Project Aries Lofts Starts Construction
Emma Wozniak, Newark Advocate | December 1, 2025
LD Development broke ground on Aries Loft, a $108 million affordable housing project converting a former salvage yard into 315 apartments. Units target Franklin County residents earning 50 to 70 percent of the county’s median income and offer convenient access to public transit and nearby retailers.
Regional and National TOD News
NEW YORK—District Galleria: Transforming the Urban Core of White Plains
Vanessa Elena DeSantis, Urban Land | December 5, 2025
Developers plan to replace the closed Galleria mall with District Galleria, a multibillion-dollar mixed-use project with seven towers, 3,001 homes, new public space, and 96,350 sq. ft. of retail. The proposal would convert an outdated mega block into a connected, walkable district anchored by residential density near the White Plains Metro-North Station. The project requires the White Plains Council to rezone the site under a new Transit Development designation.
NEW YORK—We Have a Way to Pay for Free Buses. It means Free Street Parking Is Over
Nicholas Rohatyn, The New York Times | December 2, 2025
Rohatyn argues that New York City could fund Mayor-elect Mamdani’s free bus plan by charging for on-street parking. He proposes metered spaces in high-demand areas and low-cost residential permits elsewhere, which could generate $1.1 to $1.6 billion annually, enough to cover the estimated $650 million to $1 billion cost of fare-free buses.
UTAH—The Salt Lake Burbs Are Leaning on Transit-Oriented Development to Squeeze in Housing
Sean Higgins, KUER | December 2, 2025
Towns across Utah are addressing the state’s housing crisis with “Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zones,” mixed-use districts that use tax revenue to support denser development near major transit hubs. South Jordan expects 4,500 new housing units near its light rail station over the next few years.
WASHINGTON—New Light Rail Stations to Open Saturday in Kent, Des Moines and Federal Way
Stella Sun, KOMO News | December 2, 2025
Sound Transit will open three new Link light rail stations at Kent, Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way, creating a key transit connection between South King County and Seattle. The extension could serve up to 23,000 riders daily, speeding trips to Sea-Tac Airport and downtown while reducing I-5 traffic.
CALIFORNIA—Transit-Oriented Incentive Programs and Multifamily Housing: Evidence from Los Angeles
Stephanie Kestelman, JCHS Harvard | December 1, 2025
A new Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies report found Los Angeles’s Transit-Oriented Communities program increased housing proposals and affordable development near transit but added fewer than 560 units to the city’s overall housing supply. By shifting projects from discretionary to ministerial approval, the policy enabled more projects in high-opposition neighborhoods, though cost pressures limited total permitted units.
International TOD News
AZERBAIJAN—Five-Year Strategy Prepared for Dev’t of Azerbaijan Railways’ Strategic Assets
Ruslan Hasanov, Report News Agency | December 1, 2025
Colliers completed a consultancy project reviewing Azerbaijan Railways’ real estate holdings—more than 3,000 buildings and 2,000 land parcels—to draft a five-year development strategy. The plan explores revenue diversification, including public-private partnerships to build TOD near stations.
AUSTRALIA—Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel Opens to Passengers in Major CBD Rail Network Expansion
Staff, Xinhua | November 30, 2025
Melbourne’s new metro tunnel opened to passengers, adding five stations and extending service five kilometers through the central business district. The $9.8 billion project links the Sunbury, Cranbourne, and Pakenham lines, reducing travel times and easing congestion across the network.