Red Bank approves NJ TRANSIT TOD (right); 2,400-unit Newark planned site for sale; Honolulu TOD RFQ; DART approves TIRZ program; Indonesia builds transit hub (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
RED BANK—Planning Board OK’s Red Bank Train Station Redevelopment Plan
Brian Donohue, Red Bank Green | June 11, 2025
The Red Bank Planning Board has approved Denholtz and NJ TRANSIT’s plan to transform parking lots and vacant land around the Red Bank Station into a mixed-income development with housing, commercial space, and a large public plaza. While initial plans proposed 400 units, local height limits will likely reduce that number. The project will help the borough meet its affordable housing obligations in a single development.
NJ TOD News
NEWARK—Massive 2,400-Unit IDT Redevelopment in Newark Listed for Sale
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | June 10, 2025
Sinai Equity Group plans to sell its four-tower redevelopment project in downtown Newark before starting construction. Approved in 2023, the project has faced local pushback over fears it would overwhelm the neighborhood. If built, it would add 2,438 residential units to one of New Jersey’s most transit-rich areas, served by multiple Newark Light Rail stations and Broad Street Station.
FAIR LAWN—Kushner Launches leasing at 307-Unit Luxury Senior Housing Property in Fair Lawn
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | June 9, 2025
Kushner has opened pre-leasing for The Livana Fair Lawn, a new age-restricted development for residents 55 and older. Built on the site of a former vacant office building just blocks from NJ TRANSIT’s Radburn Station, the four-story complex includes 307 housing units, with 46 designated for low-income residents.
PLAINFIELD—New 42-Unit Apartment Building in Plainfield on the Market for Sale, IPRG Says
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | June 9, 2025
The developer of The Station at Netherwood plans to sell the 42-unit apartment building one year after finishing construction. Located across from NJ TRANSIT’s Netherwood station, the fully leased, mixed-use development includes 1,456 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail, bike storage, and 48 parking spaces available for residents.
ELIZABETH—Bayport Funding Provides $4.85M Loan for Mixed-Use Development in Elizabeth
John Harrington, ROI NJ | June 5, 2025
Bayport Funding has provided a $4.85 million loan to convert an early 20th-century building into a mixed-use development featuring 15 residential units. Situated near the midtown Elizabeth Station, the property offers residents a 20-minute commute to Manhattan. The redevelopment is the latest in a wave of apartment construction in downtown Elizabeth, driven by rent increases in New York City and Hudson County.
Transit and Equity News
KANSAS—KCATA Committee Approves Plan to Build $52.5M Apartment Community in Kansas City, Kansas
Sam Hartle, KSHB | June 10, 2025
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority approved Wyandotte County’s first designated transit-oriented community development, Redbud Reserve, which will redevelop a vacant lot into eight 3-story buildings, offering 192 affordable housing units. The $52.5 million project will also include a playground, open community space, and a new bus stop to encourage local transit ridership.
WASHINGTON—eTOD: Creating Inclusive Places Where Transit Meets Home
Astrid Huang, Daily Journal of Commerce | June 10, 2025
Multicultural Village, in Kent, Washington, will deliver 233 affordable homes alongside culturally responsive community services next to a future Sound Transit light rail station. Led by Open Doors for Multicultural Families and Mercy Housing Northwest, the project features a Family Resource Center, an inclusive Early Learning Center, and a food hall supporting immigrant entrepreneurs. Construction is expected to begin in late 2025.
HAWAII—City Seeks Development Partner for Major Affordable Housing Opportunity in Kapolei
Ryan Wilson, Office of the Mayor | June 9, 2025
The City of Honolulu released a Request for Qualifications, seeking a developer to transform a vacant, city-owned lot in Kapolei into a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. The city plans to build 600 to 800 affordable units on the 13-acre site, leveraging its location near a future Skyline station. The move is part of a wider effort to repurpose underutilized land into affordable homes and mixed-income communities through public-private partnerships.
NEW YORK—NYC Mayoral Candidates All Agree on Building More Housing. But Where?
Benjamin Schneider, Bloomberg | June 9, 2025
Amid rising rents and low vacancy rates, Democratic mayoral candidates in New York City agree on the urgent need for more housing—but differ sharply on how to achieve it. Frontrunners Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani illustrate this divide: Cuomo opposes upzoning low-density areas, favoring targeted development in already dense neighborhoods, while Mamdani advocates for broader upzoning near transit hubs and in affluent areas.
Regional and National TOD News
CONNECTICUT—Trinity Financial Arranges CHFA Award of Federal Tax Credits for Windsor Locks Transit-Oriented Development
Staff, Financial Digest | June 13, 2025
Trinity Financial has secured $1.46 million in low-income housing tax credits for its planned $85 million transit-oriented development near the Windsor Locks Station. The project will transform a vacant 3.2-acre lot into 120 housing units and 4,000 square feet of retail, anchoring the north end of Main Street and linking downtown to the new station.
ARIZONA—Phoenix Celebrates Opening of South Central Extension/Downtown Hub Light Rail Project
Press Release, City of Phoenix | June 9, 2025
Phoenix residents gathered to celebrate the opening of the South Central Light Rail Extension on June 7, marking the system’s expansion into a 35-mile, two-line network. The 5.5-mile extension adds eight new stations and is expected to increase daily boardings from 32,000 to 40,000. Local art installations feature prominently throughout the new stations, reflecting the unique heritage and culture of South Phoenix’s communities.
PENNSYLVANIA—Threat to Paoli/Thorndale Line Raises Concerns for Main Line’s Transit-Oriented Growth
Leah Mikulich, DELCO Today, June 9, 2025
SEPTA’s proposed cuts could eliminate the Paoli/Thorndale Line, threatening years of transit-oriented development along Philadelphia’s Main Line. Once a catalyst for revitalizing communities like Malvern and Ardmore, the line has seen ridership and revenue plunge since the pandemic, casting doubt on its future amid budgetary concerns.
TEXAS—DART Approves Agreement to Help Fund Development at Outlying Stations
Teresa Gubbins, CultureMap Dallas | June 9, 2025
The DART Board of Directors has approved a framework allowing the agency to invest a portion of its sales tax revenue into local tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZs) to support revitalization and transit-oriented development. Developed in partnership with member cities, the initiative aims to boost ridership, drive economic growth, and strengthen DART’s role as a catalyst for community development.
PENNSYLVANIA—Reading City Council Hears Update on Transit-Oriented Development Plan for Downtown
David Kostival, WFMZ | June 2, 2025
The Reading City Council reviewed plans for the implementation of transit-oriented development in the city’s downtown, sparked by the creation of the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority, which aims to restore passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia. Planners have drafted a focus area map outlining zones around the proposed station to receive increased building heights, smaller minimum lot sizes, and reduced parking requirements.
International TOD News
CANADA—Fredericton Council Hears Opposition to More Apartment Buildings on College Hill
Aidan Cox, CBC News | June 10, 2025
Fredericton’s City Council is considering upzoning College Hill to allow multi-family buildings near the University of New Brunswick. The area, now dominated by single-family homes and duplexes, faces pressure from population growth and rising costs. Some residents oppose the change, citing concerns about traffic, overdevelopment, and loss of neighborhood character.
INDONESIA—Jababeka Residence, Pioneers of Sustainable TOD Areas in Indonesia
Staff, VOI | June 6, 2025
PT MRT Jakarta has partnered with Jababeka Residence, a 5,600-hectare development east of Jakarta, to extend the East-West commuter rail line into the center of the development—positioning it to become a regional transit hub. The area’s emphasis on walkability and transit access has already attracted thousands of residents and over 2,000 national and multinational companies, fueling strong demographic and economic growth.