Newark approves 4-tower TOD (left); NJ affordable obligation update; Seattle adopts middle housing citywide; Twin City BRT spurs growth; Vietnam metro raises property values (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
NEWARK—Four Skyscrapers Will Overlook Passaic River in Newark’s Ironbound
Nicole Zanchelli, TAPinto Newark | March 9, 2025
The Newark Central Planning Board approved an $803 million, four-tower development in the Ironbound neighborhood. To be built in two phases, it will include 1,408 apartments—283 designated as affordable—plus 18,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Located four blocks from Newark Penn Station, the development will provide residents with access to NJ TRANSIT and PATH services.
NJ TOD News
JERSEY CITY—BHI Provides $35 Million Construction Loan for 202-Unit TAY Investments Project in Jersey City
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | March 13, 2025
Tay Investments secured a $35 million loan to build a mixed-use development in Jersey City’s West Side neighborhood. The development will offer 202 units and 5,800 sq. ft. of ground floor retail just a five-minute walk from West Side Avenue Station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Completion is slated for summer 2026.
NEW BRUNSWICK—EDA Approves $104 Million Aspire Award for Nokia Bell Labs Tower in New Brunswick
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | March 13, 2025
H-2, a 370,000 sq. ft. development set to house Nokia Bell Labs, may break ground next month after securing a $103.9 million Aspire tax credit. As the second phase of the HELIX project, it will add an additional building housing lab and office space adjacent to the New Brunswick Station. The project’s first phase is expected to complete construction later this year.
Affordable Housing Update
Press Release, New Jersey League of Municipalities | March 12, 2025
Judge Thomas Miller, chair of the special panel overseeing New Jersey affordable housing obligation disputes, rejected the New Jersey Builders Association bid to consolidate its 158 affordable housing lawsuits into a single case. The NJ League of Municipalities states that this decision will affect the 90 cases where the NJBA challenged modifications not also contested by the Fair Share Housing Center.
ORANGE—NJ City Has $350M Plan to Turn Historic Hospital Into Luxury Housing. Locals Are Skeptical.
Mike Hayes, Gothamist | March 10, 2025
New York City-based developer Terrence Murray plans to transform the vacant Orange Memorial Hospital near Orange Station into a 1,000-unit residential complex, sparking local opposition over gentrification and affordability concerns. Approved by the planning board in late 2024, the project now awaits City Council review.
Transit and Equity News
CALIFORNIA—$42.4M Affordable Housing Project Approved for a San Diego Library Site
Deepali Singla, What Now San Diego | March 12, 2025
The San Diego City Council approved a 59-unit affordable housing complex on the site of a former library, providing homes for residents earning 30–60 percent of AMI and prioritizing those at risk of homelessness. Part of a broader city effort, the project repurposes public land to expand affordable housing near jobs, schools, and transit.
WASHINGTON—Facing Legal Appeals, Seattle Poised to Adopt Stopgap Middle Housing Upzones
Ryan Packer, The Urbanist | March 12, 2025
The Seattle City Council approved an interim ordinance allowing four units per lot citywide and six near rapid transit. While permanent upzones focused on neighborhood centers and transit-oriented development face legal appeals, this interim measure ensures compliance with new state middle housing laws.
NEW YORK—Where New York City’s Zoning Reform Will Add Housing
Sarah Holder, Nacha Cattan, and Marie Patino, Bloomberg | March 7, 2025
NYC’s “City of Yes” zoning plan, designed to enable 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years, is already influencing development. Recent changes to office conversion rules have increased planned unit counts, while new zoning policies encourage transit-oriented development, reduce parking mandates, and expand the use of accessory dwelling units. These reforms aim to address the city’s housing shortage by unlocking more residential capacity across various neighborhoods.
Regional and National TOD News
The Dark Prophet of Car-Clogged Cities
David Zipper, Bloomberg | March 14, 2025
Long before the rise of sprawl, Lewis Mumford, a writer and founding member of the RPA, predicted the dangers of excessive car dependence and championed more space-efficient modes like public transit and walking. He advocated for disincentivizing private car use in cities, a practice now implemented by New York through congestion pricing.
FLORIDA—Downtown Southbank Gets a $93 Million Addition With Opening of Artea Apartments
Ric Anderson, Jacksonville Daily Record | March 12, 2025
Artea, a four-story, 340-unit residential development, has opened in Jacksonville on land owned by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). Developed under the JTA’s Transit-Oriented Development Program, Artea offers walkable access to Kings Avenue Station on the Jacksonville Skyway Southbound Line.
NEW YORK—A New Pitch to Fix Penn Station: Move Madison Square Garden
Stefanos Chen and Patrick McGeehan, The New York Times | March 11, 2025
A $7.5 billion plan proposes relocating Madison Square Garden to free up space for an expanded Penn Station. The redesigned train hall could double capacity to 48 trains per hour and resolve long-standing rider complaints. The project would require approvals from New York State, the MTA, NJ TRANSIT, AMTRAK, real estate firm Vornado, and MSG owner James Dolan.
TEXAS—City of Richardson Partners With CBRE for DART Arapaho Center Station Redevelopment
Dustin Butler, Community Impact | March 11, 2025
The City of Richardson is seeking a developer for a 15-acre mixed-use redevelopment at the DART Arapaho Center Station, a key multimodal hub with Red Line light rail service to downtown Dallas. City officials aim to set a model for future transit-oriented redevelopment in the area.
UTAH—Downtown Daybreak Opens, a Mixed-Use City Core
Robert Steuteville, CNU Public Square | March 11, 2025
The first phase of Downtown Daybreak, a new urban development with commercial, residential and entertainment facilities, has opened in South Jordan, Utah. Built on a former mine site, the project comprises 900 residential units and connects to Salt Lake City via TRAX light rail. The development is Utah’s first transit-oriented sports and entertainment district.
MINNESOTA—New East Metro Gold Line Bus Spurs Development: ‘We’re Pleasantly Surprised’
Greta Kaul and Matt McKinney, Minneapolis Star Tribune | March 8, 2025
The Twin Cities’ Gold Line bus rapid transit project, set to open March 22, has already driven $805 million in permitted development along its route since its 2018 approval, including nearly 2,300 residential units. The Gold Line is one of three new bus rapid transit routes debuting this year in the metro area.
International TOD News
INDIA—National Capital Region Transport Corporation to Develop Commercial and Residential Hubs Along Namo Bharat Corridor
Staff, Prop News Time | March 12, 2025
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will develop commercial and residential hubs along the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, India’s first high-speed regional transit system. Following TOD principles, the hubs will include malls, office spaces, high-density housing, and hospitals, drawing inspiration from transit-driven developments in Singapore and Hong Kong.
VIETNAM—TOD Model Essential for Real Estate
Kate Hardwick, Vietnam Investment Review | March 11, 2025
Property values near metro stations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City surged in 2024 after both cities launched new metro lines—Hanoi saw a 40 percent increase, while Ho Chi Minh City property prices doubled. Large-scale TOD expansions are planned through 2028, fueling further growth.
AUSTRALIA—TOD or Not TOD: Can Sydney Sustain Its Future Population?
Staff, Architecture & Design | March 10, 2025
To combat soaring housing costs and a shrinking youth population, Sydney officials have proposed increasing density around the city’s 37 train stations. Inspired by Melbourne’s transit-oriented growth, the plan could add thousands of homes but faces opposition from residents worried about changing the city’s character.
BOLIVIA—La Paz’s Cable Car System – the World’s Longest and Highest – Is Cutting Down Commute Times
Michael Fox, The World | March 10, 2025
Since its inauguration in 2014, La Paz’s cable car system has dramatically reduced commute times and now boasts 200,000 riders per day at only 30 cents per trip. One rider’s commute declined from 90 to 11 minutes. The cable car makes use of Bolivia’s mountainous terrain, which makes other forms of mass transit difficult to implement.
CANADA—Government of Canada to Award More Than C$149.5 Million in Transit Funding
Brandon Lewis, Mass Transit | March 10, 2025
Canada will distribute C$103 million (US$71.86 million) to Winnipeg, Barrie, Saint John, and Dieppe through the Canadian Public Transit Fund. The funding will support higher-density development near transit, service upgrades, and infrastructure improvements.