Newark approves 1,008-unit tower (right); East Orange gets new TOD; NYC approves major Brooklyn rezoning; Seattle rezones entire city; Toronto advances affordable project (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
NEWARK—Mulberry Pointe High-Rise Towers Approved, But Legal Challenge Looms
Nicole Zanchelli, TAPinto Newark | May 28, 2025
Newark’s Central Planning Board approved Mulberry Pointe, a 1,008-unit residential high-rise with 3,507 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail within walking distance of Newark Penn Station. A coalition of nearby property owners plans to challenge the decision in court, citing concerns over limited residential parking and the elimination of 127 existing public parking spaces.
NJ TOD News
JERSEY CITY—Panepinto Tops Out 605-Unit High-Rise in Journal Square, Eyeing Spring 2026 Debut
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | May 28, 2025
Panepinto Properties has topped off construction on 505 Summit, a $388 million development that will add 605 units and 4,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail to Jersey City’s Journal Square. Through the Journal Square Transportation Center, residents will have access to PATH and NJ TRANSIT services. 505 Summit is expected to debut in spring 2026.
NEW JERSEY—Candidates for Governor Say How They Would Revamp NJ Transit
Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey Monitor| May 28, 2025
NJ gubernatorial candidates agree that NJ TRANSIT faces serious service and funding challenges but offer different solutions to address them. Most Democrats support making the corporate transit fee permanent and dedicating it to NJ TRANSIT, while Republicans propose federal funding, structural reform, or monetizing assets. Rep. Mikie Sherrill proposed encouraging TOD as a potential long-term solution for the transit agency.
EAST ORANGE—New Development Team, The Home Edition at Compass, Launches 116 Units at Hue Soul, East Orange
Amie Johnstone, Jersey Digs | May 27, 2025
Hue Soul, a new 116-unit infill, transit-oriented development from Tay Investments, is now leasing apartments in East Orange. Located at 431 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the development is a seven-minute walk from NJ TRANSIT’s East Orange Station, which offers direct service to New York City.
Transit and Equity News
NEW YORK—Major Brooklyn Rezoning Plan Approved by City Council
Staff, BK Reader | May 29, 2025
The New York City Council approved the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, rezoning a 21-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue, which will clear the way for 4,600 new housing units—including 1,900 designated permanently affordable. The plan replaces low-rise industrial buildings and reverses a 1960s zoning ban on new housing construction, helping to address the city’s housing shortage, and leverage the area’s transit access.
TEXAS—City Envisions Equitable Transformation of Two Key Mobility Hubs
Press Release, City of Austin | May 29, 2025
The City of Austin plans to redevelop the North Lamar and South Congress Transit Centers into equitable transit-oriented developments focused on affordable housing and walkability. The project aims to improve pedestrian access in these car-centric areas by encouraging redevelopment within a half-mile radius of the transit centers. The two plans were shaped by local input gathered during community workshops.
CONNECTICUT—CT House Approves Omnibus Housing Bill Following Compromises
Ginny Monk, CT Mirror | May 27, 2025
The Connecticut House passed Bill 5002, which seeks to address housing affordability by requiring towns to zone for a set number of affordable units, banning residential parking minimums, and incentivizing transit-oriented development using state funds. Facing filibuster threats, lawmakers had to scale back affordable housing quotas, and shift to incentivizing TOD, rather than mandating. The bill now moves to the state Senate.
CALIFORNIA—Developers Vie for Ashby BART West Lot Project
Hannah Kaminker, The Daily Californian | May 26, 2025
Two housing developers are competing to build a transit-oriented, mixed-income housing project on the Ashby BART station’s west parking lot, following a land swap and $26.5 million city investment in affordable housing. At a recent public forum, Adeline Alliance Partners and Ashby BART Strategic Alliance presented their plans; a panel will score both proposals. Plans call for construction to start in 2028.
PENNSYLVANIA—Philadelphia Housing Authority Launches West Park Apartments Redevelopment
Midhun Hari, WhatNow Philly | May 16, 2025
The Philadelphia Housing Authority is launching a $200 million redevelopment of the city’s last high-rise public housing complex, creating 1000 mixed-income housing units—with 60 percent reserved for residents earning below 60 percent of AMI. The project includes renovating existing towers, building new high-rise apartments and townhomes, and adding public spaces to improve access to the nearby El station and boost transit use.
Regional and National TOD News
MARYLAND—Governor Wes Moore Announces Hines to Lead $32.6M Transit-Oriented Development in North Bethesda
Patrick Herron, The MoCo Show | May 28, 2025
Governor Wes Moore selected the real estate firm Hines to redevelop a 13.9-acre site in North Bethesda into a mixed-use, transit-oriented hub anchored by the University of Maryland’s new Institute for Health Computing near Washington Metro’s North Bethesda Station on the Red Line. The project supports Moore’s goals to boost housing and enhance Maryland’s life science sector while increasing transit ridership and access to jobs.
NEW YORK—NY Wins Order Against US Funding Freeze in Congestion Fight
Chris Dolmetsch and Michelle Kaske, Bloomberg | May 27, 2025
A federal judge has granted New York a temporary restraining order blocking the federal government from cutting transportation funding over Manhattan’s congestion pricing program. The toll, implemented in January, has reduced traffic and raised funds for subway upgrades, but USDOT argues it harms small businesses and working-class residents. The order will remain in effect until June 9 as the court reviews the policy’s legality.
TEXAS—DART Launches DARTSpace Technology Platform to Help Support TOD Requests
Staff, Mass Transit | May 27, 2025
Dallas Area Rapid Transit has launched DARTSpace, a digital platform that streamlines applications to use DART property for transit-oriented development. Replacing a paper-only system, DARTSpace will cut approval times from 60 days to 10, and let users track application status, enhancing transparency and efficiency. The agency says the upgrade will help accelerate projects near transit.
WASHINGTON—Seattle Just Rezoned Entire City—That Was the Easy Part
Ryan Packer, The Urbanist | May 27, 2025
The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a temporary ordinance allowing up to four homes on residential lots and six near transit, aligning with state mandates for missing middle housing. Set to expire in a year, the measure precedes broader reforms proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell, including dense “neighborhood centers” and increased density near transit. The plan faces opposition over environmental concerns, though advocates argue density curbs sprawl and emissions.
International TOD News
CANADA—First Indigenous-Led City Housing Project Will Support Needs of Elders in Toronto, Chief Says
Rochelle Raveendran, CBC | May 26, 2025
Toronto’s first Indigenous and non-profit-led housing initiative will deliver 294 rental units for seniors, with one-third designated as affordable for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous seniors. Located near Davisville Station, the development will include 23,000 sq. ft. of community space and a ceremonial area for Indigenous cultural practices. Construction is expected to begin in late summer or early fall.
SWEDEN—EIB Finances Major Expansion of Stockholm Metro—One of Europe’s Largest Urban Transport Projects
Press Release, EIB | May 26, 2025
The European Investment Bank will provide $450 million to support Stockholm’s metro expansion, which includes 18 miles of new track and 18 stations across four municipalities. The project will enable the construction of 130,500 homes around the expanded network and aims to reduce car dependency while accommodating the region’s growing population.