Restoring Amtrak from Scranton to NYC (left); Journal Square gets a 3rd tower; Bronx affordable housing; OKC to advance TOD plan & BRT; Active transport in Africa (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
Line. Courtesy of Amtrak
PENNSYLVANIA—Casey, Cartwright Announce $9M Toward Restoring Passenger Train Between Scranton and New York
Jim Lockwood, The Times-Tribune, October 29, 2024
Pennsylvania officials announced a $9 million federal grant to restore the Amtrak rail service between Scranton and New York City, discontinued in 1970. The service will pass through the Poconos and New Jersey, with stops in Blairstown, Dover, Morristown, Orange and Newark. Construction will include bridge rehabilitation and upgrades to the rail line to support speeds of up to 80 mph. A 2023 Amtrak study published estimated the project could generate $84 million in new economic activity annually. With continued investment, the project is expected to finish within 5 to 6 years.
NJ TOD News
NEWARK—Developers Unveil New 135-Units Rental Property in Newark’s Ironbound Section
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ, November 7, 2024
Iron 65, a 135-unit residential development at 65 McWhorter Street in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood, is now open for lease. The property offers amenities such as a fitness center, yoga studio, and work-home spaces, and is located less than half a mile from Newark Penn Station, providing a 20-minute commute to midtown Manhattan. Signature Realty, the leasing partner, expects the development to lease quickly.
JERSEY CITY—With Opening of Final Tower, Jersey City’s Journal Squared Development is Complete
Aaron Ginsburg, 6sqft, November 5, 2024
The final tower of Jersey City’s three-building complex, Journal Squared, developed by Kushner Real Estate, opened last week. The full development offers 1,840 rental apartments, 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities, and 36,000 sq. ft. of street-level retail space, including a supermarket. This $900 million project broke ground in 2014, with the first phase opening in 2017 and the second in 2021. Located directly above the Journal Square Transportation Center, Journal Squared provides residents with direct access to PATH trains, NJ TRANSIT, and bus lines.
NEWARK—New Renderings Revealed for 930 McCarter Highway in Newark, New Jersey
Michael Young and Matt Pruznick, New York Yimby, November 5, 2024
MHS Architects has released new renderings for 930 McCarter Highway, a 25-story residential building under construction in Newark. Boraie Development leads the project, which will include 265 market-rate rental units, 68 affordable units, and 3,750 sq. ft. of commercial and retail space. The 930 McCarter Highway project received partial funding through a $90 million NJEDA Aspire award to promote mixed-use, affordable, transit-oriented development. Located within walking distance of Newark Penn Station and the NJPAC-Center Street light rail station, the project will provide abundant public transportation options and is slated for completion by 2026.
Gateway Development Commission Gives CEO Update
Matthew Fazelpoor, NJ BIZ, November 4, 2024
With CEO Kris Kolluri departing on November 8th, the Gateway Development Commission (GDC) has appointed CFO Patrick McCoy as Acting CEO to maintain continuity in leadership. The GDC is conducting a national search for a permanent CEO to oversee the Hudson Tunnel Project, which it calls the nation’s most urgent infrastructure project. Construction on the project is progressing on both sides of the Hudson River, with key work underway in New Jersey, New York, and the river itself.
Google Streetview
EMERSON—Build It Where? Not So Fast, Jack!
Michael Olohan, Pascack Press, November 3, 2024
Local officials in Emerson are resisting a proposal from Emerson Redevelopers Urban Renewal (ERUR) to amend zoning rules for 129 Kinderkamack Road, which would allow affordable housing on the ground floor. The officials raised concerns about the site’s eligibility for affordable housing, citing a tax lien and financial issues with ERUR. Council members are wary of setting a precedent by amending the CBD’s redevelopment plan, and ERUR has faced legal and financial challenges, including unpaid invoices and lawsuits. The borough is requiring more financial documentation from ERUR before considering any changes to the redevelopment plan.
Transit and Equity News
LOUISIANA—New Orleans Voters Approve Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Matt Bloom, New Orleans Public Radio, November 6, 2024
In Tuesday’s election, over 75 percent of New Orleans voters approved an amendment to establish a trust fund for affordable housing projects. Starting in 2026, the City will allocate at least 2 percent of its annual budget—about $17 million—to the fund. The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Finance New Orleans, two quasi-public housing agencies, will manage the fund to create affordable rentals, preserve existing affordable units, and expand homeownership opportunities. Supporters view this charter amendment as a crucial step toward addressing New Orleans’s housing affordability crisis.
NEW JERSEY—Hoboken Residents Preserve Rent Control Rules in Landslide Vote
Mike Hayes, Gothamist, November 6, 2024
On Tuesday, Hoboken voters rejected a measure to loosen rent-control regulations. The proposal would have allowed landlords to convert vacated rent-controlled units to market rate by paying $2,500 to the City’s affordable housing trust fund. Defeated by a 3-1 margin, the vote underscores residents’ concerns about New Jersey’s affordable housing shortage. Hoboken will keep its current rule, capping rent increases for vacated rent-controlled apartments at 25 percent.
NEW YORK—HPD Celebrates Opening of 171 Affordable Apartments in South Bronx
Chelsea Ramjeawan, CityLand NYC, November 6, 2024
The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) celebrated the opening of Melrose North, a 171-unit, fully affordable development in the South Bronx. The complex offers studio to three-bedroom apartments, with 103 units designated for formerly homeless individuals and families. Residents will have access to the Melrose Metro-North station and on-site services, including counseling, mental healthcare, and substance abuse resources. Officials aim to address the South Bronx’s housing security issues, where the vacancy rate is just 1.4 percent and over half the community is rent-burdened.
NEW YORK—HOUSING CRISIS: Council Pushes Mayor to Create ‘City of Yes … And’
Sophia Lebowitz, Streetsblog NYC, November 4, 2024
NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced a “City for All” proposal aimed at increasing affordable housing within Mayor Eric Adams’s “City of Yes” plan. Affordability remains a priority for many council members, some of whom argue that the plan’s Universal Affordability Preference, which permits developers to add density in exchange for affordable units, falls short of addressing the affordability crisis. Speaker Adams’s proposal did not clarify her stance on the City of Yes provision to eliminate parking minimums citywide. Transit-oriented development and housing advocates support removing parking mandates to cut construction costs and boost affordability.
Regional and National TOD News
TENNESSEE—Nashville Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Mayor’s Transit Plan
Jason Lamb, NewsChannel5 Nashville, November 5, 2024
Nashville voters approved a new transportation plan to improve bus service, add sidewalks, and create 12 new transit centers, among other measures. The $3.1 billion “Choose How You Move” plan will be funded by a half-cent Nashville sales tax increase. Voters rejected a similar plan in 2018 for city-wide light rail, but Mayor Freddie O’Connell believes this plan’s specificity helped secure approval. The sales tax hike takes effect in April 2025, but sidewalk construction this winter and improved bus service by the spring.
NEW YORK—Governor Hochul Announces MTA Seeking Proposals to Redevelop Parking Lot at Beacon Metro-North Station for Transit-Oriented Housing Development
Press Release, New York Homes and Community Renewal, November 4, 2024
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) issued a Request for Proposals to redevelop a parking lot next to the Beacon Metro-North Station into a 300-unit mixed-income residential development. The project aligns with the State’s efforts to repurpose State-owned sites for housing and Beacon’s goal of improving connectivity between the waterfront, Beacon Station, and Main Street. The station provides access to the Metro-North Hudson line, connecting to midtown Manhattan in 78 minutes. Proposals are due by December 18th.
OKLAHOMA—OKC Was Awarded a $975K Federal Grant for Transit-Oriented Development. What’s the Plan?
Jessie Christopher Smith, The Oklahoman, November 4, 2024
Oklahoma City received a $975,000 Federal Transit Administration grant to develop a transit-oriented plan for the Classen Boulevard corridor. The funds will go toward hiring a consultant and conducting community engagement with residents, business owners, and other stakeholders. Earlier this year, the City Council approved a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for the corridor, following the completion of the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along Classen last year.
TEXAS—What is Transit-Oriented Development? How New Zoning, VIA’s Green Line could reshape San Antonio
Iris Dimmick, San Antonio Report, November 1, 2024
San Antonio is preparing a transit-oriented policy framework to encourage residential, commercial, and mixed-use development around its soon-to-be-completed $446 million BRT Green Line. Some residents near the Green Line have raised concerns about increased density and displacement, but the city council has outlined anti-displacement strategies for the policy framework. Additionally, properties within the TOD boundary will not be automatically rezoned; property owners must go through a rezoning process with city council approval. The City Council will vote on the transit-oriented policy framework on December 19th.
International TOD News
AFRICA—African Cities Strive to Make Road Less Perilous for Pedestrians and Cyclists
Staff, United Nations Environment Programme, November 6, 2024
The UN Environment Programme, in partnership with UN-Habitat and the World Health Organization, launched the Pan-African Action Plan for Active Mobility at the World Urban Forum on November 6. Drawing on innovations from cities like Kampala and Kisumu, the plan aims to shift urban mobility from car reliance to prioritizing walking and cycling. The plan promotes non-motorized transit corridors to reduce carbon footprints, stimulate economies, and decrease car-related injuries. For African cities facing congestion, road fatalities, and rising emissions, promoting active mobility is crucial.
FRANCE—Paris Restricts Through Traffic in City Center
Feargus O’Sullivan, Bloomberg, November 5, 2024
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has implemented a long-planned ban on private through traffic in the city center, aligning with similar policies in Madrid, Dublin, and Brussels. The Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) restricts private cars from passing through the four central districts unless their destination is within the zone. Residents, delivery drivers, transportation services, healthcare workers, and some essential workers are exempt. The ZTL builds on previous measures to reduce car traffic, including pedestrianizing the Seine quays, banning older diesel cars, and converting vehicle lanes into sidewalks, bike lanes, and green spaces.