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Events
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"The most important thing to remember is that whether you are a homemaker, businessperson, attorney, community activist, local official, student, or other interested citizen, getting involved will greatly affect the state."
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2009 Workshops in Detail |
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9:00 a.m. Session 1
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
Note: Click on [ppt] to download a PDF of the panelist's presentation.
Using Redevelopment to Go Green
There’s a lot of chatter about ways to be green, but how feasible is “going green” in our current economic climate? Can redevelopment be green? Panelists will discuss various ways to make redevelopment greener, including ways that the redevelopment statute can offer towns some flexibility to make their developments greener, the latest in LEED-ND certification, regenerative design and what municipalities can do to connect green initiatives to redevelopment, including the new Sustainable Jersey initiative.
Panelists: - Sue Boyle, Senior Practice Leader, GEI Consultants (Moderator)
- Mark MaGrann, CEO/Chairman, MaGrann Associates [ppt]
- Fred R. Profeta, Jr., Deputy Mayor for the Environment, Township of Maplewood
- Anthony Sblendorio, CEO and Co-Founder, Ecological Development
- Caroline Ehrlich, Executive Director, Woodbridge Township Redevelopment Agency
Opportunities for Temporary Infill
In an ideal world, towns would never have vacant lots, empty storefronts or underutilized properties and public spaces. But in reality – and particularly in the reality of today’s economy – most municipalities find themselves dealing with these problems in one way or another. This session will highlight case studies of municipalities that made lemonade from lemons and have creatively dealt with these problems in ways that have positively served the artistic, economic and social needs of the community. Attendees will learn about farmers’ markets, public art projects and art exhibits, creative use of vacant storefronts and community gardens, among others.
Panelists: - Jef Buehler, State Coordinator, Main Street NJ; Director, New Jersey Office of Smart Growth (Moderator) [ppt]
- Kevin Wilkes, AIA, Princeton Design Guild [ppt]
- Elyse Pivnick, Vice President, Environmental and Community Health, ISLES, Inc. [ppt]
Protecting the Public Good in Redevelopment Projects
Redevelopment can offer new economic hope to struggling municipalities and their residents. But the process is also subject to abuses that can leave some parties enriched at the expense of others. What mechanisms are available for ensuring that the community’s interests are safeguarded when a redevelopment project comes to town? How do we make sure that a redevelopment project benefits the existing neighbors and not just the developer or the local government? What about longtime residents who are in danger of being displaced by a redevelopment project? This session will discuss strategies municipalities can use to make sure their existing residents share in the revitalization triggered by redevelopment – and why such considerations are important. Panelists: - Michael Powell, Vice President of Planning, Policy, and Development, New Jersey Community Development Corporation (Moderator)
- Marc Pfeiffer, Deputy Director, Division of Local Government Services, Department of Community Affairs
- Brian Weeks, Deputy Public Advocate, State of New Jersey
- Ellen Brown, Chief Operating Officer, NJ Institute for Social Justice
- Adam Zipkin, Chief of Staff for Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, City of Newark
Revenue Allocation District (RAD) Financing: Revisiting a Useful Redevelopment Tool
Revenue Allocation Districts (RADs) are a promising but underutilized financing tool for redevelopment. RADs – known as Tax Increment Financing in over 40 other states – allow a municipality with a redevelopment area to establish various financing programs to fund aspects of redevelopment projects, such as land acquisition, demolition, renovation and construction. But so far, only the city of Millville, with its 800-acre RAD, has exhibited successful implementation of this redevelopment tool. Why? Our panelists explore the challenges, talk about pending RAD legislation and also discuss a similar financing tool, Revenue Area Bond financing (RAB).
Panelists: - Anne Babineau, Esq. Partner, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. (Moderator)
- Patrick Henry, Co-founder, The Atlantic Group
- Donald Ayres, Director for Economic Development, City of Millville [ppt]
- Robert S. Goldsmith, Esq. Partner, Real Estate Department, Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP
- Thomas Hastie, Jr., Attorney, McManimon & Scotland, LLC [ppt]
Redevelopment 101: Getting Started [ppt]
The powers afforded to municipalities under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law to reshape their communities are both unique and profound. Panel attendees will learn not only about the exacting process that must be undertaken to unleash these expansive powers, but also about how to avoid time-consuming, costly and frustrating missteps. The rules that govern the designated area after the adoption of the plan are a significant departure from the roles of the municipal government under the Municipal Land Use Law. The fundamental differences in the powers and duties of the governing body and the planning board will be discussed in the redevelopment context. An overview of the statutory criteria that must be established to determine that an area is in need of redevelopment, and the steps that must be taken to adopt a redevelopment plan, together with a roadmap to follow the key legal requirements, will be presented. The presenters will also discuss methods to engage the community in the process.
Panelists: - Joseph J. Maraziti, Esq., Maraziti, Falcon, & Healey LLP (Moderator)
- Susan Gruel, PP, AICP, Principal, Heyer Gruel & Associates
- Fred Heyer, Principal, Heyer Gruel & Associates
Projections and Trends Affecting Redevelopment in New Jersey
This session will focus on how the economic downturn is affecting redevelopment activity in New Jersey, when that may change and what signs may presage a turn in the market. The panelists will focus on how redevelopment projects are faring compared to the rest of the economy and housing and commercial markets. Are there some pockets of activity in an overall down market? Considering the long time horizon for planning and executing projects, when will it be safe to plan for redevelopment projects again? What are the region’s strengths and weaknesses?
Panelists: - Dianne Brake, President, PlanSmart NJ (Moderator)
- Anthony Marchetta, Vice President, LCOR, Inc.
- James W. Hughes, Dean, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University [ppt]
- Patrick O’Keefe, Director of Economic Research, J.H. Cohn LLP [ppt]
- Niels Guldbjerg, Vice President, Otteau Valuation Group
Institutions as Redevelopers
Not all redevelopment is initiated by the municipality. In many cases, institutions such as universities and hospitals–often in collaboration with a developer–are the catalysts behind a redevelopment project. This session will explore how and why institutions take on redevelopment projects, why these types of redevelopment projects are important to a community’s long-term health, how institutions can successfully partner with private developers to bring these projects to life and how these types of redevelopment projects can work with the municipality in order to ensure that the community’s needs and visions are not forgotten.
Panelists: - Pam Hersh, Vice President, Government & Community Affairs, Princeton HealthCare System (Moderator)
- Marvin Reed, Former Mayor, Princeton Borough
- Carl E. Dranoff, Founder and President, Dranoff Properties, Inc. [ppt]
- Gene Vincenti, Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration, Rutgers Newark [ppt]
- John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO, Cooper Health System [ppt]
Reconnecting Jobs with Transit
Most of New Jersey’s job growth since 1980 has taken place in scattered suburban locations accessible only by automobile, while many older, transit-accessible and pedestrian-friendly employment centers have lost jobs. Not only is this a great way to add cars to the road, but it adds to the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions and exacerbates the plight of declining urban job centers already facing high unemployment and a host of other socioeconomic problems. Putting jobs back into already-developed areas with good transit service, in contrast, would advance the state’s transportation goals while also serving to rejuvenate the tax bases of many cities and older suburbs. This panel will discuss state agency programs aimed at promoting job growth around transit and will highlight one town’s efforts to capitalize on its transit station’s redevelopment potential as a job growth engine.
Panelists: 10:45 a.m. Session 2
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
Note: Click on [ppt] to download a PDF of the panelist's presentation. Water Infrastructure: Sustainable Funding and Innovative Approaches
Water infrastructure is invisible until the tap runs dry, the sewers back up or streets are flooded. Local governments must not only prevent such emergencies, but also maintain and upgrade their water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure in order to support redevelopment and improve environmental outcomes. This panel will describe the latest financial resources available to New Jersey communities and utilities. Practical advice on the most effective ways to manage and upgrade systems will be discussed, including the use of new technologies and innovative “green infrastructure” approaches that reduce energy use and improve water quality while providing better service.
Panelists: Deborah Mans, Baykeeper and Executive Director, NY/NJ Baykeeper (Moderator) Dennis Hart, Executive Director, New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Andrew Kricun, P.E., Deputy Executive Director and Chief Engineer, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority [ppt]Franco Montalto, President, eDesign Dynamics, LLC; Assistant Professor, Drexel University [ppt]Additional Information about the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act [ppt]
New Federal Funds for Neighborhood Stabilization
This past summer, Congress appropriated $3.92 billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), a one-time special appropriation that allocated money to states and local governments to use to buy foreclosed or abandoned properties, rehabilitate or demolish them, and redevelop the sites, in order to stabilize neighborhoods affected by large numbers of foreclosures. This HUD-administered program is the first new federal initiative, and the most significant allocation of resources for at-risk neighborhoods, in many years. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which received $51 million in NSP funds, has issued a request for proposals, inviting local governments, developers and community development corporations (CDCs) to present their proposals for stabilizing neighborhoods in their communities. In this session we will hear from planners, local officials and CDC leaders who are developing the strategies that will be used in different cities to reverse the impacts of of foreclosures, and foster stabilization and market recovery in New Jersey's communities.
Panelists: Alan Mallach, FAICP, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Senior Fellow, National Housing Institute (Moderator) [ppt]Michael G. Meyer, Director of Housing and Real Estate, City of Newark [ppt]Michael Powell, Vice President of Planning, Policy, and Development, New Jersey Community Development Corporation [ppt]Patrick Morrissy, Executive Director, HANDS, Inc. [ppt]
Meeting Affordable Housing Goals through Redevelopment
Affordable housing is always a hot topic in New Jersey as towns continually grapple with ways to provide it. But what if we viewed redevelopment and affordable housing as complementary–using redevelopment projects as a way to actually achieve affordable-housing goals? From Montgomery Township to Bordentown, from South Orange to Princeton Borough, we are seeing towns achieve their housing and redevelopment goals concurrently. But challenges always bubble up; this session will take a look at how towns can overcome these various obstacles to arrive at a successful redevelopment project that simultaneously addresses the community’s affordable-housing needs.
Panelists: Conor G. Fennessy, Vice President of Government Affairs, New Jersey Apartment Association (Moderator) Phillip Caton, AICP, PP, President, Clarke Caton Hintz [ppt]Adam Gordon, Esq., Attorney, Fair Share Housing Center Bridget Phifer, Executive Director, Parkside Business & Community in Partnership [ppt]Andrew Cohen, President, Rock Properties [ppt]
The Finances of Redevelopment: A How-To Workshop
The session will provide nonprofit and for-profit developers, professional consultants, entrepreneurs and municipal and county staff with a working knowledge of financial terminology as it relates to a real estate development budget; essential calculations that will determine if your project is feasible or not; and the relationship between your project budget and ascertaining funds to build your project.
Panelists: Leslie Anderson, Executive Director, New Jersey Redevelopment Authority (Moderator) Lisa Armstrong, President, Armstrong Construction Group LLC William O'Dea, Deputy Executive Director, Elizabeth Development Co. Craig Sawyer, Principal, Equitable Development Consultants, LLP
Redeveloper Agreements: Understanding and Negotiating the Deal
The redeveloper agreement is where the “rubber meets the road” in many redevelopment projects and can have as much impact on the final project as the redevelopment plan itself. The agreement details the responsibilities of both parties – the redeveloper and the municipality – and lays out the terms and timing that will be enforced over what will likely be several years of implementation. In this session, presenters will outline some of the basics as well as use the negotiation process as a lens with which to look at how to arrive at a redevelopment deal, one that works for both the town and the developer.
Panelists: Joseph J. Maraziti, Jr., Esq., Partner, Maraziti Falcon & Healey (Moderator) [ppt]Matt Karrenberg, Partner, DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Wisler LLP George Jacobs, President, Jacobs Enterprises Andrew Janiw, Principal, Beacon Planning and Consulting Services Helga van Eckert, Executive Director, Perth Amboy Redevelopment Authority
Redevelopment Law: An Update
Since the New Jersey Supreme Court issued its decision in Gallenthin v. Paulsboro, municipalities and property owners throughout New Jersey have been required to determine the meaning of that decision when they are starting a preliminary investigation or considering to what extent they can rely upon determinations made in the past. This panel will examine current thinking on what the decision requires be included in the record to provide "substantial evidence" in support of a designation, and what planners and attorneys are suggesting should be included even though not necessarily legally required and, more important, what this means for redevelopment in New Jersey.
Panelists: Creating Places of Enduring Value with Redevelopment
The thriving communities of the 21st Century will differentiate themselves by their lively neighborhoods and business districts, transportation options, cultural and recreational attractions, great sense of place, protected natural areas and local character. In a down economy, it will be tempting to cut back on these planning ideas, thinking that they are frivolous, but disregarding these principles in the name of saving money can create a downward spiral that causes a local economy to lose its competitive edge. Come to this session to learn more about how to plan, design and develop communities that will attract investment and hear about some of the challenges in moving these types of projects forward.
Panelists: - Gary Toth, Senior Director, Transportation Initiatives, Project for Public Spaces (Moderator)
Daniel Hernandez, Director, Planning Practice, Jonathan Rose Companies [ppt]David J. Minno, AIA, PP, Principal, Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners [ppt]Philip C. Myrick, Vice President, Project for Public Spaces [ppt]
The ARC Mega Project and its Impact on Redevelopment in New Jersey
Access to the Region’s Core, the region-wide study looking at the possibility of a new trans-Hudson rail tunnel to midtown Manhattan, presents vast opportunities for both redevelopment and economic development in New Jersey. Many feel that, if planned strategically, this new tunnel could provide the linchpin in linking dozens of train lines and extending train service to almost two-thirds of New Jersey’s population. Experts also predict that the project could increase home values in affected areas, including places like Newark, Kearny and Somerville. This session will discuss the importance of these kinds of once-in-a-lifetime, large, region-wide infrastructure projects and also take a look at the tunnel’s vast potential for redevelopment and economic development in New Jersey.
Panelists: 2:15 p.m. Session 3
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
Note: Click on [ppt] to download a PDF of the panelist's presentation.
Conflicting Interests? Preserving the Environment and Promoting Redevelopment
While some might argue that environmental protection and cleanup require sacrificing economic goals, this panel will examine the real challenges facing redevelopment projects today. One major focal point will be the tension between the environmental, economic and social interests that often underlie the redevelopment process. Case studies in Hoboken and Jersey City will be offered for discussion.
Panelists: Communicating About Redevelopment and Marketing Your Project
Very few redevelopment projects will make it from the drawing board to the groundbreaking ceremony without public support. And the key to gaining public support is meaningful public participation—from the earliest stages of the planning process all the way through to project completion. This panel will focus on successful redevelopment efforts that featured strong public involvement, and examine effective communications strategies, tools and techniques for promoting and marketing redevelopment projects.
Panelists: Jumpstarting Redevelopment with “Smart” Housing
Well-designed compact housing can rejuvenate struggling shopping districts, bring abandoned properties back to life and enrich the tax base with new residents. This session will focus on how municipalities can use new housing to their advantage, starting with a focus on Cranford, where mixed-use housing projects are transforming the downtown. The session will also explore market issues, in terms of what projects are most likely to move forward in the current economy and what municipalities can do to attract private investment. Addressing community concerns about new housing will be covered, including a discussion of proposed assistance for municipalities that plan and zone for compact housing, in the form of the Smart Housing Incentives Act (A3632/S2505). Panelists: Louise Currey Wilson, Mayor, Montgomery Township and 2nd vice president, NJ State League of Municipalities (Moderator) Kathleen Miller Prunty, President, Downtown New Jersey, and Director, Cranford District Management Corporation Chris Sturm, Senior Director of State Policy, New Jersey Future [ppt]The Honorable Joseph V. Doria, Jr., Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Joel Schwartz, Principal, Landmark Company
Redevelopment without Eminent Domain
The Kelo and Gallenthin court decisions have put a spotlight on the redevelopment process and with them raised suspicion about the ever-unpopular use of eminent domain. As a result of this backlash, many communities are beginning to look for a different approach to redevelopment by removing eminent domain from the equation via rehabilitation areas and presumptive redeveloper policies. Learn about these techniques from three New Jersey towns that have done it–Bloomfield, Dover and Jersey City–and hear from the practitioners how to overcome the hurdles along the way.
Panelists: Anne Studholme, Esq. Counsel, Herrick, Feinstein LLP (Moderator) Robert Antonicello, Executive Director, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency [ppt]Michael A. Hantson, PE, PP, CME, Town Engineer, Planning and Zoning Officer, Township of Dover [ppt]Arthur A. Linfante, III, MAI, CRE, Principal, Value Research Group, LLC [ppt]Raymond McCarthy, Mayor, Bloomfield Township
Form-Based Codes: An Innovative Alternative to Traditional Zoning
A small but growing number of municipalities, in New Jersey and across the country, are taking a fresh approach to zoning. Rather than relying on traditional “Euclidian” zoning, which describes permitted land uses for a given area, these towns are adopting form-based codes, which regulate development to achieve a specific urban form. But is this new approach right for every town? Hear from experts and practitioners as they share their experience with form-based codes and discuss the pros and cons of this innovative approach to land-use regulation. Panelists: Robert Melvin, AICP, PP, Principal, Group Melvin Design (Moderator) [ppt]L. Nicolas Ronderos, Senior Planner, Regional Plan Association Ed Borden, Partner, Earp Cohn P.C.; Borough Commissioner, Haddonfield, NJ
Parking Management: Creative Approaches to an Ever-Present Problem
Parking problems are a fact of life for many towns and developers—and will continue to be for many years to come. Finding the right balance between parking and other uses can often be difficult. Yet parking need not be viewed as a necessary evil. This session will explore the creative approaches some towns and institutions are taking to manage parking demand and leverage parking facilities, especially in the context of redevelopment.
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