Kevin Tartaglione, SVP & COO, Advance Realty Development
Advance Realty Group
High-density development, particularly mixed-use, makes the most of functionally obsolete sites that were sites that were once plants or manufacturing facilities. These locations, typically found in highly-populated urban areas with mass transit, utilities, and infrastructure in place or nearby, are re-adaptive and directly promote the state’s Smart Growth Plan. For the towns benefiting from this type of redevelopment, high-density, mixed-use developments create new environments where residents can live, work, and play, such as Harrison MetroCentre in Harrison. Linked to creating these developments is the larger picture of raising the appeal of once forgotten towns or cities that are now receiving a breath of fresh air with the revitalization of these old sites. These projects involve the state, local community, and private sector businesses; they, along with the new occupants of these developments, all benefit greatly.
John J. Johnson, President
Centuria Corp.
New Jersey is a state loaded with old industrial sites that are situated in highly desirable locations, usually within cities along riverfronts or near New York. Of course, many of these sites are in the heart of cities and towns, making widespread development very tough. Hence, high-density and smart growth development is vital to transforming these functionally obsolete sites into thriving office, retail, or residential developments or into mixed use developments that meet the needs of various constituents. A good example is Centuria at Fort Lee, which is taking an empty 16-acre site at the foot of the George Washington Bridge and making into a useful mixed-use development that will revitalize Fort Lee. And that is another significant outcome of high-density, smart growth development – the revitalization of towns and cities that truly need it.
Ralph Zucker, President
Somerset Development
Increased density helps the affordable housing problem. Smaller lots allow for smaller – and thus more affordable – housing. Also, rather than shifting their COAH (Council on Affordable Housing) obligations elsewhere, developers are able to incorporate these court-mandated affordable housing obligations into their designs. It is lack of density in the form of unbridled suburban sprawl that has contributed to many of the state’s problems – including long commutes, inadequate mass transit, lack of affordable housing ,and the nation’s highest property taxes – and it is with greater density that these problems will be solved.
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