by Jeremy Soffin, Vice President for Public Affairs, RPA
Here at RPA, we spend a lot of time talking about how the region will add 4 million people by 2030, that sprawling development will not be able to accommodate this growth, and that much of the growth will have to be focused in dense, transit-accessible centers. And while transit villages have become trendy over the past few years, the reality on the ground remains that many transit-accessible municipalities resist growth like the plague, and the places with the infrastructure to support tens of thousands of new residents - like Bridgeport, Stamford, and especially Newark - struggle to shed images of crime and stagnant post-industrial economies.
So when Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker approached RPA this past summer to help his administration present a comprehensive vision for that city's future, we jumped at the chance. Our charge was to synthesize the more than 100 plans prepared by the city and other public agencies, non-profit organizations, private developers and others over the past dozen years into a cohesive foundation for updating Newark's Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance. Years of studies without action, and an understanding that planning decisions were based on political influence instead of merit, had created a "planning fatigue" in Newark. RPA's goal was to draft a vision within the Mayor's first 100 days in office that built on the previous work but also made it clear that the Booker administration had clear ideas about the city's future. The Draft Vision was released today and can be found online at www.rpa.org.
After poring over the documents and summarizing their findings and recommendations, RPA convened an intensive three-day planning charrette at NJIT in mid-September, bringing together local partners with planning, design and architecture professionals. It was clear from the start that Newark is far better positioned than any similar place in the area. Its infrastructure - including unparalleled rail (NJ TRANSIT and PATH), highway (Interstate Highways 78, 280 and 95) and transit (internal subway and light rail systems) access - is really designed for a population nearer to Newark's 1930 peak of 442,000 than its current 280,000. A 20-minute train ride from Manhattan and easily reachable from throughout north Jersey, Newark is uniquely positioned to be both a residential and employment center.
Still, a review of the many excellent plans prepared (but not implemented) for Newark reiterates that the city lacks functional public open space, its Downtown is littered with sky bridges and pedestrian-unfriendly roads, its universities lack sufficient on-site housing, and its robust transportation network fails to adequately connect a large segment of the population to local jobs and services. Not addressed in these plans, and beyond the scope of our work, are necessary improvements in public safety and education, without which significant growth will not be possible.
These are daunting challenges, but as the Draft Vision released today shows, Newark has a very bright future. The report envisions Newark as a city that is EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE, GREEN, SMART and PROSPEROUS.
The vision starts with an EQUITABLE Newark because any plan for Newark's future must provide a better quality of life for all Newark residents. This begins with providing neighborhoods with a formal role in the planning process and includes raising the bar for neighborhood design and amenity. There should be no more strip malls, no more "Bayonne Boxes" (the dominant housing type in Newark these days that puts cars first), and more parks, super markets and community facilities.
Newark is already very ACCESSIBLE, but we envision a city where the transportation network is aligned with the needs of its residents. This means introducing a Bus Rapid Transit system on key corridors, an initiative that NJ TRANSIT has agreed to pursue. It also means overhauling the existing bus system and road network, introducing long overdue changes like coordinated signaling that somehow never made it to Newark.
The GREEN Newark envisioned in the report adds functional open spaces in each of the city's neighborhoods, connecting the existing major parks. The report also calls for completion of a riverfront park along the Passaic River, a long anticipated project that still languishes.
Newark is a city brimming with universities and school-age children. SMART Newark aims to capitalize on these assets by better integrating both universities and public schools into the fabric of the city. University Heights should be transformed into a vibrant mixed-use district, so that students will start living in Newark rather than just commuting to class. And it is time to bring Newark's public school students back into contact with the city, avoiding isolated schools and using education as an economic development tool.
Each of these campaigns combine to produce a PROSPEROUS Newark. In addition, the report calls for specific initiatives to bring increased economic development. First, the downtown area should be re-imagined as a mixed-use, 24/7 Central Business District. That means more housing, restaurants and nightlife, and fewer sky bridges and dangerous intersections. The report also calls for capitalizing on the city's strong transportation and logistics industry by developing the Airport Support Zone into an International Business Center, potentially with major conference or convention facilities.
As the front page story in today's New York Times makes clear, there is a lot of hard work and a steep learning curve ahead for the Booker Administration. Years of mismanagement and cronyism won't be erased overnight. But RPA's Draft Vision shows that with a series of smart short, medium and long term investments, the city can begin to fulfill its unrealized potential. And Newark has more potential than perhaps any other city in the country. More than anything, what Newark has lacked most dearly is strong leadership. But anyone who has ever been in a room with Mayor Booker knows that he is an inspirational leader. With a blueprint for the city's growth and a strong team to support him, he has become an inspirational leader with a clear vision. The entire nation is hoping that he is given the time, resources, and political support to make it a reality.
Here at RPA, we spend a lot of time talking about how the region will add 4 million people by 2030, that sprawling development will not be able to accommodate this growth, and that much of the growth will have to be focused in dense, transit-accessible centers. And while transit villages have become trendy over the past few years, the reality on the ground remains that many transit-accessible municipalities resist growth like the plague, and the places with the infrastructure to support tens of thousands of new residents - like Bridgeport, Stamford, and especially Newark - struggle to shed images of crime and stagnant post-industrial economies.
So when Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker approached RPA this past summer to help his administration present a comprehensive vision for that city's future, we jumped at the chance. Our charge was to synthesize the more than 100 plans prepared by the city and other public agencies, non-profit organizations, private developers and others over the past dozen years into a cohesive foundation for updating Newark's Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance. Years of studies without action, and an understanding that planning decisions were based on political influence instead of merit, had created a "planning fatigue" in Newark. RPA's goal was to draft a vision within the Mayor's first 100 days in office that built on the previous work but also made it clear that the Booker administration had clear ideas about the city's future. The Draft Vision was released today and can be found online at www.rpa.org.
After poring over the documents and summarizing their findings and recommendations, RPA convened an intensive three-day planning charrette at NJIT in mid-September, bringing together local partners with planning, design and architecture professionals. It was clear from the start that Newark is far better positioned than any similar place in the area. Its infrastructure - including unparalleled rail (NJ TRANSIT and PATH), highway (Interstate Highways 78, 280 and 95) and transit (internal subway and light rail systems) access - is really designed for a population nearer to Newark's 1930 peak of 442,000 than its current 280,000. A 20-minute train ride from Manhattan and easily reachable from throughout north Jersey, Newark is uniquely positioned to be both a residential and employment center.
Still, a review of the many excellent plans prepared (but not implemented) for Newark reiterates that the city lacks functional public open space, its Downtown is littered with sky bridges and pedestrian-unfriendly roads, its universities lack sufficient on-site housing, and its robust transportation network fails to adequately connect a large segment of the population to local jobs and services. Not addressed in these plans, and beyond the scope of our work, are necessary improvements in public safety and education, without which significant growth will not be possible.
These are daunting challenges, but as the Draft Vision released today shows, Newark has a very bright future. The report envisions Newark as a city that is EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE, GREEN, SMART and PROSPEROUS.
The vision starts with an EQUITABLE Newark because any plan for Newark's future must provide a better quality of life for all Newark residents. This begins with providing neighborhoods with a formal role in the planning process and includes raising the bar for neighborhood design and amenity. There should be no more strip malls, no more "Bayonne Boxes" (the dominant housing type in Newark these days that puts cars first), and more parks, super markets and community facilities.
Newark is already very ACCESSIBLE, but we envision a city where the transportation network is aligned with the needs of its residents. This means introducing a Bus Rapid Transit system on key corridors, an initiative that NJ TRANSIT has agreed to pursue. It also means overhauling the existing bus system and road network, introducing long overdue changes like coordinated signaling that somehow never made it to Newark.
The GREEN Newark envisioned in the report adds functional open spaces in each of the city's neighborhoods, connecting the existing major parks. The report also calls for completion of a riverfront park along the Passaic River, a long anticipated project that still languishes.
Newark is a city brimming with universities and school-age children. SMART Newark aims to capitalize on these assets by better integrating both universities and public schools into the fabric of the city. University Heights should be transformed into a vibrant mixed-use district, so that students will start living in Newark rather than just commuting to class. And it is time to bring Newark's public school students back into contact with the city, avoiding isolated schools and using education as an economic development tool.
Each of these campaigns combine to produce a PROSPEROUS Newark. In addition, the report calls for specific initiatives to bring increased economic development. First, the downtown area should be re-imagined as a mixed-use, 24/7 Central Business District. That means more housing, restaurants and nightlife, and fewer sky bridges and dangerous intersections. The report also calls for capitalizing on the city's strong transportation and logistics industry by developing the Airport Support Zone into an International Business Center, potentially with major conference or convention facilities.
As the front page story in today's New York Times makes clear, there is a lot of hard work and a steep learning curve ahead for the Booker Administration. Years of mismanagement and cronyism won't be erased overnight. But RPA's Draft Vision shows that with a series of smart short, medium and long term investments, the city can begin to fulfill its unrealized potential. And Newark has more potential than perhaps any other city in the country. More than anything, what Newark has lacked most dearly is strong leadership. But anyone who has ever been in a room with Mayor Booker knows that he is an inspirational leader. With a blueprint for the city's growth and a strong team to support him, he has become an inspirational leader with a clear vision. The entire nation is hoping that he is given the time, resources, and political support to make it a reality.
@RegionalPlan