Client: Township of Montclair, NJ

Overview

Phillips Preiss was retained by the Township of Montclair to assess the potential impacts of a major downtown mixed-use project. Notably, the development was proposed to include housing for approximately 1,000 students from a nearby state university, as well as retail, office, hotel and/or residential components. The Phillips Preiss study analyzed aesthetic, community, economic and traffic impacts and outlined a variety of possible benefits and challenges, which helped lay the groundwork for a productive discussion between the applicant, the Township and the greater Montclair community.

Results

The student housing project did not move forward, due in part to concerns about potential impacts uncovered by Phillips Preiss' study. The Township of Montclair subsequently hired Phillips Preiss to prepare a redevelopment investigation for the study area, as well as a redevelopment plan.

Client: City of Elizabeth, New Jersey

Overview

Phillips Preiss was retained by the City of Elizabeth to create a corridor revitalization plan for a key commercial corridor by leveraging two engines of the local economy: 1) the growing Colombian retail district clustered near the Elizabeth Train Station; and 2) Kean University, an expanding public university in Union Township. The resulting plan provided strategies to tap into “town/gown” synergies between Kean University and “Little Colombia,” encourage transit-oriented redevelopment, strengthen the commercial environment and improve the public realm.