Projects

Our Projects.

Projects

The Center for Community Systems' team of planners, engineers, environmental scientists, and social scientists provides multidimensional services throughout the United States via several different mechanisms, including, but not limited to: 

  • strategic planning, environmental planning, feasibility studies
  • stakeholder engagement, educational programs, and facilitation
  • community revitalization planning
  • creation of tools and guidance documents
  • applied research
  • technical assistance programs

Provided below is a sample of our work:

STRATEGIC PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, FEASIBILITY STUDIES

  • City of Camden Brownfields Redevelopment Strategic Plan (NJ). The purpose of this Plan was to identify, evaluate, and prioritize brownfield sites within the City that had the potential for being redeveloped for economic investment purposes.
  • Jefferson Davis Corridor Assets and Needs Study (VA). Conducted community workshops, identified brownfield sites that could catalyze economic development and meet the community’s needs, and determined redevelopment potential for the four-mile corridor. Developed corridor revitalization plan that outlined environmental constraints and identified site reuse potential that the city could utilize to prioritize the application of assessment funding.
  • Planning for the Liberty Corridor (NJ), a federally designated Corridor of National and Regional Significance. Created an Initial Liberty Corridor Management and Implementation Plan; and prepared a Section 1301 Grant Submission package, which triggered the release of $88 million for highway, bus and rail transportation projects.
  • Environmental and Redevelopment Planning Services for the Liberty Corridor (NJ). Conducted applied research pertaining green/environmentally sustainable practices and technologies; and the identification of brownfield sites which may have the potential for redevelopment for Liberty Corridor related activities such as warehouse/distribution centers or green technologies.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND FACILITATION

  • Designed and conducted the “Roadmap to Mill Redevelopment” webinar series (New England)
  • Designed and conducted “Brownfields Blueprint Learning Labs” (NJ) 
  • Designed and conducted “Brownfields for Bankers” seminar series (VT, AL)
  • Designed and conducted “Vacancy to Vibrancy Brownfield Redevelopment Bootcamp” (MD)
  • Designed and conducted Transit Oriented Development Community Workshops (NJ)
  • Provided facilitation Services for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s 2018 Coastal Resilience Summit 
  • Designed and conducted “Brownfields and Creative Placemaking Bootcamp” (PA, NH)
  • Provided planning and coordination services for the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Northeast Sustainable Communities Workshop, the Brownfields Coalition for the Northeast’s premier conference
  • Designed and conducted “Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice Communication Workshop” (DE) 

COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PLANNING

  • Newark Airport City (NJ): Designed and coordinated a multidisciplinary, multi-organization effort to leverage Newark Liberty International Airport and a proposed transit station in catalyzing economic development and social equity in the city’s South Ward.
  • Reimaging the WW Cross Site (NH): Designed and conducted a community-visioning workshop for the redevelopment of a former industrial site. 
  • North Kensington Area Wide Plan (PA): Developed a framework for a neighborhood revitalization plan.
  • Maine Leathers Site (ME): Designed and conducted a community-visioning workshop for the redevelopment of a former tannery site that included short, intermediate, and long-term site reuses.
  • Second Avenue Revitalization Plan (PA).  Created a revitalization plan through a community engagement process that focused on a vision plan for Second Avenue. Conducted a listening tour (interviews), site assessment, and provided a conditions assessment report that informed the community’s vision, goals and strategies.

CREATION OF TOOLS AND GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS

  • Created the “Green Stormwater Infrastructure Decision Tree” for the City of Philadelphia (PA)
  • Created the NJEDA Brownfields Loan Program User’s Manual (NJ)
  • Created a series of info-graphics that explain the New Jersey regulatory process of identifying, assessing, cleaning up contaminated properties.
  • Created “Tools and Guidance for Implementing Infill Development on Brownfield Sites in Rural Areas and Small Towns”
  • Created “Guiding States and Brownfield Projects through the PCB Rules under TSCA”, a five-pamphlet series that explains in layman’s terms the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) process relevant to brownfields remediation and redevelopment projects.


APPLIED RESEARCH

  • Planning for Transit Supportive Development (US). Conducted national research for the Federal Transit Administration focused on creating sustainable neighborhoods around transit stations.
  • Healthy Coastal Ecosystems and Resilient Communities and Economies in an Era of Climate Change: A Balanced Approach to Protecting People, Property and Nature in Historic Greenwich Township, NJ. Conducted research on methods to restore and enhance the natural environment focusing on tidal wetlands; improve flood protection in the village; and protect upland habitats, farmland and historic structures and sites.
  • Communication Gap Analysis of Transportation Sector Port Partners at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Designed and implemented a research study to determine who  communicates  safety  and  security  information  to whom; how that information is communicated; when that information is communicated; problems experienced during such communications; gaps in the processes; and recommendations to close such gaps.  

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS