Newark Master Plan

Jonathan Rose Companies served as the lead project manager and principal author of the most comprehensive revision to Newark's Master Plan in over 20 years. Formally adopted by Newark's Planning Board in September 2012, the Master Plan serves as a regulatory document that will guide the city's land use, development, preservation, sustainability, and neighborhood revitalization activities through the year 2025.

Newark represents the challenges and opportunities faced by many of America's postindustrial cities in an era of climate change. Having lost some its core qualities over the past few decades, Newark is now burdened with various negative community wellness indicators and environmental qualities such as noise, pollution, and congestion. However, unlike many weak market cities, Newark has a rich cultural and social history from which to draw. The city also benefits from major infrastructure systems, including unparalleled access to the broader regional economy, amenities, and marketplace via commuter rail and road systems to New York City and beyond.

Supported by a team of planners, urban designers, economists, and community organizers, Jonathan Rose Companies led the process to establish the groundwork for sustainable development patterns that will allow Newark to be resilient and prosperous in the modern era. The Master Plan takes a systems approach that considers the role of the “physical layers” of the city (e.g., open space, housing, transportation, infrastructure,etc.) to facilitate job creation, grow healthy neighborhoods, and build a city of choice within the region. The Plan also sets the framework for a new Zoning Ordinance that will ensure future development activities are consistent with Master Plan goals. Over the nearly two-year-long process, Jonathan Rose Companies facilitated over 20 public meetings in collaboration with the City and local stakeholders.