Agency is Back in The Garden State, Working with NJDEP
We are thrilled to share that our work in the Garden State will continue with the announcement that Agency, with NV5, has been selected as one of three teams to assist New Jersey in the planning and design of the Essex-Hudson Greenway! This project marks a key next step of public investment following Governor Phil Murphy’s announcement in 2021 that the state would purchase nine miles of property from Jersey City to Montclair along a former rail line to create the state’s first new state park since 2006. With oversight by the state Department of Environmental Protection, the project aims to convert an abandoned right of way into a thriving recreational, ecological and transportation corridor traversing two of the most densely populated Counties in New Jersey (and in the nation).
Earlier this year, team members from the Agency team, including NV5, Creative Urban Alchemy, and Hive Public Space, met with state officials to introduce our collaborative and community-centered approach and share enthusiasm for the anticipated work in the state. The trip to New Jersey was also paired with a site visit to Liberty State Park and a drive with stops to explore the old Boonton line.
“Exploring portions of the old Boonton line in early February sparked a powerful excitement among our team for the potential of the Greenway to connect diverse communities along a corridor rich in ecological and infrastructural beauty. We are inspired and honored to partner with the state and its residents to envision and implement this powerful set of projects!”
– Kate Tooke, Principal Landscape Architect, Agency Landscape + Planning
The overall state contract includes several other opportunities to transform the state’s park and open space system. The major goals of the varied projects are fourfold – to create or reinvest in corridors and open spaces in the State’s densest neighborhoods to provide safe, equitable mobility options, high quality open space and recreation access, innovative stormwater performance, and economic growth for the surrounding towns. Additional projects will be released as a series of studies over the next several years.
Our Agency and NV5 team includes a stellar group of design experts (Creative Urban Alchemy, Green Shield Ecology, Heyer, Gruel & Associates, Hive Public Space, HLB Lighting Design, Studio Ummo, and Town Square) as well as a robust group of technical experts (AmerCom Corp., BlueShore Engineering, Churchill Consulting Engineers, InfraMap Corp., Moffatt & Nichol, Toscano Clements Taylor, and WJ Castle PE & Associates).
For more information, visit the NJ State Park Service’s website here.