Somerville Station Plan – Plan and Process

Somerville (NJ) Station Area Redevelopment Plan.

Parking lots and a landfill are transformed into new transit-oriented neighborhoods and open spaces.

This comprehensive community-based visioning and design process is now an adopted redevelopment plan for 75 acres of municipal brownfields and surface parking lots on New Jersey Transit’s Raritan Valley Line. The plan is organized around the “Green Seam”, an open space network comprised of wetlands, a restored stream corridor, and active and passive recreation. The adopted redevelopment plan includes zoning and design guidelines for compact mixed-use redevelopment and best-practice green infrastructure strategies. Brownfield remediation for the Green Seam is now complete. There is currently a proposal for high-density mixed-use development that follows the design in the redevelopment plan.

This work is the recipient of a 2007 Smart Growth Award from New Jersey Future, Somerset County Planning Board Award, and the American Planning Association, New Jersey Chapter, Award for outstanding plan and redevelopment plan.

with RPA

Station Area & Landfill Vision Plan

Somerville landfill and station area.
Framework diagram: the restored wetlands of the "Green Seam" link the station area to new neighborhoods.
Adopted plan: development at the station is under contract.
Development organized around the the station area and the "green seam" restored stream and wetlands
Station area model photo.
New open space uses are organized around restored stream and wetlands.
The “Green Seam” open space corridor. Brownfield remediation is funded and complete.
Gateway from Route 206 and the "parkway" that leads to the station area.
Division Street connection from main Street to the station area is complete.
Current proposal for mixed-use development at the Somerville Station.
Current proposal for new high density housing blocks adjacent to the station.
Remediation to create the "Green Seam", spine of the open space network, is complete.