According to Daniel Brenna, a founder and principal with Capital Real Estate Group, there are a number of macro forces that indicate dense development is the way of the future. He cited a Brookings Institute study which found that the US is experiencing perhaps its most significant demographic, economic and social changes since the turn of the 20th century. These changes include an aging and growing population, increased urbanization, climate change and rising fuel costs. The country is on track to add 100 million citizens by 2035, which is likely to create a building boom.

[IMGCAP(2)]"Half the stores and homes and buildings we'll need for all these people haven't been built yet," said Brenna. It is estimated that the country will need about 60-million new housing units by 2030. And due to the rising costs of fuel and environmental concerns, it's likely that people will increasingly look for that housing to be located near transit hubs. Already, transit ridership has begun to spike and demand has risen for compact housing near train stations.

These forces are creating an ideal opportunity for the state to pursue dense, mixed-use developments similar to the town squares that were built before post-war suburbanization. This type of development "creates vibrant spaces, saves open space, generates investment demand and supports an alternative transportation infrastructure," according to Peter Kasabach, executive director of New Jersey Future. Towns that have already begun to pursue this type of growth are reaping the benefits. Joel Schwartz, a principal with Landmark Cos. LLC, described his company's redevelopment of parts of downtown Metuchen and Rahway, which created walkable communities with a mix of retail and residential. James Maley, an attorney and the mayor of Collingswood, gave an overview of the revitalization of his town, which struggled after the 1960's.