JERSEY CITY, NJ–Wallace Roberts & Todd hasbroken ground on the final phase of the award-winning Morris Canal/Lafayette Park neighborhood. The final phase, named Glennview, honors the late Mayor Glenn Cunningham and completes the WRT master plan for 500 new affordable and market rate homes.

Designed following smart growth principles and to private market standards, the new homes are within a 5-minute walk to transit, shopping, schools, parks and are convenient to downtown Jersey City and Manhattan.

WRT says the neighborhood is an example of best practices for the Federal HOPE VI Program, because of its success in achieving broad income-mixing, reinforcing community and promoting green building practices. The Federal Hope VI Program was developed to revitalize failing public housing projects into mixed-income developments. “The HOPE VI grant was crucial to the success of this neighborhood. It brought in over $34 million in Federal funds,” says Nando Micale, FAIA, AICP, PP, principal of WRT. “We believe that the lessons learned from this neighborhood revitalization are important in the evolution of public policy, as is evidenced in the current Choice Neighborhoods Program.”

WRT's urban design centers on a civic plaza—Morris Canal Walk—which is located along the historic Morris Canal. The Morris Canal Walk commemorates the neighborhood's industrial heritage and serves as a civic plaza, bringing together all ages to enjoy the walk's playground, community gardens, seniors' garden and a community center which offers social, educational, and job training services.

The community's design and access to amenities make it one of Jersey City's choice neighborhoods and has been recognized by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Official for excellence in Design, by the NJ Futures Smart Growth Award, and by the City of Jersey City for the Mayor's Green Building Award.

The final phase is expected to be completed in Spring of 2016.