3.0
Comprehensive Vision Plan
Meadowlands
Vision 2040
A Roadmap to Economic Success
The Meadowlands Regional Chamber (MRC), an economic
development advocate for over 40 years, is pleased to
present its Vision Plan for the Greater Meadowlands
region. The Greater Meadowlands, with its unparalleled
locaon adjacent to New York, the largest city in the
country, and assets of infrastructure, workforce, natural
resources and market area, represents a growing, diverse
economy and a major economic engine for New Jersey.
This unique area is home to the largest business and GDP
growth in the state.
The MRC presents this Vision Plan as a guide for the
Greater Meadowlands region for the next 20 to 30 years,
addressing both long-term goals and short-term acons to
generate growth. With targeted short-term and medium-
term investments, renewed planning and regulatory
modernizaon, the Greater Meadowlands can achieve
even greater economic success and provide a nancial
boon for New Jersey’s scal needs through growing
income tax and sales tax revenue.
the consolidaon of the New Jersey Meadowlands
Commission into the New Jersey Sports and Exposion
Authority (NJSEA). That merger has brought operaonal
challenges and taken the focus o regional planning
issues. We are viewing Vision 2040 as a means to
jump-start a new Master Plan and a new commitment
to examining and addressing the host of urban issues
that aect us, from transportaon to ood control to
tourism.
The Vision Plan and its specic goals and objecves
were informed by many meengs with stakeholders
in the District: business and educaon leaders, NJSEA
sta, local mayors, land use aorneys and others.
These stakeholders arculated issues of concern that
would either constrain or promote economic growth
and suggested objecves and ideas to deal with
challenges or capitalize on the Meadowlands’ unique
opportunies for growth. Implemenng these ideas will
be, in large part, the responsibility of public agencies,
Vision 2040 expands on the MRC’s 2014 visioning for
the Sports Complex to examine the larger issues of the
Meadowlands District and its surrounding communies
– what we call the Greater Meadowlands. Vision 2040
is not itself a Master Plan, but lays the foundaons for a
Master Plan by idenfying broad goals, opportunies and
challenges for the region. It is both visionary and strategic:
envisioning what Greater Meadowlands can achieve in
economic opportunity, job growth, mobility and quality of
life, and oering acons to get us to those enviable goals.
A further smulus for this Vision 2040 project has been
The Greater Meadowlands
Why the Greater Meadowlands? Our planning takes into
account not only the 14 municipalies comprising the
statutory Hackensack Meadowlands District, but adjoining
What is a Vision Plan?
Meadowlands Vision 2040 builds on the Chamber’s 2014
Vision Plan for the Sports Complex. That plan focused on
enhancing the Sports Complex as a desnaon, by adding
venues, parking, hotel space, an intra-complex monorail,
a casino and most importantly, a sizable convenon
center. The concept of a casino in North Jersey was voted
down in the 2016 elecon. Although NJ may debate and
vote on expanding gaming outside of Atlanc City again
in the future, a convenon center remains an important
element in the growth of the Meadowlands brand
and desnaon, and is a key strategy in the economic
development objecves that follow.
such as the NJSEA or New Jersey Transit. Others may
require legislave or administrave acon in Trenton.
It is our belief, however, that uning business interests,
environmental interests, cizens and elected ocials
in common goals can bring these proposals to life in an
expedious me frame.
municipalies and nearby urban areas to which the
Meadowlands is connected through our transportaon
system. We have idened 32 such communies in all,
including those in our State-dened tourism district and
where we see emerging business connecons. This is a
deliberate choice, to recognize that what happens inside
the District aects its surroundings. Similarly, acons
from outside the District, parcularly those involving
infrastructure, inuence the investment and economics
within the District. The numerous economic, populaon
and transportaon connecons dene a broader Northern
New Jersey economic region with strong economic es to
the dominant New York City metropolitan market as well
as Newark and Jersey City.
Background of the Vision
The Meadowlands began its renaissance with
the Hackensack Meadowlands Reclamaon and
Redevelopment Act of 1969. This statute recognized the
unique nature and potenal of the region, as well as its
unchecked environmental degradaon. The Act gave rise
to the rst Master Plan and the Hackensack Meadowlands
Development Commission. The objecves of the Act were:
• The preservaon of the delicate balance of nature
• The provision of special protecon from air and
water polluon and a special provision for solid
waste disposal
• The orderly, comprehensive development of the
Hackensack Meadowlands in order to provide more
space for industrial, commercial, residenal, public
recreaonal and other uses.
The organizaon of the Hackensack Meadowlands District
and its Master Plan fueled environmental restoraon and
tremendous economic development. The Master Plan was
reexamined and reissued in 2004 with many changes that
reected a new environmental awareness. Development
areas located in wetlands were revised or eliminated, and
a new focus was placed on upland redevelopment. The
Vision Statement from the 2004 Master Plan includes the
following points to achieve “a regreened Meadowlands
and a revitalized urban landscape”:
• The protecon, preservaon and enhancement of
wetlands, culminang in the preservaon of 8,400
acres
• The thoughul balancing of planned redevelopment
and new development on upland sites
• An integrated mul-modal transportaon network
• The retenon and growth of commercial, industrial
and nancial enterprises and jobs
More than a dozen years have passed since the adopon
of the 2004 Master Plan. Many events have aected us on
the regional, state and naonal levels:
• The Great Recession, with high levels of
unemployment and downturns in real estate,
nancial and other industries
• Hurricane Sandy, bringing new concern with ood
vulnerability and protecon
• Changes in market condions reducing demand for
oce space
• Rise of the millennial market, driving interest to
urban, walkable areas and transit-friendly rental
housing and away from car-dependent suburbs
• Raising of the Bayonne Bridge deck to accommodate
post-Panamax ships
• Evoluon of Meadowlands Xanadu to American
Dream
• Opening of the Meadowlands rail spur
• The technological revoluon
We feel it is me to examine the Master Plan in light of
these changes, and oer Meadowlands Vision 2040 as an
inial step toward not only a new Master Plan document,
but a new concepon of the Greater Meadowlands
area and a tool for our governmental ocials to guide
investment.
State of the Meadowlands
The Greater Meadowlands oers a wealth of economic
potenal and quality of life vital to the state of New
Jersey. Our district has long been an economic engine of
the state, and not always recognized as such. According
to SmartAsset, the Greater Meadowlands, situated largely
in Bergen and Hudson Counes, is home to the largest
business and GDP growth in New Jersey. We have a
populaon of close to a million; 964,665 people, including
Jersey City, and a labor force of 514,955, and we connue
to grow. Populaon change from 2010 to 2015 showed
a 5% increase in the Greater Meadowlands, compared
to 1.9% for New Jersey as a whole. Within the region,
we have over 41,000 establishments employing 452,022
employees.
The consumer spending index is 22% higher than the US
average, and the median income is 49% higher than the
median household income for the overall United States.
The tradional mainstays of the Meadowlands economy,
manufacturing, logiscs and distribuon, remain
3.1
dominant, supported by our proximity to the country’s
biggest market area and our transportaon infrastructure.
Manufacturing represents 31,000 jobs in the
Meadowlands. Warehouse and distribuon uses connue
to be the predominant land uses. The market for industrial
space has been very healthy, fueled by e-commerce and
companies moving from New York in search of larger and
more aordable space. The rst quarter Marketbeat for
Northern and Central New Jersey, produced by Cushman
and Wakeeld, reported that industrial demand remains
robust. Rents for Meadowlands space were the highest
of the submarkets reviewed, reaching direct asking rental
rates of $8.25/square foot, a 14.2% premium over the
state average. Vacancies remain low.
With the compleon of the raised Bayonne Bridge, the
Meadowlands has a connued opportunity to thrive in
this sector. According to a recent arcle by Choose New
Jersey, the U.S. Department of Commerce predicts as
much as a 10% movement in container shipping from the
west coast to the east coast. The Greater Meadowlands
should posion itself to capture these benets in its
industrial, warehouse and distribuon sectors.
While these tradional Meadowlands industries thrive,
our economy has also diversied. The last decade
has seen considerable growth in mulfamily housing
development, and demand remains strong. Notable is
the Secaucus Transit Redevelopment Area, with 2,035
units planned, and more than half developed. The
Monarch along Route 3, The Staon, the Winston and
Vermella in Lyndhurst, and the recent redevelopment
plan for the former Carpet Center site in Secaucus all
aest to the demand for mulfamily living with accessible
transportaon.
At the same me, the retail and hospitality sector
has been one of the fastest-growing land use trends.
According to the NJSEA, the amount of land dedicated to
retail use in the district has increased by approximately
35% since the 2004 Master Plan. Retail and hospitality
facilies in the Greater Meadowlands account for 55,221
jobs. The growth of the Meadowlands as a desnaon,
anchored by the new MetLife Stadium and Meadowlands
Racing and Entertainment grandstand, connues with
aracon of large-scale events as well as sports. This fuels
thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
Approximately $745 million is generated by hospitality/
tourism in the Meadowlands region annually. According
to the regional Economic Impact of Tourism report by
Rockport Analycs, based on 2014 numbers, visitors to
the businesses and aracons in the Meadowlands spent
3.2
American Dream | Summary of Economic Benets
for New Jersey (August 29, 2016)
One- Time Construcon Impacts
The development of American Dream will support 23,040
temporary construcon-related jobs, including 13,730
direct jobs, and 9,310 mulplier jobs, throughout the
State of New Jersey. These jobs will earn nearly $1.6
billion in compensaon, including $1 billion for direct
workers nearly $580 million for mulplier workers.
The development of American Dream could generate up
to $80 million in one-me tax revenues for the state of
New Jersey. This includes from $23 million to $70 million
in sales taxes on construcon materials, and nearly $10
million in corporate business taxes.
Permanent Impacts from Ongoing Operaons
American Dream’s ongoing operaons will support 22,940
permanent jobs, including 16,200 direct on-site jobs,
and 6,740 mulplier jobs throughout New Jersey. These
jobs will earn over $1.2 billion in annual compensaon,
including $774 million for direct workers and $442 million
for mulplier workers.
At stabilizaon, over $148 million in taxes will be paid
to the state of New Jersey annually. On-site retail,
amusement, and parking will generate approximately
$128 million in ongoing annual revenues , including
$84 million in annual salex tax, $18 million in annual
corporaon business tax and $26 million in annual
personal income taxes from employees at stabalizaon.
O-site acvies will generate an addional $20 million in
annual revenues, including $15 million in annual income
tax revenues from o-site workers, and an addional
$5 million in hotel sales taxes and occupancy fees each
year. In addion, over the rst 20 years of operaons, an
average of $2.7 million per year in PILOT revenues will be
paid to the Borough of East Rutherford.
Over the rst 20 years of operaons, over $3.5 billion in
tax revenues will be paid to the state of New Jersey, which
is a 9:1 return on investment for the ERG Grant. These
revenues include over $2 billion from sales taxes and
$456 million, supported 10,700 jobs and paid $233 million
in state taxes. The Meadowlands also beneted from
about $131 million in indirect income to area businesses
and $158 million in induced wage-spending facilitated
by tourism revenue. With the ancipated opening of
American Dream in 2019, the economic impact of tourism
has the potenal for tremendous growth. We can support
and augment that benet with dedicated funding for
markeng the region.
A Focus on Mobility
Our economic success is ghtly linked to mobility. The
extensive network of infrastructure in the Greater
Meadowlands, including highways, passenger and freight
rail, and Newark Liberty and Teterboro Airports, is a
crical asset for the region. Congeson, overcapacity
transit systems and deteriorang infrastructure will,
without appropriate improvements, discourage private
investment. If employees cannot commute to work on
me and goods cannot be delivered eciently, businesses
will locate or expand elsewhere in the country. This is
why the Meadowlands Regional Chamber is such a strong
advocate for invesng in our transportaon system and
creang an ecient regional network oering connecons
not only to New York and the region, but within the
Meadowlands itself.
Opportunies for the Greater Meadowlands
As demonstrated by the informaon above, the Greater
Meadowlands has a signicant role in the growth and
health of New Jersey’s economy. Total private sector
wages for 2015 amounted to $26.3 billion, generang
11.5% of total such wages statewide, and consequent tax
revenues for state operaons. The diverse and growing
economy of the Greater Meadowlands can connue
to thrive and return more scal benet to New Jersey.
Taxable property value in the Greater Meadowlands
reached $98 billion in 2015 - 8.3% of New Jersey’s taxable
property value, while accounng for less than 1.5% of the
state’s land area.
With the growth of e-commerce, residenal demand,
3.3
Pre-Opening $21.5M
Years 1-10 $2.6M $25.5M
Years 11-20 $2.8M $27.9M
Total
$2.7M $74.9M
The Borough of East Rutherford will receive $75 million
in PILOT revenues
Summary of Key State and Local Tax Revenues
Timeframe
Average Annual
Revenues
Total Revenues
As noted in the NEC Future Program Final Environmental
Impact Statement, which evaluated alternaves for
upgrading and expanding the Northeast Corridor, “to
maintain its role as a global and economic center, the
region must modernize its aging infrastructure and add
capacity to support future growth”. As of 2014, 13.6%
of the workforce in Manhaan consisted of New Jersey
commuters. The MRC rmly supports the Gateway
program to provide a new rail crossing under the Hudson
River. The exisng tunnel carrying Amtrak and New
Jersey Transit trains is at capacity during peak periods.
The lack of redundancy means that maintenance of this
aging structure, damaged by Hurricane Sandy, is stymied.
Failure in one tube without new capacity would disrupt up
to 75% of current service, with economic reverberaons
throughout the region.
Similarly, a resoluon must be idened to replace the
obsolete and over-capacity Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Daily customer growth of 45% is projected from the year
2011 to 2040. Soluons to these issues must consider
the mul-modal metropolitan transit system as a whole,
examining and implemenng alternave travel projects,
including the Northern Branch extension of the Hudson-
Bergen Light Rail and potenal extension of the No.
7 subway line to Secaucus, to distribute demand and
provide redundancy.
This concern regarding trans-Hudson travel should not
preclude more local innovaons to connect communies
within the Meadowlands and North Jersey to desnaons
for entertainment, shopping and job opportunies.
Projects such as the Bergen Bus Rapid Transit pilot should
be jump-started, as well as opportunies for shule
connecons looping within the Greater Meadowlands
area.
$1.5 billion in corporaon business taxes, income taxes
and hotel sales taxes and occupancy fees. Addionally,
the Borough of East Rutherford will reveive $75 million in
PILOT revenues.
Summary of Key State and Local Tax Revenues
New Jersey will receive $1.7 billion in State sales taxes over
and above the ERG Grant payments
Timeframe
Average
Annual Tax
Revenues
Total Tax
Revenues
ERG Grant
Remaining
Revenue
to NJ
Years 1-10 $88.7M $887M $390.0M $497M
Years 11-20 $116.3M $1,163M N/A $1,163M
Total $102.5M $2,050M 390.0M $1,660M
Priority 1: Re-purpose the NJSEA as a “Next
Generation” regional planning authority
Driver: Economic Development Planning
Goal – Promote a diversied economy that capitalizes on
the locaon and assets of the Meadowlands, providing
jobs for a range of skill levels in the regional workforce
that support the development of new businesses built
on innovaon and advanced technology as well as the
tradional industries of the district.
Objecves and Strategies
The Meadowlands area is fortunate to have many
favorable aributes for business: proximity to the
country’s biggest market, access to New York, mul-
modal infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and many
higher educaon instuons, as well as access to the
Port and global markets. This creates a unique advantage
for the region. Our challenge is to leverage those assets,
modernize our systems and armavely create an
environment for business aracon and retenon.
1. Establish a viable new Mul-Purposed convenon
center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in synergy
with the sports venues and American Dream
A convenon center is the “missing piece” among the
Meadowlands desnaon aracons. A locaon with the
entertainment, transportaon and business aributes
of the sports complex would aract conferences and
convenons as an alternave to the Javits Center in
New York. A mul-purposed facility can generate 250+
event days per year lling hotels and driving tremendous
economic impact to the local economies. A convenon
center along with American Dream will assure we
2. Idenfy needs and improve access, ood control and
other infrastructure needs to support and improve older
industrial areas
While we aim to foster new sectors of business
development to diversify the Meadowlands economy,
our main job sectors remain dominated by industrial and
logiscs operaons. Older industrial areas need to remain
viable to stay producve and stay in the district.
a. Study bus routes and shules for beer employee
access in areas underserved with public transit
b. Maximize opportunies for distribuon and
logiscs for post-Panamax shipping, including
idenfying sites and improving access
c. Idenfy crical ooding vulnerability that can be
addressed with local improvements; coordinate
with Rebuild by Design eorts
3. Revise land use regulaons to provide for exible
zoning controls to foster modernizaon of industrial
areas
The land use and zoning regulaons governing the
district have their roots in the 1970’s. They should be re-
examined and revised to reect current market condions
and assure business retenon.
a. Hold stakeholder sessions with developers and
tenants to determine areas of conict, frequent
variances and needs.
b. Provide for ex space, support uses and new
building, height and locang conguraons
c. Recognize needs for retail and amenies for
employees and incorporate permied mixed uses
3.4
tourism and our unique locaon, the Greater
Meadowlands remains an economic engine for the
state. Targeted investments in transit, redevelopment,
environmental restoraon and regulatory modernizaon
will result in long-term benets not only for the cizens,
communies, businesses and workers of the Greater
Meadowlands, but the scal health of the state of New
Jersey.
The details of Meadowlands Vision 2040 are presented
below. They outline the goals, objecves and strategic
acons arculated by our stakeholders to address the
challenges and achieve the economic, environmental and
livability potenal of the Greater Meadowlands.
generate the necessary revenue to fulll the tax sharing
obligaon and generang surplus revenue which can be
dedicated to markeng and branding the region.
a. Undertake an immediate study to determine the
potenal market and opmal size and aributes for
a new regional convenon center at the
Meadowlands Sports Complex
b. Collaborate with relevant agencies to design a
public/private partnership structure to construct
and operate the facility
3.5
5. Idenfy a permanent funding source to support
tourism and markeng of the Meadowlands as a
desnaon
Desnaon promoon has been shown to fuel overall
economic development directly, from cket and admission
purchases and food and hospitality spending, and
indirectly, through businesses along the supply chain.
Retail and hospitality combined support nearly 44,000
employees in the Meadowlands. Promoon and aracon
of conferences and entertainment events creates an
appealing locaon for prospecve businesses.
a. Allocate funding from the Meadowlands hotel tax
revenue when surplus funds become available
b. Idenfy alternave permanent sources to sustain
long-term eorts
6. Develop a Regional Economic Development Strategy in
the context of an updated Master Plan in collaboraon
with pernent agencies and organizaons
This eort should ulize the new research referenced
above and be a comprehensive plan for business
aracon and retenon. It should address the diverse
sectors of the Meadowlands economy.
a. Idenfy and support industrial sectors that are
emerging in the Meadowlands or that represent
new opportunies
b. Create economic corridors or zones of like
businesses for synergy, branding and zoning
consideraons
c. Explore the potenal of establishing WiFi zones
throughout the District to increase communicaon
and producvity
d. Develop a markeng campaign to aract
businesses to the Meadowlands in collaboraon
with other state agencies and private groups,
promong our locaon, infrastructure, skilled work
force, with outreach to developers and brokers
e. Maintain an inventory of available sites in the
NJSEA, coordinated with area economic
development groups and real estate brokers
f. Foster coordinaon and collaboraon among area
economic development groups and the NJSEA to
share informaon and markeng eorts
g. Explore establishing a Foreign Trade Zone; develop
plans to aract internaonal business
h. Idenfy incenves that have nurtured successful
and desirable development in our region, such as in
Manhaan or Jersey City, and examine applicaon
to the Meadowlands; provide informaon to local
economic groups
i. Develop acons and policies to expedite the
cleanup and markeng of browneld sites in the
district; prepare an inventory of sites and explore
funding sources for invesgaon and remediaon;
idenfy potenal uses for signicant browneld
areas
j. Support eco-tourism with improved river access,
boang and recreaon opportunies
4. Undertake updated studies to ascertain current trends
in business markets and employment, and support
emerging sectors
The last Meadowlands Master Plan was prepared by
the commission in 2004. The Meadowlands Regional
Chamber commissioned its most recent workforce
study in 2007. New research should be undertaken and
updated to idenfy evolving markets and employment
trends. Changes since the recession should be examined,
including the growth of mul-family housing and the role
of tech-based industries.
New, accurate data is needed in order to idenfy the state
of the Meadowlands and take appropriate acon to foster
economic growth.
a. Undertake updated studies to review demographics
and trends in employment and business relocaon
to idenfy promising sectors
b. Idenfy “feeder” or support industries serving the
long-term mainstays of the Meadowlands’ economy
c. Idenfy businesses most likely to be smulated by
the opening of American Dream, and their space
and access needs
d. Idenfy emerging technologies and how they can
be nurtured with exible zoning and other
regulatory tools
e. Review the role of Teterboro Airport in aracng
economic development and idenfy strategies to
enhance that asset
3.6
Driver: Land Use/Zoning/Regulatory
Goal – Provide the framework for a balance of
complementary land uses that maintains scal stability,
a high quality of life and ecient mixed uses that focus
density around accessible centers and thus leverage
infrastructure investments.
The predictability oered by the rst 1970 Master Plan
in the Meadowlands fueled the growth of the district
in the decades following incepon of the Hackensack
Meadowlands Development Commission. We sll believe
that regional planning is essenal for coordinated growth
balanced with environmental concerns. While there have
been, and remain, areas of conict between the NJSEA
and individual municipalies, all jurisdicons in the district
can benet from collaboraon on common goals that will
li the economic opportunies in the region.
It is now me, almost 50 years later, to take a new look
at land use paerns, pracces and administraon and
determine how these systems can be updated to meet the
needs of today and tomorrow. A key element in rening
the instuonal framework will be for the administraon
in Trenton to recognize the local knowledge of NJSEA and
its sta and management, conrm its statutory authority
to conduct planning, economic development and ood
control acvies, and provide it with the autonomy to
move ahead with minimal polical intrusion.
Objecves and Strategies
1. Recognize and revitalize the regional perspecve and
purpose of the Meadowlands District and its relaonship
to adjoining communies
The NJSEA should reclaim its original statutory mission
of regional planning, with broader goals than any one
municipality, while recognizing and addressing municipal
concerns regarding desirable and problemac land uses.
The regional focus oered by the Master Plan created the
Meadowlands vision and is sll valuable today.
The original vision for the District was innovave and
original for its me. This is an opportunity to revisit and
revitalize that mission.
a. Develop a new Meadowlands Master Plan
The rst Master Plan produced a cleaner
environment and economic success. The last
Master Plan update was undertaken 13 years ago,
in an era of dierent land use and economic issues.
It is mely for the New Jersey Sports and Exposion
Authority, the successor to the New Jersey
Meadowlands Commission, to undertake a new
Plan together with the Economic Development
Strategy Plan noted above.
• Emphasize and engage local stakeholders,
including the mayors and business community, in
the development of a new Master Plan
• Consider current trends and markets, including
changing paerns of oce use, transit-oriented
development, and millennial generaon live/work
paerns
• Use the Master Plan to examine the context of the
Meadowlands beyond its statutory boundaries
to address the transportaon, environmental and
economic connecons and interrelaonships
between the Meadowlands and surrounding areas
of New Jersey and New York
• Set out the integraon of economic and
environmental systems as a guiding principle for
the Master Plan
• Support eco-tourism while providing necessary
protecons
• Maintain a balance of residenal and economic
land uses for ecient live/work/shop paerns
• Integrate housing, transportaon and economic
development systems in the land use plan for land
use eciency and minimizing travel
• Use transit hubs as a focus for high density and
mixed uses
• Address areas that are evolving from oce to
residenal uses
k. Promote and facilitate the growth of arts and
entertainment as an economic generator
7. Idenfy funding sources to support connuing
rebuilding and remobilizaon of businesses and facilies
impacted by Superstorm Sandy
a. Idenfy facilies and areas sll aected by Sandy
damage
b. Idenfy sources of funds to support recovery and
rebuilding; promote through business organizaons
and municipalies
3.7
3. Streamline the review process and create a customer
service orientaon
There is a percepon that the approval process in
the Meadowlands is cumbersome, unpredictable and
much too me-consuming. Some problems may be real
and others perceived, but the percepon discourages
the aracon of new business. The goal should be a
predictable process that is seen as facilitang rather than
discouraging development.
a. Consider a permit coordinaon/ombudsman
funcon at the NJSEA
4. Maintain sucient sta resources to eciently
address development applicaon demands
The consolidaon of the New Jersey Meadowlands
Commission and New Jersey Sports and Exposion
Authority combined organizaons with dierent missions.
This led to inevitable adjustments and uncertainty. A
number of sta with instuonal experience departed,
and budget constraints precluded new hiring.
a. The state should provide resources to fully sta the
NJSEA to fulll its statutory mandates of guiding
orderly, comprehensive development, preservaon
of the balance of nature, protecon from air and
water polluon and solid waste management
b. Acvely recruit new planning sta, emphasizing a
renewed regional planning commitment
c. Consider changing the NJSEA name, or a division
thereof, to one that fully reects the aspects of the
agency’s mission that encompass regional and
development planning
5. Update the NJSEA’s Interim Aordable Housing Policy,
recognizing recent court selements and the need for
workforce housing to support employment aracon
The ability to ll jobs in the District will be ed directly to
the supply of aordable and workforce housing choices.
A regional approach to providing aordable and work
force housing, while desirable, must be integrated and
coordinated with the municipally-based declaratory
judgment acons and selements resulng from the 2015
Supreme Court decision.
a. Replace the Meadowlands Interim Policy on
2. Revamp zoning and redevelopment regulaons to
meet current market opportunies and provide exibility
for changing building and technological needs, as well
as encouraging amenies and services for employment
clusters
a. Undertake a review of variance requests to
determine changing norms
b. Facilitate ex space that can adjust to dierent uses
and conguraons
c. Engage with municipal stakeholders to idenfy and
resolve areas of conict
d. Examine conicts with the Municipal Land Use Law
and revise to address inconsistencies where
appropriate and producve
e. Revise the redevelopment provisions of the
Meadowlands land use regulaons for beer
consistency with the Local Redevelopment and
Housing Law
f. Recognize that requests for building expansion are
important for job creaon and implement policies
to facilitate retenon
g. Provide zoning to encourage amenies and services
convenient to both residenal areas and
employment clusters
h. Provide exibility in zoning districts and regulaons
that will encourage adapve reuse of vacant,
obsolete or underulized assets
i. Explore strategies that will enable minor wetlands
encroachments in largely upland and inll sites
j. Evaluate the potenal of Transfer of Development
Rights as a tool for growth in the Meadowlands
b. Achieve the delegaon of appropriate NJDEP land
use permits to the NJSEA, including, for example,
Flood Hazard Area, Waterfront Development and
Sewer Extension permits. At a minimum, a local
NJDEP representave or oce should be
established at the NJSEA to deal with perming in
the District.
c. Examine the typical me currently required for
zoning cercates and variances and determine
reasons for impediments or delays. Idenfy ways to
reduce melines, whether through revised
requirements for certain applicaon types, clearer
instrucons, or other measures.
d. Idenfy the potenal for expedited procedures
with permits-by-rule or similar measures to
expedite minor applicaons.
3.8
Driver: Environmental Preservation
Goal – Achieve and maintain a healthy estuarine
environment in the District, hosng a diversity of
terrestrial and aquac species, protecng crical
habitats and remediaon of contaminated sites.
Under the leadership of the Hackensack Meadowlands
Development Commission, the New Jersey
Meadowlands Commission, and now the NJSEA,
the natural environment has achieved a remarkable
recovery that has fueled appreciaon of the
Meadowlands’ resources as well as quality of life for its
residents.
Objecves and Strategies
1. Idenfy and improve infrastructure inadequacies that
impact waterways
In spite of improvements in sewer and storm water
systems since the incepon of the Hackensack
Meadowlands Development Commission, point and non-
point source runo sll impacts our waterways.
a. Idenfy trouble spots; ulize Meadowlands
Environmental Research Instute experse
b. Determine enforcement acons or measures to
2. Idenfy crical habitats for acquision
Considerable acreage in the Meadowlands remains in
private ownership, even though it may not be feasible to
develop under State and Federal wetlands restricons.
Such areas that contain crical habitat or threatened and
endangered species should be idened for acquision at
a fair value.
a. Work with MERI and the Meadowlands
Conservaon Trust to idenfy opportunies
b. Idenfy funding sources for acquision
3. Inventory remediaon needs on public and private
sites, and idenfy potenal public and private resources
for invesgaon and cleanup eorts
As noted above, remediaon of contaminated sites
can have posive eects, from both environmental
and economic perspecves. Restoraon can provide
locaons for desirable development or recreaonal and
conservaon opportunies.
a. Create an inventory of sites needing remediaon
b. Instute eorts to market well-located sites
c. Assist municipalies with grant programs for
invesgaon and cleanup eorts
Aordable Housing with a permanent policy that is
consistent with the Supreme Court decision and
recognizes and facilitates the ability of
municipalies to meet their housing obligaons
b. Consider the municipality as a whole when
evaluang aordable housing opportunies
c. Build on current eorts to idenfy sites for new
aordable and market housing opportunies in
proximity to jobs and transportaon
d. Review the housing densies in the zoning
regulaons for economic incenves to provide
needed housing
e. Explore incenves and cost-reducon measures
with respect to hard or so costs to encourage
private development of aordable housing, such as
reduced fees, property acquision assistance,
exibility in wetlands use and migaon, or similar
measures
f. Idenfy measures to migate municipal costs from
housing development
improve systems
c. Idenfy funding sources to address system
improvements, on the Federal, State, County or
public/private levels
Priority 2: Advance and Implement Key
Infrastructure Projects and Quality of Life
Initiatives
Driver: Transportation & Mobility
Goal – Support the provision of an ecient, user
friendly (parking, bike, pedestrian facilies to transit)
network of bus, rail and highway facilies that provide
connecon within the District and to the metropolitan
area, supporng access to jobs, tourism/entertainment,
residenal and freight movements.
Business and government leaders alike agree that there
is no prosperity without mobility. The Meadowlands is
both a generator and corridor for commuters to New York
3.9
Objecves and Strategies
1. Advocate for funding and implementaon of the
Hudson Tunnels and Gateway Project
Execuon of this project is vital to the region and the
naon. Connued deterioraon of the exisng tunnels
linking New York and New Jersey is an obstacle to exisng
and future economic development. Our elected ocials
and agencies must be reless in seeking funding and
stressing the strategic importance of this improvement.
2. Ensure that the Bergen Loop is funded as part of
Gateway
The elements of Gateway that are most benecial to
New Jersey must be safeguarded. The Bergen Loop, or
Secaucus Loop, would provide a one-seat ride to Penn
Staon, beneng Bergen County and Hudson County
commuters. The Bergen Loop is included in the larger
Gateway project, but implementaon will depend on
acve advocacy and funding by NJ Transit and our elected
ocials.
3. Establish an Amtrak/Northeast Corridor stop at
Secaucus Juncon
We see Secaucus Juncon as a crical pivot tying the
Meadowlands to other parts of New Jersey, New York
City and beyond, linking to Amtrak, MetroNorth and the
LIRR. The recent NEC Future Final Environmental Impact
Statement designated Secaucus Juncon as a Hub staon,
an upgrade of its current Local status. This designaon
entails potenal improvements to plaorms and tracks to
beer address Intercity and Regional service.
With the advent of American Dream and many other
residenal and business projects in the area, a stop
for certain Amtrak trains would provide an important
link in the regional network and promote economic
development in North Jersey. An ocial request should
be made to Amtrak to study and implement a stop for
selected trains at Secaucus.
4. Reconstute the Meadowlands Transportaon
Planning Process within the NJSEA
The 2005 Hackensack Meadowlands Transportaon
Planning District Act established a system to analyze and
plan for the transportaon needs of the District. The
Act authorized a Board of public members and ocials
to oversee transportaon planning. The procedure
authorized by the Act has been dormant for many years.
a. Reinstall the Transportaon Planning District Board,
with an annual capital project budget.
The Transportaon Planning District Board,
originally established in 2005, was re-authorized
by the 2015 statute that consolidated the
Meadowlands Commission and the New Jersey
Sports and Exposion Authority. Since then, there
has been no acon to reconstute the Board. The
Board should be a vehicle for comprehensive
analysis of transportaon needs in the District.
b. Update and revise the Meadowlands District
Transportaon Plan
The last plan was prepared in 2007, pursuant to the
2005 Act. It is me for an update, taking into
account transportaon improvements over the past
ten years, as well as major land use changes and
plans.
c. Establish a Regional Transportaon Planning Task
Force as part of the Transportaon Planning Board
Transportaon corridors and demands traverse
municipal boundaries. This Task Force would be
charged with coordinaon between the
Meadowlands and other transportaon planning
agencies, to maintain a comprehensive approach to
transportaon needs and projects aecng
North Jersey.
d. Reconsider the spending plan for development fee
proceeds so that funds are distributed beyond the
Meadowlands Adapve Signal System – allocate
proceeds for towns to address local trac problems
Municipalies can idenfy areas where assistance
is needed to address local problem spots. The
Transportaon Plan and development fee system
can do a beer job of responding to these needs.
Other sources should be idened to supplement
funding for expansion and maintenance of MASSTR,
to balance the funds produced by the development
fee program.
e. Review development fee formula
Applicaon of the redevelopment fee developed in
City and an aracve desnaon for residents of New
York and other areas for our sports, entertainment and
business venues. Transportaon is the web that links us
all, providing goods movement and giving our cizens
access to jobs, entertainment, educaon, health and retail
services.
Our vision encompasses both trans-Hudson
improvements, recognizing the growing numbers
of commuters and the age of exisng bridges and
tunnels, and improved, innovave intra-Meadowlands
travel opons, enabling mobility to desnaons and
employment hubs within North Jersey.
the 2007 Meadowlands District Transportaon Plan
frequently resulted in excessively high fees for
projects generang moderate trac. The formula
should be re-examined in light of current
development trends, actual vehicle generaon and
travel demand management.
4.0
5. Conduct the next phase of feasibility studies for an
extension of the No.7 New York City subway line to
Secaucus Juncon
A preliminary study in 2013 concluded that this project
has the potenal to produce real long-term capacity
improvement by relieving pressure on NJ Transit trains,
tunnel capacity and Port Authority Bus Terminal use.
Projecons have shown that the future demand for bus
and rail travel will meet the capacity of the Gateway
tunnels and proposed new bus terminal. Funding should
be allocated for this study. Addion of the No. 7 extension
to the regional transportaon network could allow for a
smaller Port Authority bus terminal and/or a subsidiary
facility in Secaucus. However, a plan to replace exisng,
sore decient bus terminal used by thousands of New
Jersey commuters is imperave.
6. Provide sucient funding for New Jersey Transit to
plan and address the state’s public transportaon needs
NJT requires resources beyond the current Transportaon
Trust Fund allocaon to aract experienced, professional
leadership, develop innovave soluons, and maintain
exisng infrastructure. Funding must encompass upkeep
of exisng systems and operaonal needs as well as
capital projects.
7. Implement the Bergen Bus Rapid Transit Route from
Paramus to Secaucus Juncon
Bus Rapid Transit has the potenal to be the wave of
future mass transit – express routes, premium bus
facilies and opmal connecons, without the expense
of xed rail. The proposed pilot route studied by Bergen
County between Paramus and Secaucus should be
awarded funding for swi implementaon by Bergen
County and NJ Transit. This would serve job hubs along
the alignment, as well as providing a route to American
Dream and its aracons and employment opportunies.
8. Extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit system
into Bergen County along the Northern Branch, from
Tonnelle Avenue to Englewood Hospital
The extension of the HBLR along the Northern Branch
would provide new transportaon alternaves for the
northeastern area of Bergen County, which now has
limited opportunies for mass transit. The residents of
the Northern Branch Corridor would have access to jobs
and entertainment opportunies in Hoboken and Jersey
City as well as to the industries along West Side Avenue
in North Bergen. Access to jobs in Bergen County, notably
Englewood Hospital, would be provided for employees in
Hudson County.
The Northern Branch extension would also relieve
pressure on bus capacity for New York City travel, as
commuters could take the new Light Rail to the PATH train
in Hoboken, or to the ferry landings at Port Imperial and
Lincoln Harbor. Access from Hoboken to Secaucus Juncon
and Newark Penn Staon is then available.
The Supplemental Dra Environmental Impact Statement
(SDEIS) for the Northern Branch extension was issued in
March of 2017. This will be followed by the Final EIS.
Funding should be allocated to connue engineering
and design for this important part of the regional transit
network that would nally extend HBLRT into Bergen
County.
9. Improve connecvity between the Meadowlands and
North Jersey communies, the Sports Complex and job
opportunies
While trans-Hudson travel is an important focus, given
the volume of commuters and growth of Meadowlands
desnaons, mobility within New Jersey and job access
for residents and businesses must also move into the 21st
century with new modes and connecons.
a. Idenfy and support new shule routes connecng
with transit staons, including:
• Connecons from Harmon Meadow and West
Side Avenue businesses to the Tonnelle Avenue
Light Rail Staon
• Extended shule along Kearny Avenue/Ridge
Road from Harrison Staon to Carlstadt/
Hackensack
• Links to American Dream from Lyndhurst/
Rutherford/Wesmont staons
b. Fill “Last Mile” gaps in employment centers, such
as in Carlstadt industrial area
c. Establish a transportaon hub at American Dream
d. Maximize use of the Meadowlands rail connecon
to improve access to Sports Complex facilies
e. Improve access to Secaucus Juncon through
improved intra-Meadowlands bus and shule
service.
4.1
10. Create and improve safe bicycle and pedestrian
connecons
Dedicated bicycle and walking paths provide safe
separaon from trac and a healthy, environmentally
friendly and recreaonal way to move. Some
municipalies have established segments within their
jurisdicons. Inter-municipal connecons can create an
alternave travel network throughout the Meadowlands.
Creang safe condions is parcularly important near
desnaons and transit stops.
a. Idenfy opportunies to link communies with
bike paths
b. Establish sidewalks where absent in areas near bus
and train stops
Driver: Flood Control/Resiliency
Goal – Implement a well-maintained system of ood
controls protecng exisng businesses, neighborhoods
and redevelopment/development sites, enabled by an
appropriate regulatory framework balancing economic,
transportaon and environmental concerns.
Superstorm Sandy brought devastaon to many families
and businesses in the Meadowlands and many parts of
New Jersey. While ooding has been a consistent problem
for years in parts of the District, Sandy focused new
aenon on the issue and brought “resilience” into our
vocabulary. This is now a key requirement in planning the
future of the Greater Meadowlands. We must combat
the percepon of ooding as a disincenve to investment
with a comprehensive plan addressing ood risk and
control.
Objecves and Strategies
1. Clarify and strengthen statutory authority for the
NJSEA to manage ood control for the District
Quesons remain regarding the authority of the NJSEA,
and the NJMC prior to consolidaon, to engage in ood
control planning. Flood control is integral to the ability of
the NJSEA to fulll its mandate for facilitang economic
development opportunies. Authority for ood control
planning and implementaon should be clearly dened,
with addional legislaon if necessary.
2. Develop a comprehensive ood control plan protecng
residenal and business areas and crical transportaon
facilies
This should extend beyond District boundaries as
necessary for drainage basin planning.
3. Create an instuonal strategy for repair and
maintenance of ood control structures, including de
gates, berms and walls constructed as part of the Rebuild
by Design (RBD) project
Municipalies oen nd their budgets stretched in
maintaining ood control facilies. As such structures
have a District-wide impact, clear responsibility for
maintenance should rest with a regional agency, such as
Bergen County or the NJSEA. This should be considered
for facilies proposed under the pilot RBD improvements.
4. Maintain storm water and sewer infrastructure
Flooding can be exacerbated by clogged storm drains
and other maintenance problems. As with ood gates,
maintenance of these systems can be aected by local
budget constraints. A program should be iniated for
promong regular maintenance and funding assistance.
5. Coordinate Rebuild by Design proposals with Bergen
County park master planning
Certain aspects of the RBD plan, including berms, walls
and landscaped areas should be considered within the
Bergen County park planning eorts where they can be
integrated into exisng or future park properes.
Driver: Livability
Goal – Sustain a region that is aracve, safe and vital
for families, youth and seniors, oering educaonal,
recreaonal and cultural opportunies that enhance the
quality of life, and aracng young talent with career
opportunies and vibrant places to live.
Livability is a term reecng the quality of life for the
cizens of the Greater Meadowlands and those who work
here. This is closely linked to economic development,
and is an important consideraon for businesses seeking
to relocate or expand. Are there housing choices for
employees? Good schools? A sense of place?
Our Greater Meadowlands area is made up of
individual towns and neighborhoods within the larger
Meadowlands community. Many of the objecves and
strategies discussed elsewhere in the Vision Plan are also
livability issues: mobility, job opportunies, and a clean
environment. Meadowlands communies need to look to
the future, and explore tools to create and enhance live/
work/play development and redevelopment opons, to
keep young people in their home towns.
Objecves and Strategies
1. Improve connecvity between communies,
aracons and employment
4.2
Mobility is important to livability–to be able to get around
the region safely, eciently and at reasonable cost.
a. Improve pedestrian safety near bus and train stops
and “last mile” travel routes between bus and rail
stops and jobs or recreaon
b. Idenfy needs to create and enhance safe walking
routes to schools, including addional sidewalks
and trac calming
c. Create a bicycle and pedestrian connecvity plan,
building on individual municipal segments, to
achieve a network linking recreaon areas
d. Develop intra-Meadowlands links, whether BRT or
shules, to provide residents with access to major
aracons, including American Dream, for
recreaon and job opportunies.
2. Maintain the vitality and safety of neighborhoods
Livability reects whether cizens are comfortable in their
neighborhoods and have access to services and vital local
business areas.
a. Assist towns in idenfying and pursuing funding
sources for neighborhood planning or downtown
revitalizaon, rehabilitaon and redevelopment
b. Foster neighborhood businesses as part of a
coordinated economic development program
3. Instute policies that enable a choice of housing types
for dierent income levels
As noted in earlier secons addressing land use and
zoning, economic growth and aracon of new businesses
will be dependent on housing opportunies for their
employees. Housing choice will also contribute to keeping
our young people close to their home communies.
a. Reexamine zoning policies to provide a range of
housing types and densies
b. Replace the NJSEA Interim Policy on Aordable
Housing with a permanent policy that facilitates the
ability of municipalies to meet aordable housing
obligaons
4. Balance residenal and commercial land uses for
ecient live/work/shop paerns
a. Consider walkability in locaon and review of
residenal and commercial projects
5. Use land use policies and zoning to encourage
amenies and services convenient to residenal
communies and job centers
a. Include retail facilies in commercial zones to
minimize need for mid-day car travel
b. Promote neighborhood retail in new and exisng
residenal development
6. Create a Meadowlands educaon hub, building on
the resources of Felician University, Bergen Community
College, and the many colleges and universies in close
proximity
Opportunies for collaboraon among secondary schools,
colleges and employers will foster job access and skills
training to t the needs of area businesses.
a. Encourage development of addional training and
educaonal instuons to provide local sources of
higher educaon
b. Foster consorums and interrelaons among
educaonal instuons in the Meadowlands and
North Jersey – provide opportunies for
collaboraon
c. Provide opportunies for corporaons and
employers to interact with students and curriculum
developers, to match training with needed skills
and encourage internships
7. Use environmental restoraon as a tool to improve
neighborhood quality of life
The Meadowlands District has made great progress in
environmental improvement over the decades since its
incepon. Natural resource conservaon can contribute
to the livability and aracveness of our residenal and
business neighborhoods.
a. Idenfy locaons where remediaon could create
local park and recreaon facilies
b. Assist municipalies with grant opportunies for
invesgaon and cleanup eorts
c. Idenfy potenal green infrastructure
improvements in Meadowlands communies;
coordinate with Rebuild by Design
b. Provide zoning to encourage mixed uses and
transit/pedestrian access
4.3
Priority 3: Establish Destination and
Tourism Promotion as an Economic
Development Tool
Driver: Meadowlands Identity/Branding/Marketing
Goal – Create an identy for the New Jersey
Meadowlands as a unique desnaon for business,
recreaon, shopping and entertainment as well as
reinforcing its unique economic signicance and linkages
with New York City and the Northeast region.
While the Meadowlands has much to oer with
respect to job opportunity, entertainment and quality
of life, the idencaon of the area as a desnaon
must be reinforced to accelerate increased economic
development.
Objecves and Strategies
1. Create and sustain a Meadowlands identy through
consistent branding and markeng eorts
While the Sports Complex is a recognized focus of the
Meadowlands, our district is much larger and varied than
that aracon. We have an opportunity to improve the
percepon of the area as an idenable desnaon with
coordinated and consistent branding.
a. Provide signage and icons at key gateways to the
Meadowlands district
b. Improve waynding at gateways and within the
district for key desnaons, such as Secaucus
Juncon, Sports Complex, eco-tourism centers, etc.,
with consistent images. Coordinate with American
Dream signage plans
c. Improve roadway aesthecs with beer
maintenance, planng and cleanup. Coordinate
with NJDOT
2. Promote the region through a funded Visitors Bureau
markeng and programming eort, to showcase the
area’s assets, including entertainment, natural features,
business opportunies
Desnaon and tourism promoon fuels development
across the enre economic spectrum. In addion to
generang jobs and tax revenue, desnaon markeng
and event aracon can act as catalysts for transportaon
improvements and other infrastructure upgrades.
Desnaon Markeng Organizaons (DMO’s) in New
Jersey are crical enes to promote their regions assets.
We must be in a posion to compete with surrounding
states who outspend NJ in all areas of markeng and
branding. Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford
Economics, reported in their recent study the correlaon
of successful economic development in locaons that
have a well-funded desnaon and tourism development
program. The Meadowlands Liberty CVB is an accredited
DMO and is well posioned to promote the regions assets
in coordinaon with local and county EDC’s.
3. Increase communicaon and collaboraon between
NJSEA, Bergen, Hudson and Passaic Counes,
municipalies and state agencies and business groups
with respect to economic development goals and
projects
a. Create an informal consorum with members of
the above groups
b. Organize annual or quarterly conferences to
idenfy and address crical issues for the
broader region
c. Maintain cooperaon to speak with “one voice” on
issues involving federal or state funds for
transportaon and environmental issues, or on
regulatory acons aecng the region
d. Recognize and foster economic linkages with New
York City and other urban centers in New Jersey
Realizing The Vision Plan
It is evident that many iniaves, parcularly those
involving infrastructure, carry considerable costs. Some
may require creave funding soluons. However, not
acng on these improvements will carry a cost to the
region in terms of lost economic opportunity.
Targeted investment in infrastructure and modernized
development policy will foster growth in both tradional
and emerging industries and increase property values.
Industrial and warehouse growth will be supported by
beer access and ood control systems. New trends, such
as e-commerce and desnaon tourism, will benet from
trans-Hudson improvements and intra-Meadowlands
connecons, as well as a strong Meadowlands identy.
Such eorts will also leverage the profound economic
impacts expected with American Dream, and enhance the
demand for development sites and redevelopment areas.
4.4
Tourism Promotion Economic Impact Data
4.5
Source: Tourism Economics
4.6
Source: Oxford Economics
Source: Oxford Economics
4.7
Communities of the Greater Meadowlands
Bergen County
Bogota
Mayor: Christopher M. Kelemen
Telephone Number: (201) 342-1736
Website: www.bogotaonline.org
Populaon in 2010: 8,187
Populaon in 2017: 8,398
Percent Change: 2.6 percent
Median Household Income: $83,218
Median Home Value: $334,450
Key Employer: Bogota Savings Bank
Carlstadt
Mayor: Craig Lahullier
Telephone Number: (201) 939-2850
Website: www.carlstadtnj.us
Populaon in 2010: 6,127
Populaon in 2017: 6,270
Percent Change: 2.3 percent
Median Household Income: $79,380
Median Home Value: $402,100
Key Employers: Allied Beverage Group L.L.C.; Pinnacle
Environmental Corporaon; Unimac Graphics; Russo
Development LCC; Onyx Equies LLC
Cliside Park
Mayor: Thomas Calabrese
Telephone Number: (201) 945-3456
Website: www.clisideparknj.gov
Populaon in 2010: 23,594
Populaon in 2017: 25,093
Percent Change: 6.4 percent
Median Household Income: $62,589
Median Home Value: $471,000
East Rutherford
Mayor: James L. Cassella
Telephone Number: (201) 933-3444
Website: www.eastrutherfordnj.net
Populaon in 2010: 8,913
Populaon in 2017: 9,214
Percent Change: 3.4 percent
Median Household Income: $76,286
Median Home Value: $380,900
Key Employers: Allied Building Products Corporaon;
MWWPR; Branca Properes Inc.; The Alpine Group, Inc.;
New York Giants; New York Jets; Meadowlands Racetrack
Fairview
Mayor: Vincent Bellucci Jr.
Telephone Number: (201) 943-3300
Website: fairviewborough.com
Populaon in 2010: 13,835
Populaon in 2017: 14,536
Percent Change: 5.1 percent
Median Household Income: $55,608
Median Home Value: $381,100
Gareld
Mayor: Richard Rigoglioso
Telephone Number: (973) 340-2000
Website: www.gareldnj.org
Populaon in 2010: 30,487
Populaon in 2017: 31,820
Percent Change: 4.4 percent
Median Household Income: $50,534
Median Home Value: $336,800
Key Employer: Fidelity Care Inc.
Hackensack
Mayor: John P. Labrosse, Jr.
Telephone Number: (201) 646-3980
Website: www.hackensack.org
Populaon in 2010: 43,010
Populaon in 2017: 45,368
Percent Change: 5.5 percent
Median Household Income: $58,625
Median Home Value: $308,400
Key Employers: J. Fletcher Creamer & Son Inc.; Hackensack
University Medical Center; Innodata, Inc.; NAI James E.
Hanson
Hasbrouck Heights
Mayor: Jack DeLorenzo
Telephone Number: (201) 288-0195
Website: www.hasbrouck-heights.nj.us
Populaon in 2010: 11,842
Populaon in 2017: 12,267
Percent Change: 3.6 percent
Median Household Income: $92,728
Median Home Value: $414,100
Key Employers: Shin Ei Fuji of Hasbrouck Heights, Inc.;
Motor Inn Associates, LLC
Leonia
Mayor: Judah Zeigler
Telephone Number: (201) 592-5780
Website: hp://www.leonianj.gov/
Populaon in 2010: 8,937
Populaon in 2017: 9,261
Percent Change: 3.6 percent
Median Household Income: $84,228
Median Home Value: $499,000
Key Employers: Field Staon: Dinosaurs
Lile Ferry
Mayor: Mauro D. Raguseo
Telephone Number: (201) 641-9234
Website: www.lileferrynj.org
Populaon in 2010: 10,626
Populaon in 2017: 11,024
Percent Change: 3.7 percent
Median Household Income: $69,466
Median Home Value: $334,500
Key Employers: Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.; Gates Realty
Corp.; Arcari & Iovino Architects PC
Lodi
Mayor: Emil Carafa, Jr.
Telephone Number: (973) 365-4005
Website: www.lodi-nj.org
Populaon in 2010: 24,136
Populaon in 2017: 24,988
Percent Change: 3.5 percent
Median Household Income: $52,453
Median Home Value: $378,000
Key Employers: Labor Ready; Atlanc Detroit Diesel-
Allison, LLC; The Star Group
Lyndhurst
Mayor: Robert B. Giangeruso
Telephone Number: (201) 804-2457
Website: www.lyndhurstnj.org
Populaon in 2010: 20,554
Populaon in 2017: 22,733
Percent Change: 10.6 percent
Median Household Income: $75,379
Median Home Value: $354,000
Key Employers: Alpha Industries, Inc.; Polo/Ralph Lauren
Moonachie
Mayor: Dennis Vaccaro
Telephone Number: (201) 641-1813
Website: www.moonachie.us
Populaon in 2010: 2,708
Populaon in 2017: 2,810
Percent Change: 3.8 percent
Median Household Income: $68,040
Median Home Value: $568,300
Key Employers: Avan Linens; LPS Industries Inc.; FLOMO/
Glitzzie
North Arlington
Mayor: Joseph Bianchi
Telephone Number: (201) 991-6060
Website: www.northarlington.org
Populaon in 2010: 15,392
Populaon in 2017: 15,965
Percent Change: 3.7 percent
Median Household Income: $77,357
Median Home Value: $368,300
Key Employers: AM Cosmecs Inc.; Labor Management
Concepts, Inc.
Palisade Park
Mayor: James Rotundo
Telephone Number: (201) 585-4100
Website: www.palisadesparknj.us
Populaon in 2010: 19,622
Populaon in 2017: 20,890
Percent Change: 6.5 percent
Median Household Income: $63,895
Median Home Value: $596,400
Key Employer: Time Warner Cable
Ridgeeld
Mayor: Anthony Suarez
Telephone Number: (201) 943-5215
Website: www.ridgeeldnj.gov
Populaon in 2010: 11,032
Populaon in 2017: 11,380
Percent Change: 3.2 percent
Median Household Income: $74,428
Median Home Value: $459,000
Key Employer: Carolace Embroidery Co., Inc.
Ridgeeld Park
Mayor: George D. Fosdick
Telephone Number: (201) 641-4950
Website: www.ridgeeldpark.org
Populaon in 2010: 12,729
Populaon in 2017: 13,105
Percent Change: 3.0 percent
Median Household Income: $69,178
Median Home Value: $336,500
Key Employers: Samsung Electronics American, Inc.; FORT
Group
Rutherford
Mayor: Joseph DeSalvo, Jr
Telephone Number: (201) 460-3001
Website: www.rutherford-nj.com
Populaon in 2010: 18,061
Populaon in 2017: 18,915
Percent Change: 4.7 percent
Median Household Income: $89,524
Median Home Value: $470,800
4.8
Key Employers: Cancer Genecs, Inc.; Boiling Springs
Savings Bank; Newmark Grubb Knight Frank; Robert Half
Internaonal
South Hackensack
Mayor: Gary Brugger
Telephone Number: (201) 440-1815
Website: www.southhackensacknj.org
Populaon in 2010: 2,652
Populaon in 2017: 2,469
Median Household Income: $72,014
Median Home Value: $424,300
Key Employers: Naturex Inc.; Boswell Engineering
Teaneck
Mayor: John P. Wa
Telephone Number: (201) 837-1600
Website: www.teanecknj.gov
Populaon in 2010: 39,776
Populaon in 2017: 41,121
Percent Change: 3.4 percent
Median Household Income: $99,494
Median Home Value: $382,800
Key Employers: Holy Name Hospital; Cognizant Technology
Soluons
Teterboro
Mayor: Mohammed Hameeduddin
Telephone Number: (201) 288-1200
Website: www.teterboro-online.com
Populaon in 2010: 67
Populaon in 2017: 71
Percent Change: 6.0 percent
Key Employers: Teterboro Airport; Quest Diagnoscs
Clinical Laboratories, Inc.; Jet Aviaon; Forsgate Industrial
Partners
Wallington
Mayor: Mark W. Tomko
Telephone Number: (973) 777-0318
Website: www.wallingtonnj.org
Populaon in 2010: 11,335
Populaon in 2017: 11,712
Percent Change: 3.3 percent
Median Household Income: $59,287
Median Home Value: $374,600
Key Employers: Farmland Dairies LLC; McNally
Internaonal Corp.
Wood-Ridge
Mayor: Paul A. Sarlo
Telephone Number: (201) 939-0202
Website: www.wood-ridgenj.org
Populaon in 2010: 7,626
Populaon in 2017: 8,599
Percent Change: 12.8 percent
Median Household Income: $99,331
Median Home Value: $341,000
Key Employers: Terminal Construcon Corporaon;
Meadowlink/EZ Ride; Fujitec Elevator Co. Inc.
Hudson County
East Newark
Mayor: Joseph R. Smith
Telephone Number: (973) 481-2902
Website: www.boroughofeastnewark.com
Populaon in 2010: 2,406
Populaon in 2017: 2,700
Percent Change: 12.2 percent
Median Household Income: $56,227
Median Home Value: $286,500
Harrison
Mayor: James A. Fife
Telephone Number: (973) 268-2425
Website: townoarrison.com
Populaon in 2010: 13,620
Populaon in 2017: 15,923
Percent Change: 16.9 percent
Median Household Income: $58,328
Median Home Value: $297,300
Key Employers: Pechters Baking Group LLC; FMB, Inc.
Jersey City
Mayor: Steven M. Fulop
Telephone Number: (201) 547-5000
Website: www.jerseycitynj.gov
Populaon in 2010: 247,597
Populaon in 2017: 266,716
Percent Change: 7.7 percent
Median Household Income: $62,677
Median Home Value: $385,800
Key Employers: GOYA Foods; Ports American, Inc.; Verisk
Analycs; Bel Fuse Inc.
Kearny
Mayor: Alberto G. Santos
Telephone Number: (201) 955-7400
Website: www.kearnyusa.com
Populaon in 2010: 40,684
Populaon in 2017: 42,179
Percent Change: 3.7 percent
Median Household Income: $65,369
Median Home Value: $320,200
Key Employers: Fedway Associates Inc; Freeman
4.9
North Bergen
Mayor: Nicholas J. Sacco
Telephone Number: (201) 392-2024
Website: www.northbergen.org
Populaon in 2010: 60,773
Populaon in 2017: 63,266
Percent Change: 4.1 percent
Median Household Income: $57,347
Median Home Value: $365,400
Key Employers: Palisades Medical Center; Keystone
Freight Corp.; Big M, Inc.
Secaucus
Mayor: Mike Gonnelli
Telephone Number: (201) 330-2000
Website: secaucusnj.gov
Populaon in 2010: 16,264
Populaon in 2017: 19,751
Percent Change: 21.4 percent
Median Household Income: $89,497
Median Home Value: $441,500
Key Employers: The Children’s Place, Inc.; Cosco Logiscs
Inc.; Ernst & Young, LLP
Passaic County
Clion
Mayor: James Anzaldi
Telephone Number: (973) 470-5800
Website: www.clionnj.org
Populaon in 2010: 84,136
Populaon in 2017: 86,767
Percent Change: 3.1 percent
Median Household Income: $72,670
Median Home Value: $311,900
Key Employers: AVE Clion; RCL Agencies
Passaic
Mayor: Hector Lora
Telephone Number: (973) 365-5500
Website: www.cityofpassaic.com
Populaon in 2010: 69,781
Populaon in 2017: 71,658
Percent Change: 2.7 percent
Median Household Income: $34,707
Median Home Value: $297,400
Key Employer: CMIT Soluons
Essex County
Nutley
Mayor: Joseph P. Scarpelli
Telephone Number: (973) 284-4955
Website: www.nutleynj.org
5.0
Populaon in 2010: 28,370
Populaon in 2017: 28,967
Percent Change: 2.1 percent
Median Household Income: $87,624
Median Home Value: $389,950
Key Employer: Indigo Systems NJ
5.1
References
Brown, Michele, Choose New Jersey, Inc., “The Neo-
Panamax and New Jersey”, September 18, 2017
Cushman & Wakeeld, MarketBeat: Northern & Central
New Jersey, Industrial Q2 2017
HR&A Advisors, Inc.
NEC Future, Dra Environmental Impact Statement and
Dra Secon 4(f) Evaluaon, Hudson County, NJ and New
York County, NY, June 2017
New Jersey Department of Labor, Annual Municipal Data
by Sector – 2015 (wages)
New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, NJMC Master
Plan, adopted January 2004
New Jersey Sports and Exposion Authority, “Land Use
Trends in the Hackensack Meadowlands”, June 2016
Oxford Economics and Tourism Economics
Rockport Analycs, Regional Impact of Tourism Report,
2015
Rutgers Center for Government Services, New Jersey Data
Book: www.njdatabook.rutgers.edu
USDOT, Federal Railroad Administraon, NEC Future, Tier
1 Final Environmental Impact Statement, v. 1, December
2016
WSP Parsons Brinckerho, prepared for Port Authority of
NY and NJ, Trans-Hudson Commung Report, Summary
Report, September 2016
Zoomprospector: www.zoomprospector.com/edo/the-
greater-meadowlands/401
