We’re overseeing various environmental projects across New Jersey; our AEC experts are also participating in the latest municipal board hearings.
A couple of weeks ago, we published an update on land-use board activity across northern New Jersey, as municipalities continued to combat the spread of coronavirus. After two months of general COVID-19-related restrictions, firms in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) space are continuing to adhere to Executive Order No. 122 from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. EO122, which went into effect on April 10, halted all non-essential construction as the state eyed containment of the virus.
Nevertheless, throughout this crisis, Dresdner Robin has remained fully operational – within those bounds. Our designers and AEC specialists are working from home and overseeing critical fieldwork. One such division that has ramped up during this uncertain time is Environmental, led by Principal Environmental Specialist Nick Noce, LSRP, who boasts over 25 years of experience in environmental remediation.
Transportation Infrastructure Improvements
Under Noce’s leadership, Dresdner Robin has maintained a decade-long partnership with state agencies on sustainability programs for New Jersey’s highway system. This includes environmental services at various New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) maintenance facilities. It also includes consulting services for investigation, remediation and/or construction support for large-scale roadway, bridge and drainage improvement projects throughout the state.
This has endured throughout COVID-19, as construction related to site remediation is permitted under EO122. As such, Dresdner Robin has been working diligently with the NJDOT and our subcontractors and vendors to avoid any disruptions to the remedial investigation, remedial action and/or construction phases of a project.
Some of our recent work includes various environmental services at the NJDOT’s Netcong, Hazlet and Bedminster, N.J., sites, as well as routine site visits during construction activities for the NJDOT Pulaski Skyway Rehabilitation Project. (The 3.5-mile landmark structure connects Newark and Jersey City.) We are also involved in the NJDOT’s Route 1&9T New Road Project, where we are working closely with the design engineer, NJDOT resident engineer and contractor in support of the management of soil and groundwater along the project corridor.
Virtual Board Meetings
With coronavirus posing sizable economic challenges, municipalities across northern New Jersey are also taking action to carry on with business, largely via teleconference tools such as Zoom and Cisco WebEx.
These developments are especially important to the Dresdner Robin team, which actively works to acquire approvals from various land-use boards.
In April, Dresdner Robin’s Director of Planning, Charles Heydt, took part in Jersey City, N.J.’s first virtual Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing. In it, Heydt provided planning justifications to convert a deteriorated and obsolete used car parking lot into a sustainable residential parking area including bioswale and other streetscape improvements.
Our firm’s Director of Land Use and Engineering, Joe Mele, also presented in Jersey City’s first virtual Planning Board meeting on April 28. Mele represented an intriguing development site on the city’s West Side – 52 University Place. It is an 11-story, mixed-use complex containing 343 units, performing arts center and restaurant uses, and is part of a master redevelopment plan led by New Jersey City University and Claremont Development.
Dresdner is aggressively working on dozens of active development projects throughout Jersey City. From the Historic Downtown, to Journal Square, Bergen-Lafayette, Greenville and Newport, many of these projects are slated to break ground in 2020 and 2021.
‘Front & Center’
Although it remains clear that the coronavirus will be a difficult challenge, Jersey City’s land-use boards are looking ahead. Other municipalities are following suit. Like them, Dresdner Robin remains active and will be front and center on upcoming land-use activity.
As a firm managing many essential projects across the Tri-State Area, we are following the latest CDC guidelines and our teams are practicing social distancing and employing disinfection strategies. Our environmental experts and field crews continue to transform urban landscapes and transportation hubs. We will continue to create positive change for the clients we serve, drawing on 40 years of experience and #IdeasThatTransform.
While we await broader reopening, we are here to help and encourage you to reach out to share a “virtual coffee.”