Last Wednesday the 17th annual New Jersey Future Smart Growth Ceremony honored nominees for their excellence in smart planning and development.  Held at the Newark Museum, the evening featured accolades handed out to seven built developments that bring smart growth ideals to light.   This year’s highlights include projects such as the Second Street Youth Center in Plainfield, the Walker House in Newark, and the Lawrence Hopewell Trail in Mercer County.

The organization also honored Wendy Kelman Neu, the Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of the Hugo Neu Corporation with its Cary Edwards Leadership Award, reserved for individuals who, “have an outstanding commitment to improving quality of life and promoting smart growth in New Jersey through sustainable land-use policy and practice.”

Her firm, Hugo Neu Corporation, is spearheading the redevelopment of Kearny Point in Kearny, New Jersey, a recipient of a 2017 Smart Growth Award.

(Disclosure: as CEO of Ciel Power, author and CivicStory board president Scott Fischer is a tenant of Kearny Point.)