Featured Projects. Nyack Comprehensive Plan Nyack, New York BFJ Planning prepared an update, funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), of the 2007 Nyack Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code. The plan update focused on incorporating demographic and economic conditions and coordinating them with the Sustainable Nyack Action Plan, potential impacts of the new Tappan Zee Bridge, other planning efforts within the Village and ongoing development activity in Nyack and along the Hudson River waterfront. The Comprehensive Plan update incorporates sustainability principles by identifying goals and initiatives from the Sustainable Nyack Action Plan and coordinating with NYSERDA Cleaner Greener Communities efforts to develop a strategy for ongoing tracking through sustainability indicators and metrics. With a focus on the key opportunity areas of downtown, the waterfront and the “Gateway” area of the Village, the Plan also evaluates the potential for commuter or recreational ferry service. BFJ led a multidisciplinary team of consultants including Perkins Eastman Architects and COWI North America, to cover specific aspects of the Plan such as waterfront opportunities and urban design. As part of the effort, BFJ has directed all public outreach aspects of the Plan update process, including seven public workshops and charrettes and a public survey taken by nearly 1,000 people. The plan was adopted in October 2016. Client Village of Nyack Year 2016

Featured Projects. St. Helena Island Resort Development St. Helena Island The Department of Tourism at St. Helena Island selected BFJ to prepare preliminary design concepts for proposed tourism development on the Island. Studies were undertaken for two sites in the Town of Jamestown at Castle Gardens in downtown, and at the historic fort overlooking the town and the Atlantic Ocean. Our design work focused on the need to respect local architectural character and scale; to utilize sustainable design and engineering practices; and to plan to encourage local public use and access. The proposals provide for a mix of small-scale hotel, restaurant and recreational uses that take advantage of future tourism growth anticipated at St. Helena. Client St. Helena Island Department of Tourism Year

Featured Projects. Image: Perkins Eastman Architects Image: Perkins Eastman Architects Image: Perkins Eastman Architects Mount Vernon East TOD High Density district (TOD-1) Mt. Vernon, NY BFJ Planning was retained by Alexander Development Group (ADG) to support the creation of the Mount Vernon East TOD High-Density District (TOD-1 District). The TOD-1 District facilitates ADG’s proposed redevelopment in downtown Mount Vernon: a 21-story mixed-use building accommodating up to 350 market rate dwelling units, approximately 7,000 square feet of retail space, and 201 parking spaces. Located near the Mount Vernon East Metro-North station and adjacent to both commercial and residential uses, this area was identified by the City of Mount Vernon as an ideal location for “high density” development in its 2024 Downtown Vision Report. BFJ collaborated with ADG and the City to draft the TOD-1 District – a mixed-use district that will promote high-density housing and commercial development in close proximity to public transit. BFJ also coordinated and prepared related SEQR documentation, including the Full Environmental Assessment Form Part 1. Client Alexander Development Group Year 2025

Featured Projects. Electric Boat State Pier Complex Mystic Node Electric Boat Parking Groton Town Hall Subase New London Joint Land Use Study Implementation New London, Connecticut BFJ Planning led a multi-disciplinary team on behalf of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) to implement a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) focused around the Submarine Base New London (SUBASE) and its neighboring Towns of Groton, Ledyard, Waterford, and Montville, and the Cities of Groton and New London. Subsequent to the completion of the JLUS, Electric Boat, with major facilities in the cities of Groton and New London, announced contracts with the Navy expected to increase employment at Electric Boat by at least 5,000 through 2030, while a wave of retirements is anticipated to require the company to replace an additional 14,000 employees. The JLUS Implementation Project considered the impact of this growth on the 22 SCCOG- member towns. The Plan will explored the potential regional impacts of expanded activities at SUBASE New London and Electric Boat, with a particular focus on the housing market and transportation (vehicular, transit, and alternative modes). Client Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) Year 2017

Featured Projects. Tenafly Downtown Revitalization Plan Tenafly, NJ Tenafly sought a plan to identify actionable strategies to make its downtown more attractive for residents, businesses, and visitors. The 2022 Downtown Revitalizaton Plan is a comprehensive look at various interrelated topics. On the transit side, while Tenafly has not had passenger rail service since the 1960s, the former Northern Branch line is still a defining downtown feature, creating a physical divide and challenging conditions for pedestrians. Bus service into New York City is heavily used, but access to the stops was not optimal. The plan also examined ways to improve local business mix, parking strategies, and downtown branding. BFJ then worked with a consulting engineer to implement priority transportation upgrades. This included a detailed traffic study of the roadway network and alternative concept plans, with recommendations for operational improvements and cost estimates. Since completion of the plan, Tenafly has implemented many of the recommendations, including closure of a roadway adjacent to the historic train station and the bus stop to create pedestrian-only spaces, curb extensions, traffic light installation and re-timing, short-term streetscape improvements, installation of EV charging stations, and new signage throughout the downtown area. Client Borough of Tenafly Year 2022

Featured Projects. Perth Amboy Regional Location Public Transportation Five Corners Intersection Concept Circulation Concepts for Public Schools Circulation Concepts for Public Schools Complete Street Concepts Route 440 Interchange/State Street Concept Pedestrian Improvement Plan. Map courtesy of Urban Engineers. Bicycle Network Plan. Map courtesy of Urban Engineers. Middlesex Greenway Extension Options. Map courtesy of Urban Engineers. Perth Amboy Circulation Element Perth Amboy, New Jersey BFJ Planning was retained by the City of Perth Amboy to prepare an update to the Circulation Element of the City’s Master Plan. The planning effort, a follow-up to the City’s post-Sandy Strategic Recovery Planning Report, developed recommenda-tions and strategies that will help revitalize downtown, enhance sustainability and improve interconnectedness throughout the City and region. The Circulation Element was conducted in conjunction with the City’s redevelopment plans, and rezoning and design stan-dards, each undertaken by other consultant teams. The final product included recommendations for pedestrian improve-ments, new protected bicycle lanes, new street connections and functional reclassification of arterials to a lower class road with pedestrian amenities. Client City of Perth Amboy Year 2016

Featured Projects. Lower Manhattan Street Management Study New York, New York BFJ Planning (BFJ) was retained by Arup, in consultation with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), to undertake a study on expanding and enhancing pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure in Lower Manhattan. Consistent with the Bloomberg Administration’s PLANYC 2030 and Sustainable Streets – the strategic plan for NYCDOT calling for a more sustainable transportation system – the Lower Manhattan Shared Streets project aims to reallocate street space in Lower Manhattan from vehicle-dominated space to streets that accommodate all users regardless of transportation mode, age or physical ability. In a shared street, the environment is designed in a way that encourages low vehicular speeds, safe and convenient pedestrian movement, and visual and personal communication among all users of the roadway in order to minimize conflicts. Shared streets are an extension of an urban area’s public open space, where pedestrians can safely relax, stroll, shop and dine. The primary objectives of the Shared Streets report included evaluating specific streets in Lower Manhattan where the shared streets concept would be appropriate, as well as outlining a program of design elements and engineering measures intended to implement the concept. BFJ was charged with examining the safety aspects of shared streets in other urban areas around the world in order to determine strategies that would most effectively contribute to the successful operation of shared streets in Manhattan. This included an exhaustive review and summation of “before and after” crash data and casualty statistics for roadways that have previously undergone the shared street transformation. While formulas for shared streets vary by location, there are a number of road treatments proven to yield optimal results. These include roadway width reduction and sidewalk width expansion to reduce crossing lengths and vehicle speeds; increasing the number of both formal and informal crossing points to improve pedestrian movement patterns; and streetscape improvements including street resurfacing, pedestrian-scale lighting, furniture, landscaping and other aesthetically pleasing design elements aimed at calming vehicular traffic movements and enhancing the overall pedestrian experience. Client ARUP, New York City Department of Transportation Year 2015

Featured Projects. Mamaroneck Zoning Text and Map Amendments Generic Environmental Impact Statement Mamaroneck, New York In 2012, the Town of Mamaroneck retained BFJ Planning to prepare a State Quality Environmental Review (SEQR) Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) in connection with proposed amendments to the Town’s Zoning Code and Map. The Town proposed to amend its Business districts to allow for new residential and mixed-use development, in order to promote a mixed-use environment along the Town’s commercial corridors, as well as to expand opportunities for fair and affordable housing. The DGEIS consisted of several technical analyses and evaluations of potential impacts resulting from new mixed use development, including traffic, socioeconomic and community facilities and services. A soft site analysis was conducted to determine the estimated number of new residential units that could be created under the proposed amendments to the Business districts and the potential impacts that could result under a resonable worst case scenario. The zoning amendments were adopted by the Town in 2013. Client Year 2012

Featured Projects. South Street Seaport Historic District Rezoning Proposal New York, New York On behalf of Manhattan Community Board 1 and in close coordination with the New York City Department of City Planning, BFJ Planning prepared the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) Application and City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) for the proposed rezoning of a ten-block area in the South Street Seaport Historic District. This unique historic area of Manhattan, located along the East River waterfront and adjacent to the financial office district, is characterized by numerous restored four- and five-story commercial structures, representing several centuries of New York City mercantile history. BFJ proposed rezoning to adjust the underlying C6-4 zoning to C6-2A, a contextual zone, which allows a scale more compatible with the Seaport’s 18th-and 19th-century architectural value and overall character and provides a scale more consistent with the policy of New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Client Manhattan Community Board 1 Year 2001

Featured Projects. Virgin Islands Housing Demand Study U.S. Virgin Islands BFJ Planning and Urbanomics reviewed the housing conditions and future housing needs in St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, on behalf of the U.S. Virgin Islands Housing and Finance Authority (HFA). As part of this study, the project team evaluated the local economy of the Virgin Islands, updated demographic characteristics, and identified deficiencies in the existing housing stock, such as overcrowding and affordability issues. In order to assess the residential real estate market, the team identified housing market trends and gathered building permit data. The project team predicted future housing needs based on the projected increase in the number of households, and also compared projections to the current rate at which housing was being built to determine if housing supply was keeping pace with market demand. Based on these findings, the team assessed the feasibility of several housing developments proposed by the HFA for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mapping was done with “Mapbasics,” a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software program, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Community 2020 software package. Client U.S. Virgin Islands Housing and Finance Authority (HFA) Year

Featured Projects. White Plains Linen Redevelopment Feasibility Study Peekskill, New York The City of Peekskill retained BFJ Planning to analyze the development potential for a complex of buildings formerly occupied by a large industrial cleaners company. The study assessed the market for a range of potential uses and explored various scenarios to maximize development potential while limiting impacts on the adjacent neighborhood. The scenarios were tested with the public at interactive workshops to ensure that they had community buy-in. In addition, the study proposed several zoning code revisions to facilitate the full range of development alternatives on the privately owned, 1.1-acre site, which is located just north of Peekskill’s downtown. Client City of Peekskill Year 2016

Featured Projects. Atrium at Sumner CEQR, SEQR and NEPA Review New York, New York On behalf of Urban Builders Collaborative, LLC, Selfhelp Community Services, Inc., and RiseBoro Community Partnership, BFJ planning served as a consultant to guide the client through the CEQR, SEQR and NEPA review processes for an affordable housing development under the Next Generation NYCHA program. The project involved the disposition of public housing property in accordance with Section 18 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 to facilitate the development of a new 10-story mixed-use affordable senior building, designed to Passive House standards, in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, Community District 3. The Project Site, located at 43 and 67 Marcus Garvey Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York, is an infill site within the NYCHA Sumner Houses campus. The project included the development of 8,000 square feet of community facility space and 189 units of affordable housing targeted to moderate and low income seniors with incomes ranging from 30% to 50% of the area median income. The project also included construction financing from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC). BFJ Planning prepared the required CEQR Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS), SEQR Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) and NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA). Potential impacts analyzed during the environmental review process included open space, transportation, air quality, noise, shadows, and hazardous materials. The project involved inter-agency meeting with NYCHA and HPD as well as a meeting and presentation to the Sumner Houses Tenant Association. The project is in the final stages of project approvals. Client New York City Housing Authority Year 2018