Featured Projects. Photocircuits Property Market and Site Analysis Glen Cove and Oyster Bay, New York BFJ Planning and Urbanomics were retained by American Pacific Financial Corporation to explore potential re-uses of the former Photocircuits site in Glen Cove and Oyster Bay, NY. The team produced a report examining the existing site conditions and regulatory context for the property, and then explored the economic trends in the area. From that analysis, a range of development scenarios were examined, with their potential fiscal impacts upon the City of Glen Cove, and, where appropriate, the adjacent Town of Oyster Bay. From among the development scenarios explored, one was chosen for further examination, a mixed-use development option consisting of a total of 160,000 square feet of office and retail uses on the Glen Cove portion of the Photocircuits site, and 110 units of townhome residential development on the Oyster Bay portion. Client American Pacific Financial Corporation Year 2007

Featured Projects. Lower East Side Market Study and Development Analysis New York, New York BFJ Planning (BFJ) conducted a market study of Manhattan’s Lower East Side and evaluated development possibilities for a low-scale infill housing development on East 11th Street, and the Baruch Houses, a public housing campus south of Houston Street. The study focused on ways to connect the housing properties to the surrounding neighborhoods. Over the course of the six-month study, BFJ surveyed land uses in Community District 3, assessed both market-rate and affordable residential and commercial development trends, reviewed demographic shifts in the area, and analyzed market and zoning potential for development. BFJ’s land-use and income distribution recommendations for the housing properties included rehabilitation of existing units at the East 11th Street houses, and a new income mix to meet market-rate and affordable housing demands. For the Baruch Houses, BFJ recommended construction of both ownership and rental residential units based on existing New York City affordable housing prototypes, small-scale commercial development along the housing campus’s western perimeter to better serve the community, and modifications to the existing road and parking systems to reconnect to the external street grid and allow increased on-street parking. Client Year

Featured Projects. Mobile NR Shuttle Feasibility Study New Rochelle, New York BFJ Planning was retained by New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to work with the City of New Rochelle on a downtown shuttle system feasibility study to enhance existing transit options and provide greater connectivity for users in the area. The goal was to establish a dynamic system that could allow for on-demand services as requested by a smartphone app, as well as flexibility for ride hailing and the consistency of fixed-route schedules. BFJ investigated the downtown and adjacent areas’ demographics, connectivity, and general pedestrian and traffic patterns in order to distinguish the needs of various user groups: Residents, commuters, local workers, and students. This study investigated both the realistic short-term opportunities for a shuttle system as well as future expanded service phasing options. Iterative stakeholder engagement with officials from New Rochelle, representatives from local institutions and organizations, as well as prospective users served as a key determinant in shaping ultimate recommendations. This feasibility study and BFJ recommendations have informed the pilot and now continued service of New Rochelle’s current downtown shuttle system that has been branded Circuit NR. Client City of New Rochelle, New York Year 2020

Featured Projects. NYSERDA Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Toolbox for New York Municipalities New York BFJ Planning secured joint funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to develop a TDR Toolkit for New York State Municipalities. The objective of this project was to demonstrate the benefits that Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) can have in encouraging efficient land use and reducing vehicle miles of travel by combining TDR programs with transit oriented development. The project explored the benefits of supporting additional land use planning objectives such as preservation of agricultural land, conservation of sensitive environmental areas and replacement of housing units in flood zones. The TDR Toolbox provided resources to help New York State municipalities implement TDR programs, including background information on TDR types and components, step-by-step process for planners and municipalities to implement TDR programs and a description of transfer mechanism options. The TDR Toolbox concluded with the production of two demonstration projects in partnership with municipalities to provide case studies for how New York State communities can implement a TDR program. Demonstration Projects were conducted in partnership with the Town of Canandaigua and the Town of Stillwater. Client New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), New York State Year 2018

Featured Projects. Ridgewood Zoning Impacts Analysis Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey BFJ Planning led a multidisciplinary team of consultants to evaluate the potential impacts of several proposed zoning ordinances in downtown Ridgewood, New Jersey. The study arose from the Planning Board’s adoption of an amendment to the Land Use Element of the Village’s Master Plan. The amendment, developed in response to several developer proposals in the downtown, was intended to support transit-oriented development that can accommodate residential uses serving the housing needs of seniors and low- to moderate-income households. The consultant team evaluated the proposed zoning ordinances across four key areas of potential impact: traffic (vehicular as well as pedestrian); fiscal health; school district capacity; and community facilities and infrastructure (water, sewer and emergency services). BFJ conducted a build-out analysis of key development sites, which served as the basis for the impacts analysis, as well as the assessment of impacts to community facilities. BFJ also compiled the full report and led the presentation to the Village Council, which adopted the zoning ordinances in March 2016, based on the report’s finding of net positive impacts. Client Village of Ridgewood Year 2016

Featured Projects. Yonkers Environmental Services Yonkers, New York BFJ Planning has performed numerous environmental reviews under both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) on behalf of the City of Yonkers as well as for private sector clients on projects located within the City. BFJ’s work for the City has included a NEPA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ashburton Avenue Master Plan and Urban Renewal Plan, NEPA Environmental Assessments (EA) for the Yonkers Affordable Housing Project (generic EA and site specific EAs), a NEPA environmental review for the new Yonkers Ferry Station, a NEPA EA for the Saw Mill River Daylighting and Restoration Project at Larkin Plaza, and SEQR review services to the City of a private development application for the expansion of the South Westchester Executive Park and development of the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center. In addition, BFJ, on behalf of the Yonkers-based not-for-profit Greyston Foundation, Inc. and Loewen Development, prepared a SEQR Full Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) and related attachments for the Warburton Riverview Workforce Housing Project, a mixeduse workforce condominium project located in Downtown Yonkers. The project received approval from the Yonkers Zoning Board of Appeals in late 2008. BFJ is also providing site planning and SEQR services on behalf of a private development group for the Point Street Landing project, a large-scale mixed-use development on a Brownfield site located on the Yonkers waterfront; this project is ongoing. Client City of Yonkers Year 2003, 2011

Featured Projects. Jersey City Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) Five-Year Strategic Plan Jersey City, New Jersey The City of Jersey City commissioned BFJ Planning and Urbanomics to prepare an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) Five Year Strategic Plan. The study included an analysis of existing conditions, participation in meetings with stakeholders in each of the major commercial districts within the city, and the formulation of a strategic economic Action Plan. The recommendations included the establishment of benchmarks that can be used to evaluate progress in implementing economic projects identified during the course of the study. Client City of Jersey City Year

Featured Projects. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Environmental Impact Statement Laurel Hollow, New York Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is an internationally renowned research institution located on Long Island’s North Shore. The laboratory campus, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, incorporates high-level scientific research facilities and residential buildings in a rural, campus-like setting. BFJ Planning prepared a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for proposed future projects, as well as site-specific plans for a childcare center. The GEIS included detailed technical analyses of environmental, socioeconomic, and fiscal impacts; a historical overview of the Laboratory’s development; its relationship with the Village; and the scientific purpose of the proposed future projects. As Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory continued to expand their facilities, they retained BFJ to bring a proposed 180,000 sf development project through the required State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process, including scoping, preparation of the Draft and Final EISs, Findings Statement, and related documents and approvals. The EIS addressed all potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed expansion, which included housing for students and visitors, six research laboratories, archive and library buildings, and permanent graduate school offices. Client Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Year

Featured Projects. Red Bank Planning Advisory Services Red Bank, NJ BFJ is working with the Borough of Red Bank on a holistic plan for the redevelopment of the area around its train station. The area is a mix of surface parking owned by NJ Transit, rail-related infrastructure, privately owned properties, and the Borough’s Public Works facility. We prepared redevelopment designation studies and then completed a redevelopment plan that built on concepts established in the 2023 Red Bank Master Plan (which BFJ also completed) and that incorporated community input on desired uses and the scale and aesthetics of development. The redevelopment plan, currently in the public hearing stage, establishes a set of implementing standards that govern the uses, design, and built form of future development, with a significant focus on enhancing the public realm and the historic station building. In addition to this project and the 2023 Master Plan, as Red Bank’s Borough Planner, BFJ also completed an updated municipal Environmental Resource Inventory and assisted in the Borough’s reporting on consistency with New Jersey’s State Plan. Client Borough of Red Bank Year Ongoing

Featured Projects. Ossining Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Update Ossining, New York BFJ Planning has worked with the Village of Ossining on a Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code update between March 2020 and June 2021. The plan has a focus on economic development, zoning code updates, and resilience to sea level rise on the Village’s Hudson River waterfront. The process has also been conducted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project team has worked closely with the Village and the Ossining community on a series of online community engagement strategies, from virtual village halls, zoom meetings, and social media. We have gotten great feedback using Social Pinpoint, an online community engagement platform that includes a virtual ideas wall and interactive mapping. Zoning code updates include new Form-Based Code Overlays for the Downtown area and the Croton Avenue corridor, in addition to changes to the Village’s Two-family district, as well as setback requirements modifications to the S-75 district. These zoning ideas are intended to encourage more investment in the Village by allowing residential use in the downtown, higher standards of street front and walkability, and removing barriers in transitional neighborhoods that currently limit renovations and development of new housing. After incorporating community feedback, BFJ has prepared a full draft of the plan and zoning code updates, which have been adopted by the Board of Trustees, by unanimous vote, in July 2021. Client Village of Ossining Year 2021

Featured Projects. Wilton Center Master Plan & Form-Based Code Wilton, CT The Town of Wilton retained BFJ Planning to develop a downtown master plan for Wilton Center and accompanying form-base code. This work built of the Town’s 2019 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), but involved additional outreach to the public, proprietors and property owners, and included a market analysis conducted by Urbanomics. While the Town has Village District Zoning, its downtown built environment exhibits characteristics of conventional zoning that focuses on the separation of uses and automobile-oriented commerce. Several shopping centers, including a large parcel owned and operated by KIMCO, were exploring opportunities to convert to a mixed-use environment, and the Town required a new zoning approach. BFJ developed recommendations for a new pedestrian-oriented circulation network, including a potential riverwalk along the Norwalk River, introduced new building typologies, and form-base zoning that focused retail in a more market-viable and synergistic fashion, while allowing for mixed-use and residential on secondary streets. Beyond the confines of the downtown, new overlay zoning was also created to support mixed use development and improve pedestrian connectivity along the State Rte. 7 corridor in Wilton. Client Town of Wilton Year 2023

Featured Projects. Image: Perkins Eastman Algiers Marina Bay Transportation Plan Algiers, Algeria The Algiers Marina Bay project area is located on the Mediterranean waterfront and comprises a new mixed-use development by Dahli. BFJ Planning was retained to evaluate transportation conditions surrounding the Marina Bay project and their effects on recommended transportation and mobility strategies that will enhance the operation and value of the development. Although the focus was on the Marina Bay project, BFJ also considered existing developments under Dahli ownership south of the Marina site, as all these properties will benefit from the same transportation system and will eventually function as one neighborhood where people live, work, and play. From a transportation perspective, these properties should function as an assemblage of uses that complement each other, where a significant proportion of generated trips remain internal and can be made on foot. This complementary land-use strategy will guarantee that this neighborhood will be active on a 24/7 basis and that all uses will support each other. This vision also fits into the general context of this site, which is surrounded by a transportation network that is dense and congested. Even though the project site has an access road connecting to the regional freeway system, city-wide commuting to this area is perceived as onerous and time-consuming. The more the properties under Dahli ownership can function as an independent community, the more sustainable and attractive it will be. Client Perkins Eastman Year 2024