NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (June 16, 2025) - Ever wonder what goes into transforming a city?
On Thursday, June 5, Mayor Jim Cahill offered a glimpse into the world of urban redevelopment, sitting with high school students and key players from Russo Development and Raye by Vermella, now under construction on Route 1.
The main takeaway? Successful redevelopment projects aren't just about blueprints and budgets; they're all about teamwork and strong partnerships.
Students who joined are from the Urban Land Institute of Northern New Jersey's 2025 Urban Plan program. The event also featured executives and project managers from Russo Development. Participants toured the company's East Brunswick and New Brunswick Vermella residential rental community sites.
The curriculum tasks teams of students with responding to a "request for proposals" for the redevelopment of a struggling neighborhood in a fictional community. Each team member assumes one of five roles: Finance Director, Marketing Director, City Liaison, Neighborhood Liaison, or Site Planner.
Through these roles, students develop a comprehensive understanding of how various market forces (such as supply and demand, capital availability, risk versus reward, etc.) interact with and influence non-market forces (including regulation, politics, advocacy groups, etc.) to create a project. Following the creation of their plans, teams are tasked with presenting their proposals to a volunteer-based mock City Council.