New Meadowlands
New Jersey

This project transforms the Meadowlands basin to address a wide spectrum of risks, while providing civic amenities and creating opportunities for redevelopment: PROTECT, CONNECT, GROW. A large natural reserve made accessible to the public will offer flood protection. Called ‘the Meadowpark’, it connects and expands marshland restoration efforts by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, and makes them accessible. Around and across the Meadowpark the team proposes an intricate system of berms and marshes. These protect against ocean surges, and collect rainfall, reducing sewer overflows in adjacent towns. The Meadowpark adds value to surrounding development through its views and recreational offerings. The Meadowband defines the edge of the Meadowpark. A civic amenity, it consists of a street, Bus Rapid Transit line, a series of public spaces, recreation zones, and access points to Meadowpark. The Meadowband brings together different systems (such as transport, ecology, and development) and different scales (from local to regional). Local residents and visitors from further afield will meet here to enjoy parks and recreation. The park and the band protect existing development areas.

In order to be worthy of federal investment, it is imperative to use land more intensively. We propose shifting from suburban-style development to more urban typologies. New residential development could occur along the Meadowband overlooking the park. Within the larger project, we have identified three pilot areas to host the first projects. The northern edge includes sections of Little Ferry, Moonachie, Carlstadt, Teterboro, and South Hackensack. The eastern edge contains Secaucus and a portion of Jersey City. Finally, the southern tip consists of South Kearny and the western waterfront of Jersey City.