Sustainable urban development is the next frontier in the green movement. Green buildings have emerged across the country in an effort to address climate change and energy conservation.  However, sustainable urban development is about more than buildings. It requires a holistic approach that considers the economic, social and cultural needs of a community as well. Decision makers at all levels are faced with the task of how to solve urban problems incorporating sustainable principles. Compelled to re-invent how we live, urban residents, employees and business owners are becoming more aware of the economic, social, cultural and environmental necessities which improve overall quality of life.  

LPCCD's mission is to revitalize Newark's historic Lincoln Park neighborhood by building an affordable sustainable community that is economically and culturally diverse. Ten years ago, urban planners, architects, community stakeholders and residents saw the neighborhood's cultural institutions, historic architecture and its four-acre park as valuable assets central to a revitalization strategy based on creating an arts and cultural district. At the time the community was dominated by dilapidated buildings, vacant lots and crime. The group imagined a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that provided artist live/work spaces and  deeply engaged its residents and stakeholders.

 

Expanding on the ideas of developing Lincoln Park into an arts and cultural district, LPCCD included the concept of an urban eco-village-- the intersection of comprehensive community development and ecological sustainability. Integrating ecological, cultural, economic, and community values within the neighborhood, each of LPCCD's projects contribute to the overall sustainability of the area and the City of Newark. Energy efficient green buildings help reduce energy consumption and provide better indoor air quality. Green collar job training programs help to stimulate the local economy, providing under-skilled workers with opportunities for advancement in the emerging clean energy industry.  Urban farming provides local residents with fresh food grown in their neighborhood.  LPCCD's annual, multi-genre Lincoln Park Music Festival enhances appreciation for cultural expression while promoting environmental responsibility.  LPCCD is also pursuing certification for the US Green Building Council's LEED for Neighborhood Development program, which integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building. These components contribute to the urban eco-village LPCCD is creating- attracting and inspiring activity all around the neighborhood. Therefore, meeting the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development's definition of sustainability, LPCCD's approach to development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
 
In New Jersey, sustainable urban development is a critical need since cities are the center of transportation, employment, diversity, education, health care, population density and culture.  "Reducing carbon emissions by at least 20% by 2020 as stated in the New Jersey Energy Master Plan requires us to take into consideration more than the building, but the entire infrastructure of where we live, work and play," explains LPCCD Executive Director, Baye Adofo-Wilson. "LPCCD's model of neighborhood revitalization and ecological sustainability is needed to fight global warming or New Jersey's energy conservation goals will not be reached." 
 
For more information about LPCCD's programs visit www.lpccd.org.