The Airport City Newark Coalition (ACNC), a community organization in Newark, has been working to maximize the benefits of Newark Liberty International Airport for surrounding neighborhoods. The coalition includes advocates, government entities, and universities. Its approach emphasizes early engagement with the community to achieve its objectives.
Since 2018, ACNC has collaborated with graduate students from Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania through 13 semester-long studios. These projects involve students developing planning materials for real-world clients. The studios have contributed to various ACNC priorities, such as influencing redevelopment plans for the Newark Airport Train Station and preparing for future transit-oriented development.
In Fall 2025, one studio focused on creating frameworks for community engagement and Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs). A CBA is a contract that binds local communities, municipalities, and developers to deliver specific benefits in return for community support of a project. CBAs have previously been used in major redevelopment efforts like those at Los Angeles’ Staples Center and around JFK International Airport in New York.
The Fall 2025 studio included students Jason De Sousa, Halleigh Johnston, Kshitija Kulkarni, Joseph Marra, Abdul Kalam Mustaq, Jake Martinez, Soujanya Narayan, Christian Owen, Adrian Ponichtera, Shreyashree Pradham, Mutiara Sari, and Kazi Tanzeen.
