UrbanPlan offers an opportunity for students to participate in a hands-on, simulated real estate planning program while working side-by-side with leading industry professionals.

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ  – Last week, 50 students from East Brunswick High School’s UrbanPlan program participated in a behind-the-scenes tour led by Russo Development team members of the company’s Vermella East Brunswick and The Raye by Vermella luxury residential rental community sites.

The students were joined by Russo Development executives, including President – Property Management Adam Pasternack; Executive Vice President – Head of Development Chris Erb; and  Vice President – Marketing Courtney Mulligan, as well as New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill, New Brunswick Councilwoman Suzanne Sicora, East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, and Urban Land Institute Northern New Jersey (ULI NNJ) program volunteers to get an inside look at redevelopment in action and learn more about the wide variety of careers available in the commercial real estate and planning industries.

The tour marked the completion of East Brunswick’s annual UrbanPlan program. Created by ULI, UrbanPlan offers an opportunity for students to participate in a hands-on, simulated real estate planning program while working side-by-side with leading industry professionals. Through the program, students learn about the fundamental forces that affect real estate development and how responsible development can shape, transform, and ultimately improve our communities.

ULI NNJ introduced the UrbanPlan program to East Brunswick High School in 2019 and, in 2024, partnered with Russo Development to launch the program’s first-ever project tour. That same year, ULI NNJ expanded the program to East Orange Campus High School, furthering its commitment to engaging students in real-world learning. ULI NNJ continues to seek strategic opportunities to expand the program to additional school districts across the region.

Said Michael Mastruzzo of ULI who, along with Michael Lachs, has supported the East Brunswick students since they connected with the program , “Working with the students of the East Brunswick High School as a facilitator to the UrbanPlan program was a great experience for me as a professional serving the real estate industry.  In addition to working alongside great colleagues within ULI’s Northern New Jersey District Council, it was inspiring to see the creativity, engagement and enthusiasm from the students in their simulated development projects.  Also, hearing their questions during the field trip to a property developed by Russo demonstrates the impact these intuitive programs have.  It’s because of their interest in the subject matter that helps drive their passion to want to continue to volunteer for programs like this.”

“We’re proud to continue our partnership with ULI NNJ in support of the UrbanPlan program and its mission to inspire the next generation of real estate and planning professionals,” said Ed Russo, CEO of Russo Development. “Allowing students to experience both an active development site and a completed community offers a unique, real-world perspective that brings the curriculum to life in a meaningful way.”

Mara Winokur, Executive Director of ULI NNJ, added, “UrbanPlan empowers students to understand how the built environment takes shape and the vital role they can play in shaping it. We’re grateful to Russo Development for their continued support in expanding and enriching the program. Their dedication to mentorship and community engagement is a key reason why UrbanPlan has such a lasting impact.”

Russo Development’s Vermella East Brunswick and The Raye by Vermella projects highlight both ends of the redevelopment process explored by students in the UrbanPlan curriculum. Currently under construction in a joint venture partnership with River Development Equities, Vermella East Brunswick is a mixed-use development project along Southbound Route 18. The project will feature 753 units at completion, with 30,000 square feet of retail.

Completed in 2025, The Raye by Vermella is an imaginative redevelopment of a former department store site featuring 20,000 square feet of retail and 531 market-rate units. The residential experience is further enhanced through an inspired amenity package including Vermella’s signature resort-style pool, outdoor lounges, playground, dog park, podcast rooms, and golf simulator.

About Russo Development:

Russo Development is one of the most active, privately held developers of industrial, data center, residential, and mixed-use projects in northern New Jersey. Russo has earned a reputation for well-planned developments that are distinguished by their emphasis on detail and quality. Over their 50-year plus history, Russo has completed more than sixty (60) industrial projects and has become one of the largest owners of data center space and delivered over 6,500 luxury apartments in the New York metropolitan area. The firm’s short-term development pipeline includes over 3,500 residential units and 5 million square feet of industrial space, two of the hottest sectors in the New Jersey market. To learn more about Russo Development, please visit www.russodevelopment.com.

About Urban Land Institute

Established in 1936, the Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and research institute with almost 40,000 members across the globe. The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land in order to enhance the total environment. ULI’s mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. For more information on ULI, visit www.uli.org. To learn more about ULI Northern New Jersey, visit www.nnj.uli.org.

About UrbanPlan

Since 2003, UrbanPlan has reached more than 52,000 high school and university students in the United States and Canada. In 2021-2022 alone, UrbanPlan reached more than 3,561 students in 159 classrooms at 74 high schools in the 2021-2022 academic year. More members (2,500+ per year)–including trustees, governors, and product council members–participated in UrbanPlan than in any other national or local ULI program. A total of 7,049 participants in 300 classes were part of the program in the 2021-22 academic year.