ULI NNJ and Hero Development Give East Orange Students an Inside Look at City’s Newest Multifamily Community

East Orange, N.J. (June 23, 2025) – Last week, 25 students from East Orange Campus High School participated in a unique learning experience as part of the Urban Land Institute Northern New Jersey’s (ULI NNJ) UrbanPlan program. The group toured The Modern, a five-story, 119-unit multifamily development located in the heart of East Orange, New Jersey.

an opportunity to explore how the concepts they studied in the classroom are coming to life in their local community. Joining the students were East Orange Councilwoman Naiima Fauntleroy and Councilman Christopher Awe as well as East Orange School District’s Board of Education President Andrea McPhatter and Director of Teaching & Learning and Innovative Projects Paulette Salomon.

The tour was the culmination of East Orange Campus High School’s second year of hosting an UrbanPlan program. Introduced to East Orange by ULI NNJ in 2024, UrbanPlan is a national program developed by the Urban Land Institute to introduce high school students to the fundamentals of real estate development. Through a role-based simulation, students take on positions such as finance director, city liaison, and site planner to respond to a fictional redevelopment challenge. The program teaches them how market forces, government policy, and community needs intersect in the built environment. Students also have the opportunity to connect with experienced industry professionals and learn more about potential careers in real estate and planning.

“The Modern is a powerful example of what responsible development can accomplish,” said Mara Winokur, Executive Director of ULI Northern New Jersey. “Bringing students to a site like this allows them to connect what they have learned in the classroom with the real decisions and partnerships that shape neighborhoods.”

Located at 45 South Grove Street, The Modern sits on the former site of the Blood Center of New Jersey, which served Essex County for more than 70 years. Completed in 2023, the project includes a mix of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom loft-style apartments, along with amenities such as a rooftop lounge, fitness center, and multiple community spaces.

Headquartered in West Orange, Hero Development was founded in 2007 by Dennis McNeil and continues a family legacy of investment in East Orange. In the late 1970s, McNeil’s father, Larry McNeil, played a key role in the city’s revitalization by developing 13 residential projects that helped shape its future. Today, Hero Development has grown into a leading boutique firm with more than three million square feet of real estate and over 2,100 residential units developed across New Jersey.

“This project is personal to me. I started in construction when I was a teenager, and it means a lot to show the next generation what is possible,” said Dennis McNeil, Principal of Hero Development. “These students are the future of this industry and this city. We are proud to help them see how development can create positive, lasting change.”

In addition to East Orange, ULI NNJ has led an UrbanPlan program in East Brunswick since 2019. With support from local professionals who serve as volunteer mentors and mock city council members, the program aims to continue to expand across northern New Jersey.

Real estate professionals interested in volunteering with or sponsoring UrbanPlan can contact Mara Winokur, Executive Director of ULI Northern New Jersey and Westchester/Fairfield, at 201.312.8817 or [email protected].

About Hero Development
 Hero Development is a boutique real estate development firm headquartered in West Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 2007, the family-run business has completed more than $430 million in projects, including over three million square feet of development and 2,160 residential units throughout the state.

About Urban Land Institute

Established in 1936, the Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit 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.

Did any local officials make it?