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.
Led by Hero Development Principal Dennis McNeil and his team, the tour and discussion offered students 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.
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.
