Newark Segment of New Jersey’s Transformative ‘Greenway’ is Driven by NJIT Alumni and Students
New Jersey Institute of Technology alumni are helping shape one of New Jersey’s most significant public-space transformations — and they are doing it by pulling current NJIT students directly into the work.
Marjorie Perry ’05, president and CEO of MZM Construction & Management Company, partnered with AECOM Tishman to support construction of the Newark segment of New Jersey Greenway. The Greenway is a planned nine-mile corridor that is being converted from an abandoned rail line into a linear state park. The future park will ultimately connect eight municipalities across Essex and Hudson counties with new green infrastructure, recreational space and multimodal transportation opportunities.
The Greenway is owned by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), which will manage it as a state park. In a whole-of-government undertaking, NJDEP is leading design and stakeholder engagement, while the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is overseeing construction. AECOM Technical Services (ATS) was selected through a competitive process, and inter-company contracted to AECOM Tishman, which is serving as construction manager for the project.
At the center of this effort is Phase 1 of the project in Newark, the first segment to move into full construction. Expected to open in the spring of 2027, it will deliver nearly one mile of new ADA-accessible trail from Branch Brook Park to Broadway, lined with native plantings and featuring three emerging community spaces. The Newark segment represents the largest single investment in state history for the acquisition and development of a new state park, totaling $69.2 million for this phase alone.
Caption: The Tiffany Manor Community space is one of three community gathering spaces located within the Newark portion of the Greenway.
Alumni Creating the Pipeline — NJIT Students Supporting a State Priority Project
When AECOM Tishman Executive Vice President and alumnus Michael Kasian ’85 reached out about staffing needs for the Newark segment, he and Perry immediately knew where to look: NJIT. AECOM Tishman provides scheduling flexibility so students can balance coursework while contributing to real-world construction workflows.
“Well-educated, fresh and talented people that lived close by were important aspects of choosing the right candidates for this project,” said Kasian. “Being an alumnus of 1985, I wanted to offer a starting position to graduating students that allowed for work on local projects. I have known Marjorie for a long time and value her relationship to NJIT, and it was a perfect fit to have her hire the students through her company.”
Managing the Newark segment of the project for AECOM Tishman is yet another NJIT alum, Rosana Caputo ‘99.
Perry and Caputo’s team reviewed candidates via Handshake, NJIT’s student career platform. Within 24 hours, they had a slate of strong applicants. Gira Abdou ’26 studying civil engineering, and Denilson Olivera ‘23, who studied mechanical engineering, were hired and are already gaining valuable experience in a close-to-home project.
Olivera stood out for a skill set not originally emphasized in the job description: 3D mapping and scanning. Although the project expected to recruit civil engineers like Abdou, Olivera’s spatial-analysis and digital-surveying abilities aligned tightly with early-phase needs of the Newark segment. As Perry described: “He snuck in underneath the radar… because he had mapping experience.”
Converting rail infrastructure into accessible public space is a big job with different trades on-site at once. The hired project engineers help juggle these coordinated responsibilities, which include assisting for administration of shop drawings, submittal tracking, specification and drawing reviews, trade communications and reporting.
“Working with the NJIT alum and student has been great,” said Caputo. “They are both quick learners and are picking up a lot of experience in project management. They are also getting very involved in field coordination with the owner and design team which is great exposure that is not offered in the classroom.”
For Perry, hiring NJIT students for a major state project is not just professional — it’s personal. “We believe in these students, and we want them to start building their careers on something meaningful.”
A Corridor Reborn: Technical Stakes and Community Impact
Construction in Newark consists of preparing and stabilizing the former rail bed, grading for the future trail alignment, performing environmental remediation where needed and implementing green-infrastructure and stormwater-management features that will support future ecological restoration. The new path will be ADA-accessible, with gentle grades and improved access points, opening a corridor that has been unused and inaccessible for decades.
Future community gathering spaces in the Newark segment include the Newark Central Activity Center, featuring a performance stage with an expansive lawn; multi-sport courts and other amenities; the Tiffany Manor Community Space with scenic views of Tiffany Manor, seating and lawn space; and the Branch Brook Park Overlook, offering views of Branch Brook Park, the Second River, and a new path that will connect visitors directly to the 360-acre Branch Brook Park next door.
Among the requirements needed for the Newark segment are landscaping, lighting, playground and fitness areas, bike and walking paths, among other features.
Each piece of this initial segment lays the groundwork for the full nine-mile, continuous park that will ultimately stretch from Montclair to Jersey City. The Greenway is designed to reconnect neighborhoods, expand access to public green space, reduce infrastructure barriers and create safe corridors for walking, jogging and cycling.
“This isn’t a project in some far-off place,” Perry said. “It’s happening here — in Newark, in NJIT’s backyard. These students can literally see the impact of what they’re building.”
Institutional Strength: NJIT Talent Powering Statewide Priorities
The project exemplifies how NJIT’s alumni network, employer partnerships and workforce-development infrastructure converge to strengthen the state’s engineering pipeline.
Perry has long cultivated relationships with major construction firms, including AECOM Tishman, and sees hiring NJIT students as part of a broader alumni responsibility. “My gift is being in a position to hire these students and connect them to companies I’ve built relationships with for years. That’s what alumni should do.”
As the Newark phase moves toward its December 2026 opening, the students’ work not only accelerates their own careers — it shapes a project that will redefine access, mobility and recreation for residents across Newark and beyond.