A group of 25 East Orange Campus High School students recently got a hands-on learning opportunity with a tour of The Modern, a five-story, 119-unit multifamily property in East Orange. The field trip was the capstone of an UrbanPlan program, where the students spent the school year studying real estate development.
The program is a partnership between Urban Land Institute Northern New Jersey and West Orange-based Hero Development. The goal is to connect students with industry professionals and demonstrate how classroom concepts come to life in their local community.
“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.”
The tour and subsequent discussion were headed up by Hero Development Principal Dennis McNeil and his team. The students were accompanied by East Orange Councilwoman Naiima Fauntleroy, Councilman Christopher Awe, East Orange School District’s Board of Education President Andrea McPhatter and Paulette Saloman, Director of Teaching & Learning and Innovative Projects.
“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,” noted Hero Development’s Dennis McNeil. “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.”
The Modern is located at 45 South Grove Street in East Orange. Built in 2023, it comprises 119 units, including studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom loft-style apartments. Residents enjoy a wide range of amenities, including a fitness center, several shared community spaces, and a rooftop deck.
