Advancing Smart-Growth Principles at The Metropolitan

Garden Homes re‑envisioned the former Saks Fifth Avenue property along Millburn Avenue, in Springfield, New Jersey, transforming it into a high‑value multifamily community that strengthens neighborhood identity and elevates the surrounding streetscape. Leveraging existing infrastructure and supporting infill development, The Metropolitan advances smart‑growth principles that introduce new housing opportunities without contributing to suburban sprawl.

The project exemplifies how strategic redevelopment and community‑minded planning can reinvigorate an underutilized site. Bohler’s integrated site civil engineering and landscape architecture teams played a central role in bringing this vision to life. 

Integrated Civil–Landscape Approach That Elevates Design and Functionality

What sets Bohler apart is the seamless integration of site civil engineering and landscape architecture. By aligning our in-house disciplines from the outset, we created a more cohesive and efficient design process for Garden Homes. This approach allowed our teams to coordinate infrastructure and amenity design that delivered a site that is both highly functional and thoughtfully designed. 

For this redevelopment, this collaboration allowed us to anticipate infrastructure and site constraints early, make smarter design decisions, and keep the project advancing with speed and certainty — reducing risk, enhancing quality, and accelerating delivery.  

Engineering a Walkable, Transit‑Connected Framework

Located near local businesses, retail, and NJ Transit’s Short Hills Station, The Metropolitan supports a transit‑oriented, convenience‑focused lifestyle. Bohler’s civil and landscape professionals shaped a walkable site framework by aligning grading, drainage, utilities, stormwater systems, and circulation to create intuitive movement throughout the property. 

Early resolution of major engineering challenges — including relocating a sewer line that bisected the site and restoring an on‑site stream corridor — provided a more resilient foundation. These improvements also unlocked opportunities for new green spaces and pedestrian‑oriented connections where none existed previously. 

Creating Outdoor Rooms That Define Place

Building on the site’s reimagined civil infrastructure, Bohler’s landscape architects designed a connected network of outdoor “rooms” that bring the community to life. Courtyards, walking paths, and a flexible pocket park provide space for recreation, relaxation, and gathering, while resort‑style amenities — including a pool deck, lounge areas, fire pits, grilling stations, and expansive green space — support year‑round outdoor living. 

By aligning engineering and landscape design from the start, the team helped create an amenity‑rich environment that feels like an extension of home. As Garden Communities Managing Director Scott Loventhal notes, The Metropolitan “sets a new best‑and‑highest use for this legendary Millburn Avenue address and serves as a catalyst to restore vibrancy to its neighborhood.”