2015 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement Booklet

Through the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement, EPA recognizes and supports communities that use innovative policies and strategies to strengthen their economies, provide housing and transportation choices, develop in ways that bring benefits to a wide range of residents, and protect the environment.

The 2015 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement booklet includes:

A message from the EPA Administrator
How smart growth protects the environment
About the award
Descriptions and photographs of each award winner

The winners are:

Corridor or Neighborhood Revitalization

People enjoying a concern at The Amp performance venue in Jackson, TN — Music fills the air in downtown Jackson as residents turn out to hear local talent performing at the Amp, a popular outdoor venue. Photo by U.S. EPA.

Jackson Walk
Jackson, Tennessee

After devastating tornadoes destroyed the downtown, the city rebuilt and revived this 20-acre redevelopment district, which is sparking economic development in surrounding areas and transforming downtown Jackson into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood with a strong health and wellness focus.

Watch the video.

Built Projects

Redevelopment in Hamilton, OH, has made the downtown thrive. — Redevelopment in Hamilton has created a community in the downtown by bringing in residents, jobs, and amenities, creating a walkable environment and a lively street. Photo by Jacob Stone.

City of Hamilton and Historic Developers, LLC, Public-Private Partnership
Hamilton, Ohio

The city worked with Historic Developers, LLC to complete three mixed-use projects that catalyzed investment in Hamilton’s downtown. The new amenities, jobs, and housing options are reinvigorating the city’s central business district and setting the stage for new economic development. The partnership has led to an ongoing, innovative collaboration among several entities to promote and finance redevelopment in Hamilton.

Watch the video.

Plazas, Parks, and Public Places

Riverfront Park in Newark, NJ — Riverfront Park offers Newark residents and visitors a beautiful place to bike, walk, and relax next to the previously inaccessible Passaic River. Photo by Damon Rich, courtesy Newark Riverfront Revival.

Riverfront Park
Newark, New Jersey

Community input was integral to the design of this park, built on a formerly contaminated site. The park reconnects Newark to its river for the first time in decades and is attracting economic development in the adjacent downtown, giving a working-class neighborhood a beautiful and much-needed place to play and relax, and preserving open space along the river that can protect neighborhoods from flooding.

Watch the video.

2015 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement Booklet (pdf)
Booklet describing the winners of the 2015 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement