Rowan University Undergraduate Planning Studio 2026
Rehabilitating Abandoned Properties in Chelsea, Atlantic City: A Vision Plan
In Spring 2026, students in Rowan University’s Undergraduate Planning Studio, offered through the Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability, are developing a vision plan to rehabilitate abandoned properties and revitalize Atlantic City’s Chelsea neighborhood. This diverse community faces layered natural and built-environment challenges, including vacant and abandoned properties, crime, blight, and coastal flooding. In partnership with the Rowan University Community Planning + Visualization Lab and with partial support from the Chelsea Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), students are creating an inventory of city-listed abandoned and other vacant properties while analyzing social conditions and environmental threats. Working collaboratively with CEDC, community residents, and other stakeholders, the studio is conceptualizing strategies to guide neighborhood revitalization and the rehabilitation of key abandoned structures.
F E E D B A C K
What a great job you've done! I really love the rubric. We're working with developers right now to identify a group of places where we can do some work, and that rubric is going to really help us… and we were shocked and, like, awed about the pictures… how it could look, right? It's like, wow.
Alice Woods
President, Chelsea EDC
Really in-depth and comprehensive analysis. Excellent teamwork, everyone.
Qian He, PhD, AICP
Rowan University
That was an excellent presentation above and beyond for an undergraduate studio.
Lou Thomas, PhD, AICP
Rowan University
So impressed with the level of engagement the students showed through the research and reporting.
Sharon Zappia
Chelsea EDC
I'm totally blown away by the comprehensiveness and the professionalism of the study. The work that you did, I thought was very, very well organized, and your presentation this evening was exceptionally well organized. A lot of information, you presented it very, very well.
Stan Slachetka, PP, AICP
Planner, Pennoni
I want to echo the comment of how well presented this was... the graphics, the maps, and the professionalism of your presentation. You really took it to a level that was very, very impressive.
John Hasse, PhD, PP, AICP
Rowan University
The reason we wanted to do it was because we looked around the neighborhood and said.
how come these properties aren't getting more attention from the people that can do something about it? And what you did is you put into pictures why they should care, and why those that can do something about it need to do something.
And so you created the tool that will probably get some action to happen, and that is
so invaluable, not just with the city, but with the state, with the CRDA, who's actually a regulator in the city, and who's responsible for revitalization of the city. So, you really did it perfectly, and I think it's really going to have a lot of positive outcomes for Atlantic City, and I can't wait to see how it gets incorporated in decision making. So thank you so much for all your work, it's amazing.
Elizabeth Terenik, AICP
Terenik Land Use LLC
Your work was incredibly professional.
Crazy in-depth, and you hit all the points that we hit, not even being in the trenches as we are. I think it's fantastic. I think that the ranking of the properties is going to be incredibly helpful, because we've had developers work with us and ask us, which properties should we look at? What neighborhood, what area in Chelsea should we look at? So this ranking system is going to be extremely helpful for our work with developers and with the city as well.
Stacey Jaskol
Chelsea EDC
Very comprehensive, and presentation was excellent. Gave me a real insight of the existing conditions that exist. Team organization was obvious, and great conclusion. Thumbs up.
Larry DiVietro, PP, AICP
Land Dimensions Engineering
M A J O R O U T P U T S
Final Report - Coming soon!
A newspaper story mentioning our studio project:
A new plan aims to turn Atlantic City’s vacant homes into opportunities - The Press of Atlantic City, March 2026
Partners & Sponsors
Faculty Advisor
Mahbubur Meenar, Ph.D.
Geography, Planning, & Sustainability
School of Earth & Environment
Acknowledgment
Michael Atkins (Atlantic City Arts Foundation), Tim Edmunds, PE (Atlantic County Improvement Authority), Stacey Jaskol, Esq. (Senior Counsel, Real Estate & Development, Chelsea EDC), Frank Montufar (The Homeownership Path), Novelette Robinson (Atlantic City Tax Assessor), Ayana Plummer (Planning & Development, City of Atlantic City), Stan Slachetka, FAICP, PP (Special Projects Planning Leader, Pennoni), Elizabeth Terenik, PP, AICP (Terenik Land Use LLC), Alice Woods (President, Chelsea EDC), and Sharon Zappia (Chelsea EDC)
S T U D I O M E M B E R S
Team Members (from left): Victoria Basara, Matt Donatiein, Ryan Goodhart, Adam Montgomery, Ciara Mulligan, Sean Olcese, Christian Palmasino, Sam Scalio, Ethan Theurer, Ben Wellner, and Nolan Wilkins
P H O T O S
Photos courtesy: Dr. Meenar, studio members, Chelsea EDC
