Topology
Topology is a Newark-based municipal planning consultancy that provides land use, redevelopment, policy planning, and real estate advisory services to more than 25 New Jersey municipalities through RFP-based professional services contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNewark, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Topology does
Topology is a Newark, New Jersey-based municipal planning consultancy founded in 2014 that provides professional land use, redevelopment, policy planning, and real estate advisory services to municipalities, redevelopment agencies, and planning boards. The firm operates across four practice areas — Land Use Services (board advisory, expert testimony, ordinance drafting, zoning officer administration), Redevelopment Services (preliminary investigations, redevelopment plans, design management, public spaces), Policy Planning Services (master plans, affordable housing strategy, economic development, GIS-driven analysis), and Real Estate Services (due diligence, entitlement strategy, financial analysis, public communications). The client base comprises more than 25 New Jersey municipalities including Morristown, Perth Amboy, Nutley, Westfield, Summit, South Orange, Teaneck, Cranford, Elmwood Park, and Trenton, with engagement depth ranging from long-term town planner and redevelopment agency executive director roles to project-specific redevelopment planning mandates.
The firm's underlying technology is conventional for the planning profession: GIS-based mapping and interactive spatial analysis for zoning and land use information delivery, supported by online community engagement platforms such as coUrbanize that have produced high public response volumes on master plan processes. Topology has developed specialized expertise in form-based code development (notably the Morristown Land Development Ordinance) and Mt. Laurel affordable housing compliance, and is led by Founder/CEO Philip Abramson, who combines dual credentials as a licensed New Jersey attorney and AICP-certified planner — a combination that enables integrated legal-planning advisory work uncommon among competitors.
The business model is professional services revenue generated through municipal RFP processes and direct engagement, with multi-year contracts typical of zoning officer administration and long-term planner retainer work. The firm sells no software product, holds no patents or trademarks, has no external funding, and operates exclusively within the New Jersey market. Project economics are driven by per-engagement fees negotiated through the RFP/bid process. Recent growth signals include three new hires in 2025-2026, expansion into additional municipal clients, the launch of the Real Estate Services practice, and accumulating industry recognition including ULI Excellence Awards, CoStar Impact Awards, NAIOP Deal of the Year finalist status, and NJ Planning Officials achievements.
Topology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Topology
- Legal name
- Topology
- Website
- https://topology.is
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Topology is a Newark-based municipal planning consultancy that provides land use, redevelopment, policy planning, and real estate advisory services to more than 25 New Jersey municipalities through RFP-based professional services contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Topology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Municipal Planning Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Real Estate (6500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)
Keywords
Where Topology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newark
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Topology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Municipal Planning Consulting Services: Professional services revenue generated through contracts with municipalities, redevelopment agencies, and planning boards. Services include redevelopment planning, master planning, ordinance drafting, zoning administration, public engagement facilitation, and expert testimony. Projects are typically won through RFP processes and involve long-term client relationships with municipal governments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Municipal consulting services contracted through RFP processes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Topology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Topology is a New Jersey-based community planning and architecture consultancy providing professional planning services to municipalities, redevelopment agencies, and planning boards. The firm offers four integrated practice areas: Land Use Services (board advisories, expert testimony, ordinance drafting, zoning officer administration), Redevelopment Services (preliminary investigations, redevelopment plans, design management, public spaces), Policy Planning Services (affordable housing, economic development, GIS, master plans), and Real Estate Services (due diligence, entitlement strategy, financial and fiscal analysis, public communications).
Product overview
Topology is a city planning firm that offers a unified suite of professional planning services rather than a software product platform. Their service portfolio consists of four interconnected practice areas: Land Use Services (supporting municipalities through development processes with expert testimony and ordinance drafting), Redevelopment Services (guiding projects from analysis through design implementation), Policy Planning Services (advancing affordable housing, economic development, and GIS-driven master planning), and Real Estate Services (providing strategic guidance from acquisition through approvals). They also offer zoning officer administration. These services work together as an integrated approach to help municipalities navigate the complete development process.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Land Use Services
- Redevelopment Services
- Policy Planning Services
- Real Estate Services
- Zoning Officer Administration
Quantifiable outcome
- Dozens of redevelopment plans resulting in thousands of residential units and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial space
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Topology
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Topology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Topology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.
- Town of MorristowncoreLong-term client relationship where Topology serves as Town Planner, project manager, and redevelopment planner. Multiple projects including HQ Plaza, Master Plan, Land Development Ordinance, Speedwell Avenue, Morristown Station, and others. The firm has developed a highly successful relationship with the Town, serving as Town Planner and part of the Mayor's strategic advisory team.
- Perth Amboy Redevelopment AgencycoreTopology serves as Redevelopment Agency Executive Director and Redevelopment Planners for multiple projects including Gourmet Nut, Five85 West, Extra Space Storage, Elm Street Logistics Center, Bridge Point, and Riverwalk Crossing. Deep ongoing partnership with the Agency for brownfield redevelopment and urban revitalization.
- Township of NutleycoreTopology was hired by Nutley to assist with transitioning the Hoffmann-La Roche campus back to productive use. Served as Redevelopment Planners for ON3 Phase II project, preparing redevelopment plans for rehabilitation and repurposing of iconic office structures now home to Ralph Lauren and Eisai corporate offices.
- Town of WestfieldcoreTopology provides redevelopment planning services for multiple projects including Lord & Taylor/Train Station Redevelopment Plan, Westfield Crossing, and Prospect + Ferris. The firm serves as trusted advisor for affordable housing settlement implementation and downtown revitalization.
- Jonathan Rose CompanieskeyFormer employer of Topology Principal Phil Abramson. Topology Principal Phil Abramson served as development manager and project planner for Third & Valley redevelopment project in South Orange. Project built on existing parking lot contains 215 residential units with 10% low-income designation.
- SJP PropertieskeyDeveloper partner for M Station project, one of the most significant office developments in New Jersey. Topology served as Town Planners overseeing all planning aspects including drafting the Redevelopment Plan and providing representation to the Planning Board.
- Melillo | Bauer | CarmankeyLandscape architecture firm partnering on multiple Morristown projects including HQ Plaza and Morristown Station. Provides design services for public spaces and streetscape improvements.
- MHS ArchitecturekeyProject architect for Market + Bank redevelopment and Morristown Station. Architecture firm providing design services for multiple residential and mixed-use projects in partnership with Topology's redevelopment planning.
- Duke RealtykeyVertical developer for Elm Street Logistics Center project. Topology served as redevelopment planner for Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency on this 1.25 million SF warehousing and distribution project for Home Depot.
- Home DepotkeyPrimary tenant for Elm Street Logistics Center. The 1.25 million square foot distribution center represents Home Depot's first operation of this type in New Jersey, a $100 million private investment.
- Bridge Development Partners, LLCkeyVertical developer for Bridge Point project (ePort I+II). Phase II partnership involved transition from Viridian Partners' land development to Bridge Industrial's vertical construction on the former ASARCO superfund site.
- Viridian Partners, LLCkeyLand developer for Bridge Point project Phase I (2012-2016). Partnered with Goldman Sachs and the City to develop a progressive remedial plan for the former ASARCO superfund site.
- Jewish Renaissance FoundationkeyLocal non-profit partner for Creative Perth Amboy plan. Partnership with Annie Hindenlang during her time as Planning Director resulted in successful NEA Our Town planning grant application and award-winning creative placemaking plan.
- Inglesino, Webster, Wyciskala & Taylor, LLCkeyRedevelopment counsel for multiple Topology projects including M Station (Morristown), ON3 (Nutley), and Lofts @ Morristown. Law firm providing legal counsel for redevelopment processes and agreements.
- Common Ground DesignkeyUrban design firm partnering on multiple projects including Morristown Master Plan, Elmwood Park Pitch Book, Pompton Lakes Pitch Book, and Lofts @ Morristown. Provides urban design and landscape architecture services.
- coUrbanizesupportingOnline engagement technology platform used for Summit Re:Vision Master Plan process. Platform enabled gathering over 2,000 responses through comments, texts, and survey responses, supercharging community engagement process.
- Capital City Redevelopment Corporation (CCRC)keyCreated by NJ State Legislature to revitalize Trenton Capital District. Topology prepared the 20-year Capital City Renaissance Plan to guide land use within the district and promote economic vitality.
- Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD)keyClient partner for LPCCD Neighborhood Plan in Newark. Working with residents, stakeholders, and Community Asset Preservation Corporation to develop 10-year strategic plan for the premier arts and cultural district in New Jersey.
- Township of TeaneckcoreTopology serves as Township Planner, drafting redevelopment plans such as 143 State Street for five-story, 41-unit mixed-use building with affordable housing and ground-floor retail.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Topology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- T&M Associates: Mid-Atlantic engineering, planning, surveying, and environmental services firm with a strong NJ presence serving municipalities, counties, and state agencies. Comparable in serving NJ public-sector clients on planning and redevelopment, but with a much broader engineering-led portfolio.
- Stantec: Global professional services firm with a large community planning, urban design, and architecture practice that competes for NJ municipal master planning and redevelopment contracts. Comparable services and clients but vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Colliers Engineering & Design (formerly Maser Consulting): Large multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm with deep NJ municipal relationships. Competes with Topology on planning-led municipal engagements, often bundling engineering, surveying, and architecture services.
- Langan Engineering & Environmental Services: Large national AEC firm with a significant NJ presence providing engineering, planning, and environmental services for municipal and private developers. Overlaps with Topology on planning and redevelopment, but operates at much larger scale and bundles engineering services.
- DMR Architects: NJ-headquartered architecture and planning firm serving public-sector and private clients on community planning, redevelopment, and architectural design. Comparable on municipal planning engagements, though larger and architecture-led.
Direct peers
- Callowhill Planning & Design: NJ-based planning and design firm focused on land use, redevelopment, and master planning for municipalities and private clients. Closely comparable in size, scope, and NJ municipal client base to Topology.
- Heyer Gruel & Associates: Red Bank, NJ-based community planning and design firm specializing in master planning, redevelopment planning, and zoning work for NJ municipalities. Highly comparable to Topology in client base (NJ towns and counties), service mix, and project scale.
- Clarke Caton Hintz: Trenton, NJ-based architecture, planning, and urban design firm that provides municipal planning, redevelopment, and design services to NJ cities and towns. Directly comparable to Topology as a mid-sized NJ firm offering land use, redevelopment, and master planning services to municipalities.
- Phillips Preiss Grygiel Lehmann (PPGL): NJ-based planning consultancy focused on land use, redevelopment, affordable housing planning, and master plans for municipalities across the state. Closely mirrors Topology's service portfolio and NJ municipal client base.
Emerging players
- Brown & Keener Urban Design: NJ-focused urban design and planning firm that works on redevelopment plans, master plans, and public space design. Smaller in scale than Topology but operates in the same NJ municipal planning niche with overlapping service offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Topology social profiles
Digital presenceTopology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Topology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Topology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Topology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Topology
What does Topology do?
Topology is a New Jersey-based community planning and architecture consultancy providing professional planning services to municipalities, redevelopment agencies, and planning boards. The firm offers four integrated practice areas: Land Use Services (board advisories, expert testimony, ordinance drafting, zoning officer administration), Redevelopment Services (preliminary investigations, redevelopment plans, design management, public spaces), Policy Planning Services (affordable housing, economic development, GIS, master plans), and Real Estate Services (due diligence, entitlement strategy, financial and fiscal analysis, public communications).
Is Topology a public or private company?
Topology is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Topology founded?
Topology was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Topology based?
Topology is headquartered in Newark, United States, in the North America region.
How does Topology make money?
One revenue line is on record: municipal Planning Consulting Services.
Who are Topology's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are T&M Associates, Stantec, Colliers Engineering & Design (formerly Maser Consulting), Langan Engineering & Environmental Services and DMR Architects. Direct peers are Callowhill Planning & Design, Heyer Gruel & Associates, Clarke Caton Hintz and Phillips Preiss Grygiel Lehmann (PPGL). Brown & Keener Urban Design is listed as an emerging player.
Does Topology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Topology.
What industry is Topology in?
Topology's product category is Municipal Planning Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAO, Community Engagement & Participatory Planning. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 6500.