Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this project?

This project will construct a 125-unit apartment building and a new public neighborhood park with community amenities, such as a pergola, sitting areas, walking and cycling paths, native plantings garden, ornate landscaping, separate dog parks for large and small dogs, and a playground.

 

Will there be affordable housing in the new building?

There will be 25 income-restricted apartments designated as affordable, with incomes targets ranging from 30 to 80 percent of Area Median Income.

 

When will the project be completed?

The project is expected to be completed in the late summer of 2024.

 

What was the approval process for this site?

Plans for the site were discussed for nearly two and a half years. There were numerous pre-development meetings with Princeton officials and agencies during 2021 and 2022 that eventually produced the final proposal, including the public betterments portion of the redevelopment. Meeting notices were properly posted and many members of the public attended.

 

The Municipality designated this location as an area in need of redevelopment on April 27, 2021, and brought forward a redevelopment plan for the site on June 14, 2021. WinnDevelopment was designated as the developer on July 11, 2022, and a redevelopment agreement was reached August 16, 2022.

 

In February 2022, the project was reviewed by the town planner, traffic engineer, land use engineer, landscape architect, Shade Tree Commission and Environmental Commission, among others.

• The Planning Board approved the project on June 16, 2022, following hearings held in May 2022.

• The Mercer County Planning Board gave its approval in August 2022.

• The Delaware Raritan Canal Commission approved the plan on October 2022.

• The Mercer County Soil Conservation District approved the plan in September 2022.

• The Landscape Subcommittee of the Princeton Planning Board met on November 4, 2022

• The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Princeton Sewer Department signed off in November and December 2022, respectively.

 

What is the history of this property?

The lot was farmland in the 1940s. In the 1950s, it became an accessory lot to the Princeton Shopping Center. Terhune Road was constructed in the late 1960s. You can see aerial views of the site over time in the Gallery section of this web site.

 

Was a tree survey conducted by the developer?

Yes, a comprehensive tree survey was conducted cataloguing every tree on the site.

 

What did the survey find about the trees on this property?

The vast majority of trees were scrub pine and invasives that grew on the infill left behind when the Princeton Shopping Center was built.  Over the course of the last half-century, various types of trees, weeds and other brush and vegetation grew wild and untended on the site through a process known as “successional growth.” In addition to evergreens along the perimeter of the property, deciduous tree species include northern catalpa, black walnut, black locust and maple species, along with invasive species, like tree of heaven, and ash trees susceptible to destructive borers and beetles. 

 

What was the quality of the trees on the property?

From an ecological perspective, the strong presence of black walnut on-site can be an indicator of low species diversity in the understory of the forest community. Black walnut secretes a chemical called Juglone which is toxic and stunts the growth to many native plant species. Tree of Heaven, which is a host plant to the invasive Spotted Lanternfly, was also present in the mixed woodland.  This invasive species has a reputation for being an aggressive plant with the ability to sucker its roots to clone itself and outcompete native vegetation.

 

What is the tree removal and tree planting plan for the redevelopment site?

A total of 342 trees over 8 inches in diameter are being removed, including many dead and invasive tree species, along with 42 smaller trees. In their place, a total of 392 shade, ornamental, and evergreen Trees will be planted following an approved landscape plan. In addition, the high quality oak trees along the perimeter will be left untouched.

 

Was the landscape plan approved by Princeton?

The Landscape Subcommittee of the Princeton Planning Board met on November 4, 2022 and approved the landscape plan and requested a full review of the landscape plan by the municipal arborist and the landscape architect, both of whom also approved.

 

Is the park that’s being built owned by Princeton?

The public betterments portion of the project will be dedicated to Princeton through a long-term easement.

 

How has sustainability been incorporated into the building design?

The residential building will include a range of environmental sustainability features, including Zero Energy Ready Homes certification – a Department of Energy standard with stringent energy performance requirements, as well as high-efficiency air source heat pumps and a building envelope designed to Passive House standards. The apartment property will include 15 on-site electrical vehicle charging spaces and eight dedicated car-sharing spaces, along with 99 long-term and 46 short-term indoor and outdoor bicycle parking spaces.

 

How will the project be connected to the larger community?

In addition to the public park and dog park accessible to everyone, the property will have a direct walking path to the nearby Princeton Shopping Center and Grover Park. The completed development will also feature a shuttle service stop with circulation to transit stops and downtown retail. It will also feature new bike lanes along Terhune Road and North Harrison Street.

 

How will this project impact traffic? 

The traffic study conducted for this project found that the adjacent streets will not experience any significant degradation in operating conditions. The site driveway is located to provide safe and efficient access and the site plan provides for good circulation throughout the site, with adequate parking. The project will promote walkability, bicycle use and pedestrian-friendly access to the shopping center and Grover Park. The project will extend the multi-use path network through the site from Terhune Road to Grover Park and construct a walkway along the adjoining frontage of Terhune Road, improving the connectivity throughout the wider neighborhood.

 

Will the project impact stormwater management in the area?

The developer is exceeding stormwater management requirements during construction and a professional analysis indicates stormwater management will improve.

 

Who will manage construction?

WinnDevelopment will oversee the project. Sordoni Construction Company of Bedminster, NJ., will be the general contractor for the development.

 

Will the apartment building have on-site management?

Yes, the property will be managed and maintained by team members of WinnResidential, which ranks as one of the top five multifamily operators in the United States for overall satisfaction based on the results of anonymous surveys of prospective and current residents.