ARTICLES¬
Mapping A Street's Future
Marjorie Censer, Staff Writer
May 25, 2006 Princeton Packet
Group sparks sense of vision in Princeton
Editorial
April 7, 2006 Princeton Packet
In Looking at Witherspoon's Future, Group Keeps an Eye on Hospital Site
Matthew Hersh
March 9, 2005 Town Topics
Letter to the Editors of
June 14, 2005 Princeton Packet
June 15, 2005 Town Topics
Borough downtown development gets Smart Growth Award
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer
March 8, 2005 Princeton Packet
Neighbors of hospital fear unwanted changes
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer
March 8, 2005 Princeton Packet
Residents, Merchants Eye
Possibilities Of an Ever-
Changing Witherspoon
Matthew Hersh
February 23, 2005 Town Topics
Princeton Future discussions to be broadcast on cable TV
January 11, 2005 Princeton Packet
Housing diversity urged for Witherspoon Street's future
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer
December 21, 2004 Princeton Packet
Witherspoon Street Under
Scrutiny
Matthew Hersh
December 8, 2004 Town Topics
Princeton Future to study downtown
Stephen Hsia, Princetonian Contributor
November 10, 2004 DailyPrincetonian.com
Princeton Future Changes Gears
Searches for 'The Next Big Thing'
Matthew Hersh
March 10, 2004 Town Topics
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Neighbors of hospital fear unwanted changes
Princeton Future begins examination of possible uses after medical center leaves its Witherspoon Street campus
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer, Princeton Packet
March 8, 2005
The old maxim that breaking up is hard do to may apply to Princeton HealthCare System's decision to move from Witherspoon Street and build a new, expanded facility in the Route 1 corridor.
Several residents attending a Princeton Future meeting on Saturday about the possible uses of the hospital's nearly 12-acre site voiced trepidation about rezoning the land and how resulting development may cause unwanted changes to the surrounding neighborhood.
Princeton Future's Witherspoon Street Corridor Study project narrowed its focus to offer some design guidelines for the future use of the hospital site.
An advisory committee to the study project made several recommendations for future development, including mostly residential uses and permitting "only full tax-paying uses" with no payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, arrangements. Other suggestions include a flexible plan that will encourage multiple parcels of land and different developers.
Design parameters call for a mix of housing types, such as housing for seniors and a variety of incomes.
Office buildings, a mall, a continuing care retirement community or a Palmer Square-like development are not included in the mix, because those uses "are developed in economies of scale that are large and inappropriate for the site," the advisory committee concluded.
The parameters stemmed from public discussions as well as reports from PHCS and the volunteer Princeton Hospital Task Force, said Yina Moore, a Princeton Future member and co-chair of the Witherspoon Street study project. "This is not a preconceived list," she said.
Residents expressed opposition to a recommendation that the medical center be granted approval for 35,000 square feet of new construction for updated facilities in the next three to five years. The hospital site, which straddles the Princeton Borough-Princeton Township border, has the zoning capacity of an additional 3,090 square feet.
Jamie Laliberte, a Harris Road resident, said new buildings could have an adverse affect on the neighborhood. She suggested Princeton Future focus more on the immediate changes at the hospital site.
"What's going to happen to those (new) buildings when the hospital does vacate?" Ms. Laliberte asked. "We're looking at a future after the hospital. I'm concerned about the next three to five years with what they're going to do."
Heidi Fichtenbaum of Carnahan Place said 35,000 square feet is slightly larger than the medical office building at the corner of Witherspoon Street and Henry Avenue.
"(The Medical Center) is not obligated to do (that development) in little tiny pieces," she said in reference to the possibility that a single large building could be built.
Jeff Furey of Witherspoon Street objected to the possibility of allowing the hospital's need to fetch a substantial price for the land to dictate how the land may be rezoned.
In January, the PHCS board of trustees voted to explore building a new state-of-the-art hospital campus at an estimated cost of about $250 million. After identifying three properties of 50 acres or more within two to six miles of the current hospital site off Witherspoon Street for a new health-care campus, PCHS hired the firm AMDC to prepare a business plan for the possible move that is to include preferred and fallback sites.
Michael Floyd, a Lawrence resident who grew up in the John-Witherpsoon neighborhood, cautioned against giving the hospital wide latitude.
"It's on Witherspoon Street where many, many, many zoning boards have let many, many, many things go contrary to what the character of the neighborhood is or was," Mr. Floyd said.
Robert Geddes, a co-president of Princeton Future, suggested hiring a consultant to develop new zoning guidelines.
"I think a way should be found to plan this (site) as a unique place and not just as another part of town, but a very special part of town," said Mr. Geddes, who is a former dean of Princeton University's School of Architecture.
The potential of the Merwick Rehab Hospital & Nursing Care facility on Bayard Lane for redevelopment could have as great an effect on the John-Witherspoon neighborhood residents as new development on the Witherspoon Street site, said Joanna Kendig, a John Street resident.
The next Princeton Future meeting on April 16 will offer possible designs for the hospital lands.
Princeton Future is seeking comments from residents on the proposed study and design guidelines. Letters may be sent to participate@princetonfuture.org or P.O. Box 493, Princeton, NJ 08542.
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