An Objective Assessment of the PJ Redevelopment Zone

[Marshall Lerner]

Now that about 10 years have passed since the Redevelopment Ordinance was passed in West Windsor it seems appropriate that an objective assessment be undertaken to determine whether the goals of the project have been achieved, whether there is a reasonable chance that the township will enjoy a positive return on its $2 million expenditure, whether any alternative uses of the property should be entertained, and whether any valuable lessons have been learned for the future. I must admit that I am hard pressed to find any real benefits that have been achieved because of the  ordinance.  However I remain open minded and I look forward to the exchange of ideas on the matter.

From where I sit I offer the following observations:

1. The financial success of the project depended largely on the financial contribution from new commercial development.That development has stalled and we currently have over 2 million square feet of vacancies in the Princeton Junction corridor. The pan's assumptions about absorption rates have been wrong and there is little to suggest any recovery in the foreseeable future.

2. Progress towards the idealized downtown district along 571 never came to pass in spite of the reopening of Windsor Plaza.  New construction is as ugly as before and there is no unifying theme in terms of facades or architecture.

3. The likelihood of recovering the township's investment in the costs of the project are remote under present conditions.

It seems that redevelopment only works in urban settings as a tactic for reversing urban blight.

Your thoughts please.

[Jerry Foster]

According to this article, a court special master has calculated that WW's affordable housing requirements will be 1000 units. It may well be worthwhile to re-look  at the re-development plan in light of the new COAH requirements.

Jerry Foster

http://walkableprinceton.com/2015/12/04/mercer-reading-coah-figures/

[Alison Miller]

West Windsor will also file a plan with Judge Jacobson on Dec. 7th, after which the plan will become a public document.  Then the West Windsor affordable housing discussion can start.  I merely note that West Windsor has been producing new affordable units over and above its first two rounds requirement steadily over the last 15 years.

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From: Jerry Foster <j3j3...@gmail.com>
To: West Windsor Community Discussion <WWCommunit...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 5, 2015 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: An Objective Assessment of the PJ Redevelopment Zone

According to this article, a court special master has calculated that WW's affordable housing requirements will be 1000 units. It may well be worthwhile to re-look  at the re-development plan in light of the new COAH requirements.

Jerry Foster

http://walkableprinceton.com/2015/12/04/mercer-reading-coah-figures/

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[John Church]

Well said.  Let’s wait for the process to play out.

 

John

 

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