Hospital Redevelopment falls Short On Quality Of Life

We are commenting on recent discussions concerning affordable housing specifically as it applies to the AvalonBay plan, including 56 affordable units, within its 280 unit development. Although we agree that 56 affordable housing units are much needed in Princeton, the balance of 224 market rate housing units for a total of 280 units packed into the small 5.6 acre former hospital site is unacceptable.  Moreover, we believe that people of low incomes are best served by providing them with an opportunity to live in an integrated small town environment, not tucked into the fringes of an impersonal housing development, similar in design to a very large Marriott Hotel Courtyard.   

Far more preferable to the current AvalonBay plan would be a 50/50 split of 70 affordable units and 70 market rate units.  The total number of living units should not exceed more than 140 units and is much more in scale with the Witherspoon Street neighborhood.  Such a plan would actually add 14 more affordable units than what is now offered by AvalonBay.  In this case, a private developer can work with a non-profit partnership to divide and share the cost of affordable housing.  Public money could also be made available for this purpose. Princeton, a town with many resources, should be able to find ways to subsidize 70 affordable housing units while creating a much better quality of life environment than the plan being offered by AvalonBay.

According to the current AvalonBay plan, the affordable units shown are not evenly dispersed throughout the complex.  Grigg’s Farm has often been cited as a model community where affordable rental and owner occupied units are the same as market units.  This is not the case with AvalonBay, where the smaller affordable units have been placed in decidedly less desirable locations.  The fourth floor of Avalon courtyard building has only 1 affordable unit.  The two lower floors facing the garage and dark alleyways are affordable.  There are no affordable units overlooking the courtyard.  

The AvalonBay plan is extremely unpopular with residents of the Witherspoon Street neighborhood, and many in the surrounding area, because an overcrowded development with its overwhelming visual presence, threatens to destroy our quality of life. As families with young children we chose to live in this neighborhood in large part because of its proximity to Community Park School and the school’s socio-economically diverse student population. The addition of affordable housing units will only compliment this diversity. Princeton has an opportunity to develop this land in a thoughtful and meaningful way that will enhance the Witherspoon neighborhood and its residents for years to come. It is our hope that in its eagerness to build affordable housing it does so in a way that enhances the neighborhoods, which make up the heart of our community.   

Sincerely, 

Portia and Lucas McGee, Harris Road

Jennifer Lea Cohan, Steven Petrecca, Henry Avenue

Paul and Yoshie Driscoll, Harris Road