UDATED AvalonBay Rescinds Request for Added Density at Hospital Site

AvalonBay Communities on Tuesday night rescinded a request to increase density at the hospital site on Witherspoon Street. The company now plans to build the 280 units allowed under zoning and is no longer considering adding an additional 44 units.

Borough Council was expected to vote this week on zoning changes requested by AvalonBay. Instead, it chose to reintroduce zoning changes which take into account some seemingly minor changes that include permission to erect signs, add a leasing office and childcare facility and adjust an interior lot line.

Because the ordinance has changed significantly, Borough Council's attorney recommended it go before the Princeton Regional Planning Board a second time and come back before Council for a final vote on May 22, even if the Planning Board does not have an opportunity to review it. 

AvalonBay Senior Vice President Ron Laddell said his company's decision not to pursue the added density came as a result of local input. 

“I think it was clear based on the comments from Site Plan Review Advisory Board and the Planning Board- although the Princeton Environmental Commission did endorse density- that there was concern about density," Laddell said. "We didn’t think it would be problematic at all, we thought there were significant benefits to increased density, higher ratables, more affordable housing and we thought there were no detriments…but sometimes things begin to take a life of their own, sometimes people get upset about certain things."

Laddell said the company is anxious to begin discussions with Borough representatives about design standards for the project, including loft apartments, porches and stoops and other architectural details. 

Members of the public on Tuesday echoed concerns of the Planning Board, which suggested that Borough Council consider strengthening its design standards to ensure the highest quality development at the hospital site. 

"I would urge Borough Council to take advantage of the tightly-worded recommendation to quantify its design standards, make them measurable, so that they are legally enforceable....and to incorporate them into the bulk standards," resident Daniel Harris said. "In this way, they will no longer be only guidelines to be disregarded or toyed with by any developer"

Laddell said his team has already begun amending its plans to include suggestions from the Site Plan Review Advisory Board. One change will be to open up one of the community's courtyards for public access. 

AvalonBay is under contract to buy the hospital site and hopes to demolish the seven-story, 500,000-square foot building and build rental apartments. 

The company had originally asked for zoning changes that would include allowances to build less than the 20 percent affordable units and a request for increased density- to 324 total units. 

Residents' reactions to those requests was swift and vocal. On Thursday, the Princeton Regional Planning Board said Avalon Bay's density request was inconsistent with Princeton’s master plan and does not have the board’s recommendation.

One item of contention was AvalonBay’s request to build less than 20 percent affordable housing at its development at the 5.6 hospital site. The company withdrew that request on Thursday, saying it now intends to allocate 20 percent of the units as affordable.

AvalonBay plans to rent its market rate units- which includes studio to three bedroom apartments- for between $1,600 to $3,200 per month.