Valley Road School Supporters Present Case to Save Building

The group trying to convert the former Valley Road School into a hub for local non-profits pled their case before Princeton Council this week, but received a lukewarm reception.

Despite collecting nearly 2,100 Princeton residents’ signatures on a petition seeking put the possible building transformation on the Nov. 5 ballot, Mayor Liz Lempert and attorney Edwin Schmierer told supporters that Council likely can’t legally intervene on an issue before the School Board. 

"This municipality does not own the valley road school building, it has no ability to compel the owner of the property to do anything," Schmierer said. 

The Valley Road School-Adaptive Reuse Committee, led by Princeton residents Dick Woodbridge and Kip Cherry, hopes to save the historic portion of the former school at 369 Witherspoon Street and rent space through long-term leases, shared space and one-time conference or performance space. Renovations would be funded through grants and private donations.

Woodbridge said his group wants to forge a partnership with officials to take over the building before it falls into further disrepair.

“I believe there is an overwhelming sentiment in this community that the building should be preserved and renovated,” he said.

Cherry said the group has already secured verbal commitments to use the space from McCarter Theatre and Bryn Mawr Wellesley Books, among others.

VRS-ARC previously presented a proposal to the Princeton Board of Education, but the Board rejected the plan in March, saying it  “failed to provide the Board with credible, documented assurances that it has or can secure funding adequate for the extremely extensive renovations necessary to make 369 Witherspoon safe."

The board dismissed the proposal without prejudice, meaning that if VRS-ARC can address the school board's questions and concerns, the board will be happy to reconsider it. 

The school district owns the property, but admits the building has been in poor condition for at least 30 years. The district has made it clear it will not divert scarce educational resources for renovations.

“Naturally, VRS-ARC group members were disappointed by the Board’s unanimous and unconditional rejection of their proposal.,” Board of Education President Tim Quinn told Council on Monday. “But while their disappointment is understandable, their current strategy is not. Now they are asking you, the Council, to permit a ballot referendum in hopes of overriding the decision of a duly elected Board of Education, or for you to force or pressure the Board to hand over its property to VRS-ARC, a group of private citizens.

“But this Council can no more overrule lawful decisions of the Board of Education, or dictate to the board what to do with its buildings, than the Board of Education can dictate to this Council how to operate or dispose of Witherspoon Hall, the Monument Building, the Chestnut Street firehouse, the Community Park fields, or any other property to which the municipality holds title. No number of signatures on a petition can create that power.”

Lempert said on Monday that Council is expected to hear a proposal this fall from the Princeton Fire Department on how it might use the Valley Road School property for a possible expansion of the fire department.