Developer Plans to Demolish Hospital Building

The developer under contract to convert the University Medical Center at Princeton into apartments plans to demolish the 500,000-square-foot hospital building and build 324 units.

Ronald Ladell, senior vice president at Avalon Bay Communities, said Wednesday the seven-story hospital is out of place in the community, too tall and would be difficult to convert into apartments.

Ladell told Borough Council his company plans to build two buildings at ‘Avalon Princeton;’ neither building would exceed five stories or a 50-foot height. The hospital is 80 feet tall in areas, he said.

Avalon is under contract to buy the hospital building, parking garage and nine homes on Harris Road. The hospital will keep the medical office building at 281 Witherspoon St.

It will take months to remove asbestos from the hospital, demolish it and recycle the materials, so Liddell requested council refer the project to the regional planning board for discussion and public hearings to avoid unnecessary delays. Council unanimously agreed.

Avalon owns nearly 60,000 apartments in 10 states, including properties in Lawrenceville and West Windsor.

“We’re not someone who builds a community and then flips it,” Ladell said. “We build the property, we own the property and we keep it for decades. We like to become part of the community we’re in.”

Market-rate studio, one-bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom apartments would rent between $1,600 to $3,200 a month. Sizes would range from about 550 to more than 1,000 square feet.

Avalon does not plan to have any retail stores on site. It would also keep the current entrance off Witherspoon Street, but move the main entrance closer to the parking garage.

Avalon plans to stay within all setback, height and open space requirements at the site, but Ladell requested an increase in density, from the allowed 280 units to 324 units.

He said the increase in traffic with the added units would be “inconsequential” and once the hospital moves in May 2012, there will be significantly less traffic along Witherspoon Street.

Avalon still plans to include 56 affordable housing units, which represents the borough’s 20 percent requirement, but in a 324 unit complex, that would only represent 17.3 percent, Ladell said, adding that 15 percent is the industry standard for apartment rental complexes.

“We’re not trying to shirk or put aside our affordable housing responsibility,” Ladell said. “What we’re trying to do is meet our marketing needs, meet our financial needs and keep you at exactly the 56 units you envisioned.”

Avalon plans to repair the uninhabitable homes on Harris Road and rent them, while continuing to rent those currently occupied. The parking garage would remain in place and serve both Avalon residents and employees and patients at the medical office.

“I think this meets an unmet demand in the town and one that’s been identified for a very long time,” Council member David Goldfarb said. “I hope the project gets built.”

Avalon will be at the Princeton Future meeting on Nov. 19 at 9 a.m. at Princeton Public Library, and residents will have an opportunity to learn about the project and ask questions.