The West Windsor Planning Board will continue its review of a plan to construct a new office building in the heart of the Princeton Junction business district on Wednesday, October 19.##M:[more]##
The plan, submitted by developer CDNJ, calls for the construction of a new 10,”080-square-foot office building on a 2.1 acre property at the intersection of Princeton-Hightstown Road and Sherbrooke Drive — directly across from the entrance to the Acme shopping center.
The proposed CDNJ building is similar in size to the adjacent office building at 55 Princeton-Hightstown Road and will replace the two houses that currently sit on the tract. A 8,”692-square-foot barn currently used for offices and storage will remain on the property. The proposal is consistent with current zoning regulations.
A JP Morgan Chase bank is expected to occupy the first floor of the two-story building, which will also have two drive-through banking windows, and a drive-through ATM lane.
The board began hearing the plan during a September 14 meeting that ran until 1:15 a.m. The public hearing on the application was closed at the end of the meeting and board deliberations will begin on October 19.
Several residents of the neighboring Sherbrooke development expressed concerns during the hearing that centered around increased traffic on Sherbrooke Drive as a result of the project, and on the architectural design of the building.
The township had originally called for the entrance and exit to the site to be on Princeton-Hightstown Road, a short distance north of the intersection with Sherbrooke.
County planning staff rejected the entrance, arguing that allowing left turns onto Route 571 from the project would create additional vehicle conflicts with traffic entering and exiting businesses on the southbound side of Route 571.
The county also believes that allowing left turns into the project from Route 571 would also hinder through traffic on the road. Because the project is located on a county road, it must also receive approval from the Mercer County Planning Board.
The county called for access to the building to be from Sherbrooke Drive, which is also the entrance to Sherbrooke Estates. Township officials and residents objected, fearing that the use of Sherbrooke Drive to access the project would promote traffic through the development.
Ultimately, a compromise was reached, says Planning Board Chairman Marvin Gardner. Under the compromise scenario, left turns into and out of a Route 571 entrance to the site will be prohibited. Left turns out of the project from the Sherbrooke Drive access would also be barred in an effort to keep traffic out of the residential neighborhood.
“The Sherbrooke ingress and egress issue attracted the most attention at the meeting,” says Gardner, adding that residents were concerned that motorists would ignore the restriction against left turns onto Sherbrooke.
“To overcome the apprehension,” says Gardner, “it was recommended that the curbing and configuration of the Sherbrooke exit be configured in such a way to force cars to turn right. We also discussed incorporating a median that would prevent cars from turning left into the residential neighborhood.”
Another expected condition of the approval is a traffic study in advance of the completion of the project, and a second traffic study after operations commence at the site to determine the impacts on the residential streets leading to Sherbrooke Drive.
After the site opens, the township will also attempt to secure an easement from the project that would allow access to Carlton Place and out onto Cranbury Road.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, who sits on the planning board, says he recognizes that the compromise does not fully meet the concerns of those who don’t want the project to be accessed via Sherbrooke Drive.
“Some people still do not like it and have hard feelings about it,” says the mayor. “I understand their concerns, but they also have to understand the legal constraints that we are under. We cannot stop them from presenting this plan, and legally they have a right to do this.”
He also points out that CDNJ has been responsive. “The applicant has been very cooperative in working with the township and they have shown a willingness to work with neighborhood and residents to incorporate these ideas.”
“They are making every reasonable effort,” Gardner agrees, “to accommodate the local residents and the township in evaluating all the problems and they are working with us to attempt to eradicate or mitigate as many of them as we possibly can.”
According to Gardner, another concern by some residents and members of the board is the design of the building.
CDNJ’s original plans called for a building with a brick facade, but the developer modified the building with a cedar and stone barn-like design to be more in character with the surrounding residential area at the request of the township.
During the public hearing, says Gardner, “Some wanted to see a return to the earlier brick treatments submitted by the applicants. One person liked the barn concept. Others suggested that we should wait until the streetscape plan for Route 571 comes into play and then we can see what is preferable.
“The developer will be working with the planning board in developing the exterior architectural treatment for the building, and the materials used. Hopefully we will reach a consensus of opinion.”
