Despite his acknowledgement that West Windsor has not been immune to the pressures caused by a difficult economy, West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh remained optimistic, particularly with regard to development in West Windsor, as he looked to 2010.
From Otsuka America Pharmaceutical and Axis Reinsurance to Princeton Power Systems, Hsueh pointed to the companies that have moved into West Windsor over the past year and looked to projects like the construction of a parking garage at the Princeton Junction train station and development along Route 571 as positives in the upcoming year.
Hsueh, who addressed about 75 people on March 1 at the Township Council meeting, also reported on the township’s repeat AAA bond rating, completion of the senior center, and a slew of upcoming capital projects.
“West Windsor is in a good position,” said Hsueh. “Because of West Windsor’s central location, its schools, recreational opportunities, and train station, our municipality continues to fare well.”
However, Hsueh acknowledged, “the commercial growth of West Windsor has been mixed.” The vacant buildings lining Route 571 where the future Rite Aid is approved for development remain boarded up, but “we are still talking with Rite Aid to start development on Route 571,” said Hsueh. “We are very close to having completed plans that will allow them to break ground and are hoping that will occur late spring or early summer.”
As for the Acme site, administration is continuing to meet with the management company, Silbert Realty, of the Windsor Plaza shopping center, which is still going through a transition of ownership.
“That is going slower than we would like, but there is activity,” Hsueh said.
On the positive side, Hsueh pointed to University Square, which has remained empty for so many years, where Otsuka America Pharmaceutical and Axis Reinsurance have signed on as tenants. He also pointed to the opening of Trader Joe’s this year, as well as the move Princeton Power Systems made to Sarnoff.
“The WWM property on Route 571, which had been dormant for so long, has now been remediated and capped, and construction plans are in the Community Development department for all but the PNC building,” said Hsueh.
Hsueh also discussed the parking garage expected to be built at the train station by NJ Transit. West Windsor staff and West Windsor Parking Authority officials have been working with the state on the concept, Hsueh said. “The garage will be on the west side of the tracks and includes a redesign of the taxi stand area to better accommodate drop offs and buses. The garage will have space for retail on the first level.”
Also relating to redevelopment in 2009, the township continued to fight litigation filed by InterCap Holdings, which owns 25 acres on Washington Road in the redevelopment area.
“As you may know, we are in litigation with a property owner who wants far more housing than the township does,” Hsueh said. “We continue to stand firm on the issues related to housing that were called for in the plan. However, we need to watch closely the changes that are taking place within the state government, especially with the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).”
In 2009, West Windsor also saw the completion of the Estates at Princeton Junction development and the beginning of the Elements age-restricted community, and currently, development of the Windsor Garden apartments is beginning, Hsueh said. In 2000, the census put the township’s population at 22,032, and an estimate in 2009 reported that the population has grown to 27,000.
“With population growth of over 20 percent in the past 10 years, I am happy to report that service levels have remained and improved in some areas, while we have not grown our administrative staff,” Hsueh said.
The township remains a full-service community with garbage collection, recycling, and fire and emergency services contained in the taxes that residents pay, Hsueh said. “Residents of many other municipalities have to arrange their own garbage collection and pay extra taxes to fire districts. So far, West Windsor has been able to avoid this.”
Looking forward to 2010, Hsueh said the difficult economy, particularly at the state level, resulted in a challenging year in 2009, as revenues were down $800,000. Hsueh said the administration is currently working on the 2010 budget — expected to be introduced before Friday, March 19.
Even with the economy remaining “unpredictable” in 2009, Hsueh said the township was able to accomplish many goals, including installing a sewer line on Meadow Road — a major project funded by developer money. In addition to completion of the senior center project, work also began on the old Princeton Junction firehouse on Alexander Road to convert it to a building for the WW Arts Council, and many sidewalks and roads have been repaired throughout the town.
Because planning and permitting was completed in 2009, grant projects — including the Alexander Road ‘S’ curve reconstruction; Wallace Road improvements; North Post Road pedestrian improvements from the municipal center to the train station; Meadow Road realignment; the first phase of the Penn Lyle Road reconstruction; Dutch Neck Village improvements; and bicycle and pedestrian path along South Post Road from North Post to Mercer Lake — are scheduled for 2010.
The county will also be making traffic and pedestrian improvements to Route 571 at Wallace and Cranbury roads in the spring, Hsueh added. “These improvements will include count-down timers on traffic signals; crosswalks in every direction; a left-turn lane from the bridge onto Cranbury Road; and a pedestrian path over the bridge with a pedestrian crossing at Station Road.”
The township also received a $448,500 grant from the county for recreational improvements at Duck Pond Park, where work will continue this year. Plans include the creation of a fishing pond.
Before his address, Hsueh also aired a video created by three high school students and West Windsor residents — sisters Ingrid and Thea Ma, who attend North, and David Meni, who attends South. The 10-minute video takes viewers through the history of the township and showcases the township’s amenities, including its parks, recreational facilities, residential neighborhoods, commercial tenants, train station, community pool, school system, and other aspects of life in the town.
