Construction workers have begun work to demolish the two vacant, boarded-up buildings on the corner of Cranbury and Princeton-Hightstown roads.
The buildings have been viewed as the eyesore of the property lining the gateway into the township, where a Rite Aid is planned for future development.
The Dreher Group has already received approvals to construct the Rite Aid. The site plan calls for a 14,673 square foot Rite Aid, and an additional 6,000 feet of retail space that could include a coffee shop and a restaurant. However, the Rite Aid construction team is constructing the pharmacy only at this time.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said during the Township Council’s meeting on January 18 that officials had obtained all the necessary permits and paperwork to begin demolition of the current buildings on site — a move that has been highly anticipated by residents and officials for years.
Although demolition was originally scheduled to begin Monday, January 24, construction crews got an early start on January 19.
“I’m happy to see it’s finally happening,” said Hsueh. “I have been calling them for the past two years on an almost regular basis. We came together and finalized everything.”
Hsueh estimated that demolition could take about a week or two, depending on the weather.