As speculated, the Princeton-based American Boychoir School and two other area schools have announced they will combine operations to open a new arts and education campus at the former St. Joseph’s Seminary off Mapleton Road.
Along with the American Boychoir School, the French American School of Princeton and the Wilberforce School will operate at what will be known as the Princeton Center for Arts & Education (PCAE). Meanwhile, the Boychoir plans to sell its current property on Lambert Drive in Princeton Township.
Officials made the announcement on February 22 at the Nassau Inn, where they explained that the PCAE would pool funds to consolidate transportation, utilities, and other expenses. The schools would also share teachers and staff without becoming “coeducational.”
The PCAE is a nonprofit entity and has signed a 20-year renewable lease with the seminary, with the American Boychoir being the lead resident on site. The ability to economize was one of the reasons the schools decided to join efforts.
All three schools will reportedly begin operating at the site in late August.
The American Boychoir had indicated over the summer that it was considering relocating to St. Joseph’s Seminary to provide more facilities for the school.
The seminary campus has facilities that its current location does not have, including a performance space and gymnasium.
This past fall the Township Committee adopted two ordinances to rezone the St. Joseph’s Seminary property to allow for educational and cultural arts uses on site as well as for a cemetery zone.
The buildings on site are now zoned for educational and arts type uses, including for schools, performance areas, practice areas, dormitories, eating space, and other uses associated with a school.
The seminary attracted attention last summer when the Princeton International Academy Charter School tried to obtain a variance to operate at the seminary — a necessary step in the state approval process that was halted when a discrepancy in notice requirements was found by the West Windsor-Plainsboro school district and recognized by the Zoning Board.
PIACS officials said the PCAE campus is looking for smaller schools — smaller than what PIACS will be as it adds grades each year — to sublease from them. PIACS is currently looking at five locations for opening for 2011-’12, but officials are still assessing the feasibility of each location.
The French American School, which offers classes for students in pre-K through sixth grade, has locations on All Saints Road in Princeton and on Carter Road in Lawrence and will be looking to sell the Lawrence location, officials said.
The Wilberforce School, a private Christian school, currently leases space from the Princeton Church of Christ on River Road.
According to reports, the PCAE received a grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust. It also plans to raise $2 million in donations to bring the seminary buildings into code compliance.
