Between the release of the WW-P School District’s demographic study and the announcement that the Howard Hughes Corp. plans to develop — or possibly redevelop — the 660-acre American Cyanamid site, the handwriting is on the wall: More families with school-age children are likely to move into the district, including some at the Ellsworth retail site, part of which has been dormant for years and the subject of some criticism.
The Hughes development turns out to be one of several potential new developments looming in West Windsor’s future that were not considered in the district’s demographic study. That study, presented to the School Board at its January 29 meeting, considered the scheduled developments at Princeton Terrace on Clarksville Road, which will contain 460 housing units when completed; the Princeton Research Lands off Rabbit Hill Road behind Kindercare, which can support an additional 16 single-family homes; and the proposed Transit Village at the Princeton Junction train station. In all the study estimated that school enrollment could grow by about 373 students in the next decade, to a total of 10,170.
But there is plenty of additional land in West Windsor that can be developed; and some developers have already begun planning projects. In response to a request by West Windsor mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, Sam Surtees, Township land use manager and zoning officer, reviewed the school’s demographic study and noted that it did not factor in four potential residential projects now in the “pre-planning” stages.
Surtees’ review projected the possibility of 168 additional students, and that does not include any that might be generated by a redevelopment of the Cyanamid site as a mixed use property — “the big unknown,” in Surtees’ words.
Surtees noted that various developers have been asking about the Princeton Theological Seminary property. “This area is currently zoned for high-density residential housing up to 10 units per acre. It will be like Canal Pointe — there may be up to 200 apartments, and they do not have to be university students. Anyone can live there.” He estimates that the apartments could yield 104 students.
“Toll Brothers is in the process of purchasing the Maneely property, 60 acres that sits off of Alexander Road past Windsor Haven. This property, if developed along with the already-existing conforming plan, can support up to 51 townhouses, 46 apartments over a retail center, and up to 75 units for affordable housing, as well as 202 extended-stay suites. The zoning for this development is already in place.” The site could yield 52 students.
There is the potential for additional housing to be built at Ellsworth Center as well — theoretically housing units can be built over the retail space there. In his report to Hsueh, Surtees wrote that “Township staff has met with Mr. Ellsworth’s professional staff and I would expect a development application to be filed with this office by spring, 2013.”
Additional land could also be developed, Surtees said. “The Township owns 60 acres of land between Princeton Terrace and the Howard Hughes property. There are no plans at this time to develop this land, but it is there. There is also the Thompson property, which is an additional 65 acres. Under current usage, this property is slated for another 200 single-family homes. And there is a significant amount of additional property that can be developed.
Under the current zoning, an additional 200 single family homes and several hundred apartments can be built. Based on the recommendations set forth in the 2003 open space plan, the Township is trying to buy some to preserve open space, perhaps four parcels, but right now it is land that might possibly be developed.”
“In addition, Princeton University owns 500 acres of land in West Windsor. It is currently undeveloped but could be used for dormitories and other buildings if the university decides to develop the land. There is also a significant amount of open space along Clarksville Road, between the municipal center and Meadow Road, which is zoned for residential use, but it is mostly wetlands, so only a couple of houses at most can be built on that land,” Surtees explained.
Another small parcel of land that is available for development is right on the Plainsboro border, across from Millstone Pond. This site was the former Castoro sandpit, where soil from neighboring towns, corporations, and even Princeton University had been illegally dumped for years.
Surtees confirmed that, “with state Department of Environmental Protection guidance, the owner is cleaning up this site before selling the land for development. This property is only 1.75 acres and is currently zoned for three to four single family homes, or any other permitted use such as a religious institution or a daycare/child care center.”
