In my recent “Looking Back” column about possible uses for the Howard Hughes property (The News, September 26) I was only partly joking about some of the uses I suggested. Having been deeply involved in serious community leadership and planning at one time (school board, planning board, numerous special committees, etc.) I am well aware of the need to strike a balance in land use so as to give land owners a reasonable return on their investment (if they have any), and using the land in a way that is of the greatest benefit to the people who live here.
Notice that I said “people who live here.” After nearly 57 years in this place, I find it hard to appreciate any so-called “community” interest anyone from Howard Hughes may claim to have in West Windsor. They’re just another large company from far away who seek to maximize their profit over a piece of real estate that could be anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, I am convinced that West Windsor is near the point where further “development” would be highly undesirable, whether or not it’s in an officially designated redevelopment area. Some may think of such development as “progress,” but toward what? Saturation? West Windsor does not have to become “West Windsor City” as I mentioned in my column, only half joking. And, also, there’s already a place called Hughestown; it’s the largest city in Texas.
From their recent “clarifications” it is obvious that the Howard Hughes folks are lacking in imagination. We don’t need or want more Carnegie Centers or other large office complexes or shopping centers and megamalls. That stuff does nothing to sustain “community” in a place like West Windsor. It just breaks it up into pieces that have no identities.
The only “identity” West Windsor needs is “West Windsor,” which is already well established and should remain that way for the foreseeable future. If Howard Hughes thinks the property represents a “gold mine” of potential profit, I suggest they go elsewhere. As for the 25-year relationship with West Windsor they suggest, forget it.
Obviously, whatever is done with a square mile of property in our midst can affect many aspects of our town’s future. For one thing, it will probably affect our taxes, which are always of concern to many who live here, especially if they go up — even without the supposed benefits of PILOTS paid by developers.
But what is needed now is for our leadership to respond to specific proposals in a way that clearly emphasizes a “community” way of using the land that is in West Windsor’s best interests and maintains a balance between residential and commercial ratables that is advantageous to the typical homeowner — who is already here.
And that does not have to mean it should all be developed commercially. It would be best if most of it wasn’t developed (or redeveloped) at all. If Howard Hughes isn’t willing to do it our way, ask them to sell it and get out of town. Maybe someone else can meet the challenge.
There are ways of doing things with real estate that don’t have to put profit at the top of the list. Four years ago the West Windsor Shade Tree Commission suggested that this property was a candidate for reforestation. How about some of that? We’d all be better off.
Dick Snedeker
West Windsor
