Hopewell Township recently managed to trim its Fourth Round Housing Plan by 27%, reducing the number of new units. Across the border in Lawrence Township, however, plans for the Educational Testing Service campus could eventually bring up to 800 homes, and residents are only now beginning to take notice.
A standing-room-only crowd filled the Lawrence Township Planning Board meeting on March 16, as residents responded to what many see as an overlooked element of the township’s housing plan. The focus is the ETS campus, located near the borders of Princeton and Hopewell Township.
While the site was included in the township’s June 2025 plan, it initially drew little public attention. Now, with potential amendments under discussion, concerns have intensified, even though no formal development proposals have been submitted. Changes remain years away.
Much of the concern centers on the scale of what could be built. Planning documents outline the potential housing, retail and office space on more than 75 acres of ETS property. Many residents fear that the level of density would significantly alter the character of the area.
Environmental considerations are also top of mind. Portions of the property include streams, wetlands and flood-prone areas which raises questions about how future development would manage stormwater runoff and protect sensitive ecosystems. Residents also worry about whether existing infrastructure, such as Rosedale Road and nearby intersections, could support this level of growth.
Township officials note that no cumulative traffic or other impact studies have been conducted, because without a formal proposal, there is nothing specific to evaluate.
For decades, ETS was widely regarded as an ideal corporate neighbor. Anchored by its contract with the College Board to administer the SAT, the nonprofit built a campus off Rosedale Road complete with walking trails, water features, and the Chauncey Conference Center. ETS supported local causes, hosted educational events, and helped shape amenities like the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.
But the landscape of standardized testing has shifted dramatically. Increased competition, the rise of test-optional admissions policies, and growing criticism of standardized testing have contributed to declining demand. The disruption of Covid-19 accelerated the trends, and in 2024, ETS lost its SAT administration contract with the College Board, ending more than 75 years of direct involvement.
Facing sustained financial pressures and massive workforce reductions, ETS explored options to downsize its headquarters. Within the past year, company leadership approached Lawrence Township expressing interest in selling portions of the campus — potentially to private developers. That interest was formally acknowledged in the township’s June 2025 Fourth Round Housing Plan, where the site was identified under “Consideration of Lands Most Appropriate for Affordable Housing.”
The plan outlines a conceptual framework that could allow up to 800 homes, with 20% set aside for affordable housing, along with limited commercial development. It also notes environmental constraints, including wetlands, vernal pools, flood-prone areas and portions of the Category 1 Stony Brook.
Township officials emphasize that the plan is preliminary. With no applications filed and no approvals granted, any redevelopment would require multiple layers of review at both the planning and zoning levels.
“The elected officials who serve on our council and the appointed officials who serve on our planning board all have a fiduciary obligation to comply with the law and act in the best interests of the community,” said Lawrence Township Municipal Manager Kevin Nerwinski.
Environmental advocates say future reviews will be critical. “We look forward to hearing more details about the proposed redevelopment of the ETS campus,” said Jim Waltman, executive director of The Watershed Institute. “The issues of most interest…will include protection of the site’s forested habitat, management of stormwater runoff, and wastewater treatment and discharge.”
Preservation remains another possible path forward. D&R Greenway Land Trust has indicated a willingness to work with the property’s owners to protect all or part of the site. “D&R Greenway worked with developers and owners in 2001 to preserve Carson Road Woods in Lawrence, Farm View Fields and Greenway Meadows in Princeton, followed by St. Michaels Farm in Hopewell in 2010,” said Linda Mead, president and CEO of D&R Greenway Land Trust. “We are ready to work with the owners-of-record to accomplish a win-win by preserving all or the most critical parts of the ETS property.”
For now, the future of the ETS campus remains uncertain. What is clear is that the conversation is only beginning. One that will likely unfold over years, not months, as competing priorities around housing, environmental protection, and community character come into sharper focus.
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