West Windsor residents got a glimpse of what may be coming to the former American Cyanamid property, now owned by the Howard Hughes Corporation. At a meeting on January 30 at Mercer Oaks, a spokesperson for the developer, John DeWolf, told the audience of about 100, including the mayor and Council members, “we have plans in our heads about what we want, but we want to hear from you. We would like this to be a joint project with the town and its residents.”
DeWolf gave few specifics about what will be built. He did state emphatically that “one thing we will not build is a shopping mall. We won’t build a golf course. There are enough in this area already. We will not build another ‘power center’ such as Nassau Park, or a lifestyle center — those are outmoded, not ‘forward-thinking’ projects.”
Hughes hopes to build a mixed-use development, including homes, DeWolf said. For this to occur, the current commercial zoning designation for the property will have to be changed. “We can work within the existing zoning, but that is not our preference. We are seeking to use the redevelopment process, or a general development plan. But we own the property and will develop it one way or another,” he said.
There was some discussion about how much property would be set aside for open space preservation, with the number varying between 150 to 250 acres. Another Hughes representative clarified that 150 acres is preserved wet lands and coastal flood plain and cannot be developed, 400 acres are slated for development, and the remaining 100 acres is expected to be used as open space but is not required to be.
Several residents and current and former elected officials expressed concerns that significant housing units could have a negative impact on the WW-P school district. When asked if Hughes would consider building a school on the property, DeWolf responded that “all options are open at this point. We are willing to build a school to make this project succeed.”
Regarding traffic, DeWolf stated that, “we start every project by focusing on roads and parking. Our goal is to make this the type of location where people park their cars and walk from building to building. We are committed to fixing any traffic problem or we won’t develop the property.” DeWolf added that the company is open to mass transit options, including building a train station if that is what’s necessary to get the project approved.
