For years the deteriorating and unfinished retail buildings between the Ellsworth Center and the train tracks have been the object of negative comments from the West Windsor community. But at the October 3 Zoning Board meeting the negative comments were coming from the attorney representing the owner of the unfinished center.
The board was hearing Shawn Ellsworth’s application to increase the size and scope of his retail center at the corner of Princeton-Hightstown and Cranbury roads, by adding 18 apartment units to second story space above his existing retail space. As part of the overall plan, which also calls for expanded retail space, Ellsworth is seeking use variances for two residential properties he also owns that are adjacent to his commercial property. He plans to turn one parcel into a parking lot and the other into a storm water management site.
As requested at the previous Zoning Board meeting, the Ellsworth team, including attorney Mark Solomon and engineer Rob Korkuch, presented additional analysis of the traffic in the area, taking into account peak rush hour times. Ellsworth acknowledged that a long line of traffic can build up along Cranbury Road, but noted that this traffic was destined for the train station, rather than the Ellsworth center, particularly during the morning rush hour, when a slight increase in traffic was noted.
But Jeffrey Baron, a lawyer for Jacinto Rodrigues, the owner of the adjoining property (Ellsworth II, the undeveloped parcel next to the current shopping plaza), then asked questions regarding the placement of the landscaping, the height and width of the trees and shrubs, and the proposed buffers between the new development and the adjoining properties. The attorney commented that, according to the design, the amount of landscaping adjacent to his client’s property appeared to be sparser than in other sections of the site.
Ellsworth’s lawyer conceded this was the case. But, as has been noted by West Windsor officials, the township is considering a revision of its redevelopment plan to include the right of eminent domain, specifically to take control of the property, which dates back to 1988 and which has been a bone of contention between the township and Rodrigues (WW-P News, August 25, 2006).
No decision was reached on the Ellsworth redevelopment application, and the matter was continued to Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal building.
Meanwhile the Zoning Board has scheduled a special meeting Tuesday, October 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Meeting Room A of the municipal building, 271 Clarksville Road. That meeting will enable the board to hear two applications that otherwise would have been stacked up behind the Ellsworth matter: an application from Princeton Pong to open a ping-pong center at 745 Alexander Road (across from Roszel Road); and an application from BVCI Associates to open a martial arts studio at 51 Everett Drive.
“Unfortunately, the Ellsworth application had to be continued to November 7,” said Township land use manager Sam Surtees. “We already had variance requests scheduled for that meeting, as well as ones for December and January. Rather than push all of them out even further, I decided to see if we could schedule a special session to hear some earlier. If I am able to schedule another meeting in the next month or so, I will do so.”
