Current use of land termed a drag on economic development.
By: David Campbell
A consulting firm’s review of a redevelopment proposal for a downtown garage in Princeton Borough called the current use of the land as surface parking lots out of step with current needs and a drag on economic viability of the downtown during a Planning Board session Thursday night.
"I think they made a pretty persuasive case," said Planning Board Chairwoman Victoria Bergman of the report, prior to the meeting. "The area definitely needs something, and I think it’s time for something to happen there."
Princeton Borough is proposing a four-level garage with 483 spaces at the site of the Park & Shop lot at Spring and Witherspoon streets and on top of a new building on the Tulane Street lot. The plan also includes a public square, shops, apartments and a possible food market.
"As we’ve known right along, the expansion of the library in the downtown area has made the provision of adequate parking that much more critical," said Princeton Borough Mayor Marvin Reed, who sits on the Planning Board.
"Borough Council with the Princeton Township Committee came to the agreement that the best solution was to replace the existing lots not only with new lots, but with a plaza with additional retail and residential apartments, and basically make that area an attractive part of the library redevelopment," Mayor Reed said.
Under state law, before the borough can assign a developer for the project, the Planning Board must declare the site to be in need of redevelopment, and a redevelopment plan must be drafted and approved by Borough Council.
In January, the borough submitted a formal request asking the Planning Board to undertake a preliminary investigation of the site’s suitability for redevelopment.
On Thursday night, the Atlantic Group, the consulting firm hired by the borough to conduct that investigation, presented its findings to the board.
Larry Houstoun, a principal with the Atlantic Group, told the board that the downtown proposal meets the criteria for redevelopment under the New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.
"These lots (as they exist) represent yesterday’s solution to downtown parking, he said.
Mr. Houstoun said the current use of the land makes the downtown less competitive.
"The existing surface parking inhibits bringing potential new vitality to the downtown," he said. "The current land use stands in the way of more innovative and creative land use."
He called the present use of the site "stagnant and unproductive" and said a "strong case" can be made for redevelopment.
Echoing Mr. Houstoun, Ms. Bergman said the area currently "is not being as productive as it might be given the location of the land. It can be more attractive, it can be more productive, and you’ve got to start somewhere."
A public hearing to review the report is planned for Feb. 21. The board will make its recommendation of site suitability to the Borough Council thereafter.
The council is then expected to review the board recommendation and draft its redevelopment plan with proposed changes to existing zoning, said Princeton Planning Director Lee Solow.
That report must be reviewed by the Planning Board before the council approves it, Mr. Solow said.
The borough on Jan. 31 sent out requests for qualification to developers and expects responses by Feb. 20.
Borough officials hope to have narrowed down their selection for a developer for the project by August.