By: Dick Brinster
EAST WINDSOR The plan by McGraw-Hill Companies to build a $100 million data center on its township property was given the go-ahead by the Planning Board just five days after the global information services provider announced its proposal.
The board on Monday night gave the New York-based publishing giant preliminary and final minor site plan approval, Mayor Janice Mironov said.
"They said they were eager to begin construction," the mayor said. "They are going to be taking steps to move forward and talked about a 17-month construction schedule."
She said the company is in compliance will all zoning regulations.
CEO Harold McGraw III announced last week that a 180,000-square-foot area of a warehouse will be used for the center. He said it will provide a high-tech foundation for future business growth by allowing the corporation to deliver an increasing amount of its financial, educational and business information products digitally with greater timeliness, security and reliability.
McGraw-Hill is the largest employer in the township. About 1,000 of its 20,000 worldwide personnel work here. The proposal will not add any jobs. But the plan is expected to create additional tax revenue for the township, the mayor has said.
McGraw-Hill plans to builds the center in the 350,000-square-foot south building on Princeton-Hightstown Road, and said last week that it hopes to be fully operational by early 2008. Overall, McGraw-Hill has three buildings here totaling 800,000 square feet.
The board on Monday also held a hearing and approved an amendment to the township’s Master Plan to accept a new transportation study.
The Township Council in July unveiled the study, which the mayor says will guide the municipality through the coming years of growth and additional demand sure to be placed on the community’s roads. The study cites proposed improvements with an estimated cost of $13 million. Mayor Mironov has said the study also will provide the basis for assessments to developers for contributions to the transportation system when they seek building applications. Much of the study deals with changes around major intersections.

