By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — It has frequently been labeled as the 800-pound gorilla in the room, and at 653 acres, it almost has as much land area as the metaphorical ape has pounds.
It is a property known as the Wyeth tract, and has continually been said at township meetings and within the community that whatever development is constructed there could end up having major consequences on the township’s overall development pictures, tax base, and number of school-age children.
Currently owned by General Growth Properties of Chicago, the sprawling site — which straddles both sides of Clarksville Road — has changed hands several times over the past decade, as several companies purchased the property, or were swallowed up by another company.
General Growth representatives remain mum about what could happen there.
Officials said they do not have any information about the property that is ready to be made public, as of yet.
”At this point there is no news I can share with you,” said General Growth Properties spokeswoman Gabrielle Koeppel. “We have not filed any plans yet.”
But some West Windsor officials speculated recently that the property will likely see some sort of mixed-use development and open space uses in the future, based on previous conversations they have had with General Growth representatives.
”They have not communicated officially with us at any time,” said Planning Board Chairman Marvin Gardner. “But they have sort of hinted they might do something in the near future.”
Mr. Gardner said that he has had infrequent contact with company officials over the years, as the property went through ownership changes in a two-month period in 2004.
When Wyeth still owned the former American Cyanamid property, the company held community meetings to gather input on the property, but in June of 2004 the company sold the tract to the Rouse Co. for about $35 million.
That company was in turn acquired by General Growth Properties in August of 2004, only two months later.
Despite the appearance of previous planning efforts moving forward, the economic downturn and the sinking real estate market may have had an effect on General Growth moving forward with its plans for the property, Mr. Gardner said.
To put the potential impact of the development of the Wyeth tract in perspective, it is roughly twice the size of the township’s 350-acre redevelopment area around the Princeton Junction train station, although it would require a zoning change to accommodate mixed-use development, township officials said.
Currently, it is scattered with various research buildings and agricultural facilities all in various stages of disuse, interspersed with tall grasses and weeds.
But what it could turn into is what has attracted its purchase by several different companies over the past decades, and why township officials say they plan to keep a close eye on the Wyeth tract, and keep in contact with General Growth Properties.
”It will definitely have a major impact on future of this township,” Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said.
The mayor has said he would like to see open space and good traffic planning be a theme for whatever is done with the property.
