WEST WINDSOR: Mayor plans next steps on redevelopment

By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
   WEST WINDSOR — Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh was happy to sign into law the ordinance that enacted the redevelopment plan for the train station area, following its approval by Township Council last week.
   That’s because now, five years after the process began, the plan is in the hands of the township administration to begin working out its implementation, he said.
   With the rezoning in place, the township can begin to negotiate with state and county agencies as well as property owners to secure road and infrastructure financing and begin to lay out the ground work, he said.
   Mayor Hsueh said he has already contacted the Office of Smart Growth, a state agency that works to guide future growth into compact, mixed-use development and redevelopment, while protecting the environment.
   The office will coordinate an interagency meeting between the township and N.J. Transit, the state Department of Transportation, the state Economic Development Authority and the Department of Environmental Protection.
   ”There are so many contact coordinations that we have to work on,” he said, adding that this will take at least six months.
   Although it will be years before the first shovel is in the ground, it is important to start now to retain the interest of those agencies that would invest in the project, he said.
   ”I’m very happy to see we are moving to the next step,” he said.
   The township also may now issue a request for qualifications and proposals from developers, Mayor Hsueh said. Specific proposals will be prepared with all of the required analyses of fiscal, environmental and social impacts, he said.
   This will eventually bring the controversial housing element of the plan into action. Housing will be concentrated next to the train station and over retail stores on the township’s main street, Route 571, according to the plan.
   The plan calls for about 500 housing units in the entire redevelopment area, including 350 in the transit village. The units will be phased in conjunction with the school board.
   The plan leaves open the option for more units, based on negotiations with the developer to provide more amenities for the township. An increase would require approval by council.
   Mayor Hsueh also said he will focus on providing parking for West Windsor residents. The plan calls for parking garages restricted to the west side of the train station.
   ”That is something I’m going to view as a top priority,” he said.
   Another priority, Mayor Hsueh said, will be working with county and state agencies to improve the plan’s “Main Street” along Route 571, particularly in making it bike and pedestrian friendly. A recent study by the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance ranked the intersection of Route 571 with Cranbury Road as the most dangerous in the township.
   The township also has begun to clean up the compost station site along Alexander Road, located within the 350-acre redevelopment area, he said. The township received a $5,537 grant to fund a preliminary assessment for hazardous materials on the 7.4-acre property. If possible, the site will be turned into temporary surface parking, he said.
   ”We will have to do investigations to look into if we have toxic or associated problems,” he said.