By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Princeton University’s controversial arts and transit plan has been officially submitted to the Princeton Regional Planning Board for site approvals.
The plan also reveals the university has purchased an additional parcel of land, 152 Alexander St., a former insurance agency with a second floor apartment. The assessed value was $612,600, according to the tax assessor’s office. The sale was official last week.
With this purchase, there is only one parcel of land in the area the university does not own, which gives them the most flexibility with the design of the transit plaza.
”It worked before, it works a lot better now,” said Robert Durkee, vice president and secretary at Princeton University. “There’s more room for the shuttles and cabs that will be coming through there; it frees up additional space to create better movement through the plaza.”
Mr. Durkee declined to disclose the sale price until the sale was complete. The existing building will be knocked down during the construction process when work on the transit plaza construction begins.
”The design we have now submitted makes a few further adjustments in the location and orientation of Steven Holl’s building and we have been able to make even further improvements in the transit plaza as the result of having reached an agreement to purchase the property at 152 Alexander St. that is adjacent to the plaza,” he added.
These plans modify the plans that were made public in February where the arts building was shifted south and designs for the plaza were improved.
”The university’s plans reflect the zoning for this site that was adopted last year by Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, and as our planning has evolved we have continued to try to accommodate suggestions from members of the Princeton community and the university community to create a project that will meet multiple objectives and lead to increased interaction between town and gown,” said Mr. Durkee.
The plans include designs by the Arizona architect Rick Joy for a new Dinky station and Wawa building, and for the renovation of the existing station buildings for a restaurant and café.
The designs for the existing station buildings include an addition to a portion of the eastern side of the southern building to accommodate additional indoor seating and kitchen space and to help frame an outdoor seating area that looks west and south toward McCarter and Berlind theaters and the new arts building and its public plaza.
”Rick Joy’s design for the station building and Wawa reflects sentiment that we heard in a number of community discussions in favor of some separation between the two spaces,” Mr. Durkee added.
The spaces are linked by a covered outdoor space, and the Wawa is conveniently located for Dinky passengers, but it is possible to use the station building without being in the Wawa and to use the Wawa without being in the station building.
”(Mr. Joy) has also created a nice outdoor space between the two where people can wait,” said Mr. Durkee. “It will be a nicely landscaped space between the waiting room and the Wawa. It is responsive to a number of suggestions we have heard from people.”
The plan includes commuter parking, meter parking, drop-off and Wawa parking, and evening and weekend access to the university’s Lot 7 garage.
The restaurant and café timeline are contingent on the abandonment of the New Jersey Transit easement for the rail tracks. NJ Transit has applied to the Department of Environmental Protection to be allowed to abandon the easement as soon as the new rail service is in place instead of waiting five years after train service to the existing station ceases. The Historic Sites Council was in favor of the plan at a hearing least week, but with recommendations.
One of the major changes to the plan is an extension of the existing southern building with addition to accommodate the transition to a restaurant. An outdoor seating area will be framed by the addition and the original portion of the building.
Another possible wrench in the plans is a municipal right of way for transit that was introduced earlier this month, which would impact the university’s plans by forcing the municipality to either buy the land the right of way impacts and go through condemnation proceedings.
”Their right of way would directly conflict with the expansion of the southern building,” said Mr. Durkee.
Last year, there was a failed effort to amendment to the E5 zoning and protect the transit right of way.
The first arts building on the site will be the Steven Holl-designed Lewis Center for the Arts, named for Peter Lewis, whose $100 million donation made the project possible.
Modifications to the zoning were made last year to allow for the construction of the arts buildings.
The plans include infrastructure improvements on the site and adjacent roadways, a multi-modal transit center and extensive landscaping.
The university’s plans continue to include a roundabout at the intersection of Alexander Street and University Place and an access roadway from Alexander Street to the university’s Lot 7 garage.
There is also lawsuit pending that would permanently prevent Princeton University from moving the terminus of the Dinky.
Princeton plans to move the terminus 460 feet south to accommodate its project on University Place at Alexander Street.
