By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
A Princeton University official says the Dinky station on University Place is going to be moved eventually, even if a proposed arts and transit plan fails to gain the zoning it needs to build an arts center on the site.
”If we are able to go forward with the arts and transit project, we will relocate the terminus as we have described in that plan,” wrote Robert Durkee, vice president and secretary of Princeton University in an email to The Packet in response to questions about property ownership rights.
”If we are not able to develop this area for the arts, we will develop it within existing zoning, but in that case we also will relocate the terminus to allow for a more attractive and integrated development and provide access to our Lot 7 garage which, among other things, reduces traffic congestion and achieves important sustainabity goals.”
The area is not zoned for educational purposes, which is holding up the plans for a $30 million Lewis Center for the Arts complex, which not only moves the Dinky 460 feet to the south, but offers a new indoor station, a new Wawa and restaurant spaces. The Lewis Center is proposed to be a mix of arts and education spaces.
”One of the messages that seems to get lost in the discussion of this area is that the question before the governing bodies is not whether the area gets developed; the question is whether it gets developed for the arts or for other purposes,” wrote Mr. Durkee.
”If the governing bodies choose not to provide the zoning necessary to develop the area for the arts, then it will be developed within the existing zoning and we will have to construct our arts buildings elsewhere,” he wrote.
Princeton University released what it believes to be a clarification of its rights to move the Dinky station this week by circulating a letter to municipal officials and the media written by the executive director of NJ Transit.
The letter says NJ Transit “has no objection to this proposal” and “that such a move was specifically contemplated in the Oct. 30, 1984, agreement of sale between NJ Transit and the university for the station property.”
The university paid just under $900,000 in 1984 for the station properties, said Mr. Durkee.
Township Mayor Chad Goerner said “They have an agreement with NJ Transit and NJ Transit presented their interpretation of that agreement.”
He hopes subcommittee currently negotiating with the university can come to an agreement on the project that everyone can support.
”As I understand it, the purpose of the subcommittee is to see if we can reach agreement on a set of transit-related issues that members of Borough Council and Township Committee would like to see addressed before acting on the zoning issues,” said Mr. Durkee. “We agreed to participate in these discussions with the understanding that they would have a deadline of the end of April. The subcommittee is meeting weekly.”
Borough officials have not had a chance to formulate a group consensus on the issue, but Council President Kevin Wilkes did offer this statement: “Mr. Weinstein suggests in his letter that the arts and transit plan to move the Dinky 460 feet southward was specifically contemplated in the October 1984 agreement. I find that hard to believe.”
The letter reinforces the university’s opinion that it has the right to do whatever it chooses with its property.
”I don’t have the letter with me,” wrote Mr. Durkee, “but one of the things it points out is that the university’s right to relocate the terminus is not tied to any specific project. The only thing the letter does is confirm in writing what we have been saying all along.”
”The agreement allows us to (move the station) as long as we cover the costs, and the letter simply provides confirmation that this is so.”
The letter, dated March 25, states that the “university’s authorization torelocate the Dinky station is unrelated to any particular developmentproposal for the current station site and its vicinity.”
It also says that any movement of the station is at the university’s soleexpense and a 170 foot platform must be kept.
The arts and transit plan has been the subject of heightened controversy since a January meeting that ended with the university saying it was pulling the plug on the arts and transit plan because municipal officials did not give assurances that necessary zoning changes would be approved.
”The project continues to evolve and undoubtedly will continue to do so as specific aspects of it are designed in greater detail,” Mr. Durkee wrote. “There may be some design changes necessary to accommodate the outcome of the subcommittee discussions if we are able to come to agreement.”
Borough officials heard plans for a first draft of proposed zoning changes at its March 22 meeting, where clarification of the university’s rights to move the Dinky terminus was requested.
