Housing Heads to Planning Board

Avalon Bay’s proposal to rezone the hospital site for greater density and fewer affordable housing units is headed to the Princeton Regional Planning Board.

Avalon plans to introduce a concept plan shortly.

Princeton Borough Council on Tuesday voted 5-1 to recommend the proposal to the board, but Council member Jenny Crumiller was the lone dissenting vote

She echoed the concerns of many property neighbors and affordable housing advocates who oppose the Avalon’s plan to boost density without proportionally increasing the number of affordable housing units.

“Adding 44 units because the developer wants to make more money seems arbitrary,” Crumiller said. “We are ready for the developer, we want the developer to come in. The developer can build 280 units, all of they have to do is the site plan.”

Avalon is under contract to buy the property after the hospital moves to Plainsboro in May. The plan is to demolish the seven-story 500,000-square-foot building and build rental apartments.

Approved zoning allows 280 units, with 20 percent being designated as affordable. But Avalon wants to increase the number of units to 324 (an increase of 44), while lowering affordable housing percentage from 20 percent to 17.3 percent (a reduction of nine units to 56).

Avalon proposes to build the extra nine units as workforce housing, which could rent to households earning roughly $41,000 to $98,000 year, perhaps even those with a “Princeton preference,” including local volunteer firefighters and rescue workers.

Avalon proposes to rents market rate units, ranging from studios to three bedrooms, for $1,600 to $3,200 per month. Workforce housing would rent for less than that, while “affordable housing” would typically rent at 30, 50 or 60 percent of average median income.

The Borough’s attorney has expressed concern that a “Princeton preference” would require extensive analysis and may invite a lawsuit.

Aside from Avalon Bay and hospital representatives, all of the other public speakers on Tuesday said they oppose Avalon’s proposal to increase density and lower affordability.

“What are we losing,” asked Leighton Newlin, chairman of the Housing Authority of the Borough of Princeton. “We are losing the opportunity to have low, low income housing so that we can preserve the cultural diversity of our community.”

Meanwhile Joe Bardzilowski, a Henry Street resident, has started an online petition opposing Avalon’s proposed zoning changes. As of early Wednesday morning, the petition had 85 signatures.