Overview
In anticipation of the June 30 state deadline to adopt and file a Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, Princeton GROWS has drafted the following suggested list of underdeveloped sites in Princeton that could accommodate a meaningful amount of multifamily units in keeping with smart growth principles.
Background
The passage of P.L. 2024, c. 2 (Assembly Bill 4/Senate Bill 50) in March 2024 ushered in important changes to New Jersey’s fair share housing process. This new fair share law abolished the defunct Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), codified a methodology for calculating fair share obligations, and established a streamlined process for submission and certification of Housing Elements and Fair Share Plans in addition to several other provisions.
One additional provision requires the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to calculate Fourth Round regional need and Present Need and Prospective Need fair share housing obligations for municipalities across the state. DCA calculated these obligations in late 2024 and determined that Princeton has a Present need of 60 units and a Prospective Need of 276 units. Like all municipalities participating in the fair share process, Princeton has until June 30, 2025 to adopt a Housing Element and Fair Share Plan that will provide for these units. For more information, see the following guide.
Recommended sites
Princeton has plenty of underutilized parcels in already-developed, walkable areas throughout the municipality that are good candidates to accommodate affordable housing construction in a manner consistent with smart growth principles. Princeton GROWS presents the following non-exhaustive list of such parcels to help guide municipal planning for the 4th round and beyond. This post is not meant to be a thorough analysis of development feasibility or underlying zoning but rather serves as a set of recommended sites that deserve special consideration for the development of highly needed affordable homes.
Add multifamily housing to PPS Valley Road property and municipal parking lot
Previous design studies have estimated that this collection of sites could host 230 units through a connected series of buildings, double-loaded corridors, and parking on the lower level.
Lower Alexander Street/Springdale Golf Course
This collection of sites along Lower Alexander Street consists of roughly 14 acres (not counting the rest of Springdale Golf Course). At 60 dwelling units per acre, it could host roughly 840 new units of housing. Development of this site, which would likely qualify as transit-oriented development with the Princeton train station nearby, would require working with Princeton University, which owns several of these parcels, including the Springdale Golf Course.
Add housing on top of parking structure at Hullfish and Chambers Streets
This site is 1.16 acres. At 60 dwelling units per acre, it could host roughly 60 new units of housing.
Underutilized properties at Nassau and Harrison Streets
At roughly 5 acres, this collection of sites could accommodate around 300 units of housing, assuming a development intensity of 60 dwelling units per acre. Development on this site could include ground-floor retail spaces for existing retailers such as Whole Earth Center. It would also make much better use of parcels such as the Bank of America parking lot and the Hook and Ladder lot.
Public works lot on John Street
At just over 1 acre, this site could accommodate about 30 units of new housing, assuming a development intensity of 30 dwelling units per acre. Redevelopment of this public works site would also be a welcome change for a largely residential area.
Surface parking lot off of Park Place behind Nassau Street businesses east of Vandeventer Avenue
This site is roughly 2.5 acres, which could host approximately 75 units at a development intensity of 30 dwelling units per acre.
Closing
As stated earlier, this set of recommended sites does not include all sites worthy of multifamily housing development or redevelopment – more may be added at a later date. It also does not include sites recently acquired by the municipality where plans may already be in place (e.g., Westminster Choir College) or sites where redevelopment plans are already underway (e.g., Princeton Theological Seminary site), but Princeton GROWS supports redevelopment on these sites as well. This post is meant to help guide fair share planning for the 4th round and into the future. By making better use of underdeveloped parcels in the municipality, we can do our part to provide highly needed housing for our neighbors, particularly those struggling to or unable to afford currently available homes in Princeton.
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