To the Editor:

We are concerned citizens who have been closely following the redevelopment of the hospital block since 2004, the beginning of two years of meetings between the neighborhood, hospital representatives, and the community. The result was zoning created specifically for the site.

The new zoning designated a density for the hospital site much greater than that in the surrounding neighborhoods — up to 280 units for the 5.63 acre site. The density was premised on maintaining two seven-story portions of the hospital. In return, residents were to benefit from the improvement of the “pedestrian environment” along Witherspoon Street, “new construction compatible with surrounding buildings”, an “enhanced system” of “public open spaces and pathways that provide linkages between and through the development as well as the surrounding neighborhood,” and green LEED construction. Retail was to be encouraged on the first floor fronting Witherspoon. (Master Plan, 2006/ Borough Code).

We ask that no developer be granted any changes to zoning (including signage and a leasing office) until they have met these requirements for public open space, a design compatible with the neighborhood, and LEED construction. AvalonBay, the prospective developer in a contingency contract with the hospital, has disregarded both the Master Plan and Borough Code.

We also request that no changes to zoning be made until a fiscal impact analysis is performed to see whether the redevelopment will bring a net increase or decrease to property taxes. Ratables and costs due to the redevelopment mentioned at the April 19 meeting of the Planning Board indicate that an analysis is essential. Councilwoman Trelstad mentioned $1M a year in property tax revenue, but Mayor Moore estimated over $1million per year in costs to educate schoolchildren (additional costs are police, fire, sewer, housing inspections, health department, municipal administration, and roads). AvalonBay states in their annual report that “we aggressively pursue real estate tax appeals,” and they use a national property tax assistance company (PTA) to negotiate lower taxes. PTA boasts of AvalonBay that they have reduced their property taxes by nearly 30 percent.

Finally we request that no changes to zoning be made until due diligence is performed on AvalonBay to investigate their extensive record of alleged OSHA violations, tenant complaints, safety issues, and violations of wage laws. AvalonBay uses non-union subcontractors and has been issued serious citations by OSHA for job hazards. They settled a civil rights lawsuit brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office for housing discrimination. When an AvalonBay apartment building was destroyed by fire in Quincy, Massachusetts, a report by State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan attributed the cause to an attic that did not conform to building code. He was quoted in the Boston Globe as saying, “I am extremely concerned when so many units of housing are lost in a single fire, especially when the building is sprinklered” (Nov. 11,  2011).

We therefore consider AvalonBay a risky developer for Princeton, We urge all municipal officials, as well as Princeton hospital, to think twice before allowing this project to go forward without proper safeguards for our community.

Joe Bardzilowski, M. Evelyn Bardzilowski,
Henry Avenue
and 11 others