To the Editor:

Council’s foresight to preserve and utilize the Westminster Choir College campus is commendable.  We have not heard how this purchase will be utilized, so we look forward to public input from our residents for how this asset can be utilized with minimal cost to Princeton’s residents. With the wisdom and financial acumen of our neighbors, we should reconsider past municipal practices of retaining costly consultants who know less about Princeton than its residents.

Use of the existing classroom buildings by the BOE may be feasible if large expenditures are not required to update the facilities to a state-of-the-art design statement. The $49 million purchase price could easily generate additional costs if the entire 23-acre campus is not considered as an income producing opportunity.

With 23 acres, might I suggest that Council consider selling the rear portion (a large expanse of parking lots) for residential development?  Ideally, a 100 percent low to moderate income, moderate density residential community would help Princeton meet its mandated low-income requirement without the current 20 percent developer requirement that has resulted in excessive apartment developments, which will eventually impact BOE school facility capacity.  A partial sale will also offset the $49 million purchase price and potential additional costs for public reuse.

While the purchase may not jeopardize Princeton’s bonding capacity, it will create an additional tax burden to its residents. The ability to retain lower to moderate income residents for the diverse community that Princeton aspires to be are challenged by continuing bond and tax increases for municipal facilities. This acquisition may be a wonderful preservation opportunity, but the initial and potential costs and the ability of partial sale to offset those costs should be considered if we are to encourage and retain Princeton’s diversity.

Peter Madison
Snowden Lane