To the Editor:

There have been letters in local media commenting negatively on my plans to renovate existing apartments and construct new ones on Witherspoon Street. It is important that I correct their inaccuracies.

A number of years ago my late architect wife, Barbara, and I began to design the restoration of 16 Witherspoon Street properties. When we bought them, we knew that they all needed significant renovations, but we believed that they all have great character, storied histories, and deserved to be faithfully restored. I strongly doubt that a “developer” would give this project the care and attention to detail that we have.

From the start, our plans included accommodating the 16 families and 16 single tenants living in the existing studio apartments, duplexes, and single-family homes.

Our property manager, with a bilingual staff member, reviewed our plans with each tenant in individual meetings and developed a specific plan with each tenant. The only thing I could not tell them was when all this would happen — given the complicated approval process, I still have no idea when construction might begin. When it does start, the four stages will take at least 2-1/2 years.
Our tenants were offered the following options:

Plan A: In most cases, while the building with your unit is being renovated, you may move temporarily to a new unit within our project at the same rent as your current unit. Once your original site is renovated, you can move back to a new unit there. The rent for that new unit will be higher due to new air-conditioning, sprinklers and new kitchens and bathrooms but will be kept at a level which provides me no profit until the construction at that site is complete.

Plan B: If you prefer to move elsewhere, we will pay you $2,000 of moving expenses and you can apply your security deposit with us toward your new security deposit.

Plan C: You might want to apply to Princeton’s affordable housing program. We know how complicated that can be, so we hired a bilingual specialist to do the application with you. All of Princeton’s affordable housing is supervised by Princeton Community Housing and that will be the case with our units.

I know of no other developer anywhere who has done this much for existing tenants during the construction period and I am proud to have made these options available to our existing tenants.

I have been frustrated for many years by the state regulations which forbid a “Princeton preference” for folks now living in Princeton who clearly would qualify for our affordable units.

After the affordable units and the existing tenants are housed, the remaining units will be studio units intended for what we all call the “missing middle” — folks who cannot afford to live in Princeton, but who are essential to the ongoing functionality of the Princeton community.

Who are those folks? They are the sous chefs, the servers, hotel staff, and perhaps first-year teachers, librarians, or firefighters. For them, the new market units will rent for something like 30 percent of a $50,000 to $75,000 salary — hardly “prestigious” housing.

Finally, please note that our project is in Princeton’s 20th Historic District. We have proposed the extensive renovation and beautification of the homes facing Witherspoon Street. Due to feelings in the neighborhood, we have chosen not to build the four-story buildings that the zoning allows. We will maintain a 35-foot height for each new building.

I thank the Historic Preservation Committee for their unanimous vote in favor of our project.

I hope that this letter adequately responds to the incorrect statements made about my project. No one bothered to call me for this explanation. When they are finished, our plans will be on file with the Planning Board and you can see them online or in their office.

Bob Hillier
Hillier Properties
Witherspoon Street

Note: The writer is also publisher of Town Topics newspaper.