Proposed additions to three schools in the Princeton Public Schools received a courtesy review by the Princeton Planning Board ahead of a proposed school bond referendum anticipated in January 2025.
The proposed additions and renovations to the Princeton Middle School and the Community Park and Littlebrook elementary schools are needed to meet rising enrollments, school district officials said.
A formal application and public hearing before the Planning Board is not required.
Project architect George Duthie said the plans rolled out before the Planning Board on Sept. 19 are concept plans.
The Princeton Middle School on Walnut Lane will be expanded and renovated to include an improved main entrance and hallway to create a loop to improve the flow of students inside the school, Duthie said.
A one-story, 8,500-square-foot addition to the cafeteria will allow for its expansion, plus a multipurpose room for gym classes and assemblies. A separate entrance to the addition means it can be used after school hours.
A 13,300-square-foot addition at the front of the middle school includes two new science laboratories. Some of the existing rooms will be configured for vocal music and band programs.
At the Community Park School on Witherspoon Street, two additions are planned – a 9,400-square-foot one-story addition and a 4,300-square-foot two-story addition.
The additions accommodate classrooms, a gym and a multipurpose room. Renovated spaces include the music room, the library, the kitchen and the cafeteria.
The expansion and renovation project will house four classrooms for each K-5 grade level. It will allow the school to have two classrooms for a traditional curriculum and two classrooms for the dual language immersion program per grade level.
Additional parking is needed at the Community Park School, Duthie said. The concept plan showed 36 new parking spaces in the corner of the property next to 300 Witherspoon St., which is the former Princeton Packet building.
Cars would enter the parking lot using the existing driveway, and leave via the parking lot at 300 Witherspoon St. The proposal drew some concern from the Planning Board.
Some members questioned whether an agreement was in place with the property owner, and whether there was a need for more parking on site. It was suggested that parents and visitors could park in the municipal parking lot to the north of the school.
Duthie said he would take a closer look at the parking issue.
Planning Board Chairman Louise Wilson asked whether there has been any consideration to improve bicycle and pedestrian access to the Community Park School.
Planning Director Justin Lesko said the sidewalks on the west side of Witherspoon Street, near the school, are being widened to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians.
At the Littlebrook School on Magnolia Lane, a pair of one-story additions are proposed – one for 1,800 square feet and another for 9,500 square feet.
New classrooms and a vocal music room are included in the additions for the grades K-5 school. Several rooms in the existing building would be renovated to provide student support services.
Parking issues also were raised during the review of the Littlebrook School expansion and renovation. The concept plan showed additions parking at the rear of the school.
Planning Board member Nat Bottigheimer said that as many as 90% of school employees commute to work. He asked whether steps could be taken to that school district employees could live in Princeton so they would not need to drive to work.
Wilson agreed. She said she would like to think that some of the new housing that is being built in town would be attractive to school district employees.
Lesko affirmed that about 90% of school district staff live outside of Princeton. About 85% of jobs in town are filled by non-residents.
“It’s the pattern of the town,” he said.
Teachers and staff members cannot afford to live in Princeton because of the cost of housing, he said, adding that he would like to know what it was like in Princeton 30 or 40 years ago.
Wrapping up the meeting, Councilwoman Mia Sacks, who sits on the Planning Board, thanked everyone who has been involved in the process.
“I can’t wait to see how it evolves,” Sacks said.
