Princeton officials have ordered a study to determine how several buildings on the former Westminster Choir College campus can be updated for potential reuse by the town.
The Princeton Council has awarded a $74,100 contract to consultant USA Architects to conduct a retrofit study. The municipality acquired the 23-acre campus on Walnut Lane for $42 million in 2025.
The property has been mostly vacant since the former Westminster Choir College was relocated to Rider University’s Lawrence Township campus in 2020. Rider acquired the choir college in 1992.
The architectural firm has been tasked with preparing a cost estimate to retrofit Talbot Library, the Scheide Student Center, Williamson Hall and Erdman Hall. They would be used by several departments that are presently located at Monument Hall and the Suzanne Patterson Building, according to a June 17 letter from USA Architects to the town.
Monument Hall is located at One Monument Drive, off Stockton Street. It had been the former Princeton Borough Municipal Building before Princeton Borough and Princeton Township consolidated in 2013. The Suzanne Patterson Building is located behind Monument Hall.
Williamson Hall is the focal point of the former choir college. The Georgian-style building, which is visible from the main entrance to the campus off Walnut Lane and Hamilton Avenue, is topped by a clock tower. It was used for classrooms, faculty offices, private practice space and recitals.
Talbot Library housed special collections of choral music, and Erdman Hall contained classrooms, individual teaching studios for voice and piano, and specialized keyboard laboratories.
The municipal departments that may be relocated are the Affordable Housing Department, the Health Department, the Human Services Department and the Rental Housing Office, according to the June 17 letter.
The offices of Sustainable Princeton, Catholic Charities and the parking meter office and workshop also may be relocated, along with the multipurpose room at the Suzanne Patterson Building.
USA Architects will study the changes needed to make the four buildings on the Westminster Choir College campus accessible to people with disabilities so they may be used by the public. Concept floor plans will be prepared.
A majority of the buildings on the campus were found to be in poor condition, based on a study by Topology NJ LLC. The Princeton Planning Board declared the campus an area in need of redevelopment in April as a result of the study.
