Bohler Project Helps Princeton Win Smart Growth Award

Rendering: Tangram 3DS

The Princeton Shopping Center has been redeveloped into a mixed-use village featuring inclusionary affordable housing. Owned by Edens and AvalonBay, this project has helped Princeton receive a New Jersey Future Smart Growth Award for revitalizing underutilized areas, including an outdated shopping center and vacant office park.

The redevelopment focuses on enhancing walkability and improving transit access to create a more vibrant community. The first phase involved relocating Walgreens to a new drive-through facility, which is now open. Phase 2, led by AvalonBay, adds a multifamily building with 36 affordable units. Bohler’s Warren, New Jersey team provided site civil engineering design and landscape architecture services. The apartment construction is expected to finish next year. The project also enhances the shopping center with additional seating and open spaces, creating inviting communal areas that seamlessly integrate the new apartments and retail spaces.

Rendering: Tangram 3DS

As part of New Jersey’s fourth-round fair housing obligations, Princeton is required to develop an additional 276 affordable housing units by 2035. This new requirement is in addition to approximately 180 units still needed from prior obligations, totaling around 456 units. Council President Mia Sacks believes these goals are achievable and highlights the potential to leverage the state’s bonus credit system to support development.

Rendering: Tangram 3DS

The implementation of the fourth-round housing obligations is proceeding in a more structured manner than in previous rounds, which faced delays and litigation. With clear guidelines and sufficient time to fulfill the new requirements, Princeton is well-equipped to advance its smart growth and community development initiatives.

Learn more here and catch a video overview here.