Princeton Council Must Reject AvalonBay

To the Editor:

This company

1) advertises that it avoids paying taxes

2) is intransigent in negotiations, rejecting citizen’s suggestions, and repeatedly works to shut down citizen communication with Council.

3) offers design that is outmoded, un-green, & cookie cutter, not designed to complement the surrounding neighborhood or the Master Plan so carefully created by the hospital and the town well before the hospital encountered  AvalonBay.

4) shades truth on need for a pool (“AvalonBay always has one”) although Princeton has just rebuilt its Olympic-size pool next door; on its ability to "do retail” (which it has done elsewhere), on the possible cesspool under the garage (if it smells they will deal with it)….

Despite Avalon's protestations, this project, once completed will strain municipal services (280 units will accommodate how many children? Use how much water? Produce how much” waste, how much traffic and at what hours?)...

We can go on: Avalon’s approach in every possible way defies and contradicts the surrounding community. Most impoartant,

1) Must affordable housing be this ugly? No.

2) Like the towering condos going vacant on Palmer Sq, it will look down on – yes, condescend to -- its neighbors.

3) Whatever is built there will increase tax pressure on existing affordable housing across Witherspoon, already suffering a slow exodus of black families.

4) Any proposal must offer the benefits of upgraded retail complementing the town’s effort to upgrade the Witherspoon Street corridor.

5) And it must re-integrate the Witherspoon neighborhood, which it faces head on, into the rest of the community via permeability and a real park.

I beg the Council to find alternatives, not just settle.

Mary Clurman

Princeton