Planning Board Reviews Concept Plan Of Princeton's Hobson College

PRINCETON, NJ – Princeton University plans to build a new residential college that would replace several buildings across campus. The University presented its concept plans to the Planning Board for review on Feb. 3.

The residential college will be named after Mellody Hobson, a 1991 Princeton graduate. This will be the first residential college at Princeton to be named after a Black woman. Read More Here: Princeton To Rename Residential College After A Black Woman

The University plans to build a new residential college on the site of First College, formerly known as Wilson College.

The plan proposes to demolish seven existing structures, the majority of which were built in the 1960s.

“The buildings that currently comprise of First College do not successfully accommodate the needs of a residential college,” said Ron McCoy, Princeton University architect during the presentation. “We have an opportunity with the capacity within our system to vacate these buildings and create a purpose-built college that will maximize the opportunities to create an appropriate campus community.”

The University is expected to preserve part of Wu Hall, an “architectural landmark.”

Hobson College will be 270,000 square feet and the site is located adjacent to Elm Drive to the west, and Goheen Walk on the south. The location is also between Dillon Gym and McCosh Health Center. Many mature trees at the site will be retained by the University.

The project is expected to accommodate around 503 undergraduate students – 175 first-year students, 175 sophomores, 75 juniors and 75 seniors.

There will be 10 residents graduate students and one resident professional, according to documents.

The upper floors will have small and medium sized lounges, restrooms, study spaces and six small kitchens

If the project is approved the University will set up tents that will serve as dining halls for the students of Butler Hall. Theses tents will remain for the duration of four years, until the project is complete.

A total of 207 bike parking spaces will be offered at the new building. On the lower floors,the new structure will have a number of curricular and cocurricular spaces, including a multipurpose room, two seminar rooms, a common room, and library.

There will also be a kitchen and servery serving the new dining hall for Hobson College, and Butler College.

I understand that a new building is more efficient in terms of its function and design,” basically what you’re proposing is a massive structure with wings as opposed to all these smaller separate buildings

Municipal Planner Michael LaPlace said he understood why the University would want one building instead of “all these smaller, separate buildings,” but questioned the look of the residential college.

“This does not look like central campus to me at all. The colors, the massing, the height seems to me to look more like a corporate and very fish out of water,” he said.

“This is a concept design. At this point what we are focusing on is the warmth of materials and the character and quality of the materials as well,” said McCoy. “We are definitely attuned to the same set of issues.”

In 2020, Hobson made a "lead gift" to the ivy league university, along with the Lucas Family Foundation which she runs with her husband George Lucas, the creator of "Star Wars."

The University plans to begin work on Hobson College in 2023, and is tentatively scheduled to open in the fall of 2026.

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