EWING – As the $86 million Campus Town project continues to take shape at The College of New Jersey, township and college officials said Friday that the opportunity to strengthen campus-community relations has come into focus.
“I think the community is starting to realize how this all fits together,” said Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, while touring the construction site for the first time with TCNJ President R. Barbara Gitenstein. “Now they’re going to have a greater insight into what the college actually does.”
Gitenstein said Campus Town can serve as a town center for Ewing, even though it’s on the college’s campus. All of the retail shops will be open to the public and there will be parking that is not open to members of the college.
“It’s got wonderful amenities for us obviously, but it will also be an opportunity for the campus to engage with the larger community because all of the retail is for everybody,” Gitenstein said.
That provides greater opportunities for students and residents to interact, she said.
“There’s a recognition on both sides that there are people of goodwill who really want this to work,” Gitenstein said.
Despite some concerns over litter and traffic, Steinmann said he believes Campus Town will be good for township residents. He said he has heard from residents who see the development rising up along the edge of Route 31 and want to know what stores will be there, he said.
When completed, Campus Town will have more than 280,000 square feet of retail and college housing space.
Ewing officials reached an agreement with the Campus Town developer for payments in lieu of taxes of $75,000 in 2014 and 2015, and then $395,000 in 2016. The long term deal includes annual increases for the next 50 years.
Campus Town is opening just as another developer, Lennar, plans to begin work on Parkway Town Center, a similar mixed use concept that will bring about 120,000 square feet of retail space to town along with a large residential component.
Steinmann said that he thinks the two projects will compliment each other, with Campus Town in the center of town and Parkway Town Center on the outskirts.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct that the Campus Town developer reached the deal with the township for payments in lieu of taxes.
Brendan McGrath may be reached at bmcgrath@njtimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @brendanrmcgrath. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.