It’s official: The battle of who owns the campus of Westminster has come to an end. As of April 2, the Municipality of Princeton finalized the $42 million acquisition of the original campus of Westminster Choir College through its powers of eminent domain. For many, the purchase of the campus was the long awaited conclusion to the nearly decade-long intense legal conflict over land ownership rights, property licensing, and the hindrances of legal testament. Although the Municipality’s acquisition of the property is absolute, many voices nonetheless are questioning what will happen to the campus now that it has been repossessed.
To this end, Princeton Council President Mia Sacks provides a tentative response. In her own words, it is now time for “the hard work [to begin]” as the Council seeks to “reimagine this historic site to meet urgent public facility needs, while honoring the cultural significance of its past and leaving a legacy for future generations.”
I propose an alternative solution. In order to best position the campus to serve the municipality, there is no better way to do so than to repurpose a portion of the space for affordable housing. In light of the current need for subsidized housing in Princeton, I believe that any plans to the contrary would be a disservice to the community.
The college campus, which lies in the heart of Princeton, has long been a source of public contention. Conflicts first emerged in 1992, when the lauded Westminster was forced to merge with Rider University, citing financial difficulties. As a result of these difficulties, Rider University’s Board of Trustees announced its intention in 2017 to either sell Westminster Choir College or relocate its programs to Rider’s main campus in Lawrenceville, N.J. Despite significant backlash, the Board opted for the latter, and vacated the 30-acre Princeton campus in 2020, relocating Westminster’s programs to Lawrenceville. Only a couple years later in 2024, the Municipality of Princeton started negotiating the sale of the campus from Rider.
At present, the Municipality’s move has further stoked controversy from Princeton residents. The strongest front is the Westminster Foundation, which has taken up arms against the sale of the college to preserve the “cultural phenomenon” of Westminster’s music programming for youth in the arts. Denouncements from residents have dominated several council meetings — and consequently, legitimate propositions for the potential utility of the campus have fallen through the cracks.
I propose that affordable housing be prioritized as a key component of its reconstruction. This is in keeping with Sacks’ outlined priorities for community benefit as well as the designation of eminent domain, which stipulates that Westminster’s original campus must be employed for public use. The location of the campus is ideal as a hub of town activity. Furthermore, the repurposing would further be in keeping with the underlying mission of institutions of higher education to promote access, aid, and community opportunities. By improving the economic diversity of the region and expanding subsidized residency programs, affordable housing can advance social equity and opportunity for upwards mobility therein.
But there is also a more pressing issue at hand: At present, Princeton is currently under court order to supplement the scarcity of affordable housing options within the surrounding area. By the end of 2025, Princeton must construct nearly 800 new affordable housing options in order to fulfill its legal obligations to improve equitable options for residential living. Accordingly, it is imperative that Princeton prioritize this issue when reimagining the original campus of Westminster Choir College.
Although the Save Jugtown movement and the Princeton Historical Society dissented heavily with Princeton’s Affordable Housing Overlay Ordinance on the grounds of historical preservation, neither organization has publicly disputed the purchase of the campus or the potential repurposing of the land. This silence provides a rare window of organized consensus — or at least, a lack of immediate opposition — that the Municipality cannot ignore.
Of course, the construction work will likely be extensive; however, fortunately, Princeton has the funds to sustain such efforts. In addition to the $42 million of compensation, Princeton Municipality also reserved an additional $8 million for “capital improvement” of the property. This fund could easily be funneled into refurbishing a portion of the campus, such as converting former dorm rooms into livable spaces for subsidized housing. This construction initiative would further be in line with recent efforts in New York to convert large scale apartment buildings into residential spaces. Consider the Mosaic Community College as a particularly recent example of this phenomenon, where an $11 million credit enabled the transformation of four dormitory buildings into affordable housing complexes.
That is not to say that alternative solutions have not been considered. Current propositions have explored the uses of the area as a sports field, associated facilities for a nearby arts center, adjunct property of a local public school, or even a collaborative mixed-use redevelopment. Princeton Council has already consulted Topology of Newark as to how “Westminster Choir College site [can best] be reimagined to … meet the long-term needs of the Princeton Community.” In order to advance this imperative, both Topology of Newark and the Princeton Council should seize the opportunity for subsidized housing development.
In the face of rising housing insecurity and the court-mandated construction quota, the municipality must take advantage of the recent availability of Westminster campus with affordable housing in mind. At least, by transforming a portion of the Westminster site into affordable housing, Princeton would be able to partially address a critical need for new infrastructure as part of an integrated multilateral solution. Accordingly, Princeton can honor the original guiding mission of the Choir College even as it continues to build towards a more inclusive and equitable future.
Wynne Conger is a sophomore and prospective SPIA major from Bryn Mawr, Pa. She can be reached by email at wc2918[at]princeton.edu. Her column “Popping the Bubble” runs every three weeks on Monday. You can read all of her columns here.
Correction: A previous version of this piece stated that the Municipality of Princeton had purchased Westminster Choir College from Rider University. In fact, Princeton only purchased the original campus of the college. Rider University continues to operate the academic programs of Westminster Choir College. The ‘Prince’ regrets this error.
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