Planning begins for visiting faculty housing on Olden Street

Princeton University officials are in the early stages of planning for a new facility to house visiting faculty members on the northwest corner of Olden and William streets in Princeton Borough.

The facility would be designed and developed by local architect and developer J. Robert Hillier.

The property is located in a small residential neighborhood between the University's Engineering Quadrangle and Friend Center for Engineering Education and businesses on Nassau Street. Two unoccupied apartment structures currently stand on the property and would be demolished. A third house and garage on the property were taken down more than 15 years ago.

The multi-story building would encompass approximately 12,000 square feet and would be constructed of sustainable materials. It would contain approximately 15 one-bedroom units of approximately 650 square feet each.

Hillier, who earned an A.B. in 1959 and MFA in 1961 from Princeton, both in architecture, founded Hillier Architecture in 1966 and led it to become the third largest architectural firm in the United States.

University officials and Hillier soon will be meeting with neighbors who live adjacent to the property to discuss the project, and intend to present plans to the Princeton Borough Zoning Board later this year.

Redevelopment of the property was anticipated in the University's 10-year Campus Plan.