Princeton Nurseries, 1,900 Acres, Preserved

This is a big, big, big one that pretty much anyone in the know already knows about. But, since this is a site of record, and we are definitely acre whores around here, it's certainly one that must be included.

This article originally appeared in Times of Trenton. Photograph by Michael Mancuso:

A wide swath of rolling hills and rich farmland in three counties ... will will be permanently preserved after the state finalized a $28 million purchase yesterday from a family that cultivated the land for generations.

The land runs in large part along Crosswicks Creek and stretches across 1,900 acres in Mercer, Monmouth and Burlington counties, the Department of Environmental Protection said. It will be used for open space, farms and wildlife refuges.

“This has been a long time in the works, and this is a wonderful opportunity for the central part of New Jersey,” DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said. “It’s beautiful property, surrounded by rolling countryside, and we’re going to preserve some spectacular scenery.”

The terrain covers nearly three square miles, including the largest portion in Upper Freehold and the rest in Hamilton and North Hanover. It was previously part of Princeton Nurseries, once one of the largest commercial plant nurseries in the country.

Founded by the Flemer family in 1913, the company moved to Allentown in the 1980s and its former properties were gradually developed, sold to Princeton University and other buyers or targeted for preservation.

“Future generations of farmers and nature lovers will together enjoy these beautiful lands that have meant so much to the William Flemer and John Flemer families,” the family said in a DEP news release. “We are grateful to the people of the state of New Jersey for their support of the preservation of precious open space and irreplaceable farmland in our state.”

Covering an area where the three counties meet, the purchase will help connect thousands of acres of existing county park lands and greenways along the creek, the DEP said. It includes grasslands, mature forests and forested wetland, and recreational activities such as hiking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting and bicycle riding will be available throughout.

More than 1,000 acres will be preserved as open space, including a 512-acre state wildlife management area, which will be overseen by the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. An additional 847 acres will be permanently available for agricultural uses thanks to the acquisition of development rights on the land, the agency said.

“Everyone always kind of had their eye on this property for preservation, but not until (the Flemer family members) were ready did we pursue anything,” said Renee Jones, a spokeswoman for the DEP’s Green Acres program. “We had many, many, many meetings about how to divide out the property, about what the owners wanted to keep as farmland versus what they wanted as open space.”

Funding came from several sources, including Green Acres Program, the State Agriculture Development Committee and Burlington and Monmouth counties. Mercer County contributed $1.6 million, according to the law firm Drinker Biddle, whose Princeton office represented the Flemer family in the deal.

86 Acres Preserved in Hopewell Twp, Mercer County

I used to live and work near this area. It's stunning, and efforts to preserve the land like this will only help keep it that way.

Press release courtesy D&R Greenway Land Trust.

LAST week, D&R Greenway preserved 22 acres in East Amwell Twp, Hunterdon County.   THIS week, we preserved 86 acres in Hopewell Twp, Mercer County!

With your help and with the outstanding support of our partners, on June 21st D&R Greenway purchased 86 acres of meadows and forest for permanent preservation. These rolling fields and woodlands represent one of the last missing connections in the Stony Brook Greenway. Thanks to our funding partners: the New Jersey Green Acres Program, Mercer County, Hopewell Township,  Hopewell Borough and Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.  This land connects the Stony Brook south of Rte. 518 to the Cedar Ridge Preserve north of Rte. 518, a D&R Greenway 'Signature Preserve'. The property offers beautiful views toward the Sourlands ridge and will link the Stony Brook to the Sourlands. Mature forest supports a diverse native canopy and rich herbaceous layer. The structure and composition of these areas provide important habitat for forest-dwelling wildlife species.  Protected native species in the stream corridor include pinxster azalea, false hellebore, smooth yellow violet, cutleaf toothwort, and Canada mayflower. Open fields will provide for high quality pollinator and grassland species habitat.   "My parents bought this land in 1950 and I grew up here. My wife, Jody, and I, have now shared this property longer than they did -- over 30 years. We wanted to preserve this land to keep the special qualities of our community." -Townsend Olcott, landowner

NJ.com: West Windsor sets a summer opening for restored farmstead

It's not an announcement on preserving a new piece of land. But, having lived in that area for several years, I am familiar with the writer's comments on West Windsor's (way too many) shopping centers, highways and modern subdivisions. There are still some very, very nice parcels there, however, including here.

Originally appeared on NJ.com.

WEST WINDSOR — This township of shopping centers, highways and modern subdivisions can still lay claim to a piece of its past — a big piece, in fact.

Officials say they are very close to finishing a 15-year project to restore a farmhouse property from the 1750s that will offer a step back in time for legions of school children, tourists and history buffs.

The historic Schenck Farmstead on Southfield Road has had a makeover that includes a renovated carriage house, the installation of a one-room schoolhouse moved from another location in the township and rebuilt, and, now, the creation of an education center inside a big barn on the property.

Outside the idyllic homestead that brings to mind thoughts of lemonade and porch swings on warm summer afternoons, the grounds are filled with antique farm machinery, on display for young and old inquiring minds alike.

The barn, once its contents are reorganized, will offer a wealth of other historical items. 
“When we talk about sense of communities, I want people to not only understand the history of West Windsor, but understand the environment, the natural resources we have in West Windsor,” Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said. “It’s not just demographic or human side. It’s also the environment we live in.”

The work to improve exhibits and offerings at the Schenck house was the fruit of hard-working volunteers and hundreds of thousands of dollars, township officials said.
Steeped in the township’s agricultural history, the farmstead will also be available for weddings and other gatherings.

The gravel entrance gives way to a small sea of farm equipment from the Civil War up to the 1930s. The rusted remains are a reminder of a self-sustaining time when plows were pulled by horses and the barn’s oak beams were masterfully sawed by hand.

The environmental education center is currently being designed inside a portion of the renovated 3,700 square foot red barn by Redmond-Jones and Associates, a Swarthmore, Pa., firm that provides services for museums and other organizations.

Last week, town council approved a resolution to pay Redmond-Jones and Associates $7,500 to develop the concept and design phase of the environmental project at the Schenck barn. The funds come out of the township’s capital improvement fund, business administrator Robert Hary said.

West Windsor land use manager Sam Surtees has been in charge of the renovations to Schenck since it began. And while commercial projects in West Windsor tend to take years, that wasn’t supposed to happen with the Schenck Farmstead.

“I didn’t think it would take this long,” he said.

Surtees gives credit to Hsueh and council for their “slow patience to get it done right,” he said.

The center will display artifacts that date back to a time when farming was a part of everybody’s life, Surtees said. The West Windsor Historical Society and Environmental Commission have been in charge of tagging each item for display.

The environmental center will share space with the artifacts room, where a replica of a general store with historical items like an old cash register, a sales ledger dated July 1900, and a glass case with other treasures will be open to the public.

Additional improvements to the Schenck Farmstead include work done on the 528 square foot carriage house, which is adjacent to the barn, and improvements to the 704 square foot first schoolhouse of West Windsor.

The schoolhouse was originally located on Clarksville Road, opposite the current Maurice Hawk Elementary School, before it was moved to the Schenck Farmstead in the mid 1990s, Surtees said. Much of the original wood had deteriorated, and 80 percent has been restored. Inside, old-fashioned school desks with ink wells are lined in a row, facing a chalkboard and American flag.

Much of the original framework dates back to 1880-1890, Surtees said.
West Windsor Environmental Commission liaison and landscape architect Dan Dobromilsky, said the barn was reconstructed a few years ago, to include electric and a heating and cooling system. Bathrooms and the environmental center are expected to be added by this summer, he said.

Tours of the Schenck Farmstead to be offered on Sundays from 1-4 p.m. are expected to begin this summer.

East Windsor Acquires 47.55 Acres

Have to love the comment from the numbnuts on this story, especially after the story notes no taxpayer money was used in the land acquisition. Sigh.

This originally appeared on East Windsor Patch

East Windsor Acquires 47.55 Acres for Open Space Preservation

East Windsor Township acquired 40 acres on Etra Road and 7.55 acres on Airport Road for open space preservation, according to a news release.

“Preserving these properties as open space will directly contribute to and enhance the attractiveness of our community and the living environment for our residents,” Mayor Janice Mironov said in a news release. “Acquisition of these properties represents another excellent step in further expanding open space and potential recreational opportunities.”

The $1,100,000 purchase price of the Etra Road property was underwritten by several grants, including Green Acres, Mercer County open space grants and New Jersey Turnpike Authority funds, the release said. The Airport Road property, which is wooded, has some wetlands and a pervious parking lot, was donated by Pulte Homes to be used for open space.

“These acquisitions are a continuation of a major goal of the Township to preserve farmland and open space for the benefit of current and future residents of East Windsor Township,” Mironov said.

No property taxpayer money was used to acquire the land, the release said.
More than 2,600 acres in the Township have been permanently preserved as open space and farmland, according to Mironov.

“With these most recent grants, the total amount of Green Acres funds approved to date through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the Township and East Windsor Green Space is over $6.35 million, along with approximately $3 million in Mercer County open space grants and over $2 million in developer donations,” she said.

35 More Acres Preserved in Princeton

From the D&R Greenway Land Trust.


I remember this issue was bubbling when I was living in Princeton a few years ago. It's great to see something of a positive resolution finally come.

On September 22, D&R Greenway preserved a critical woodland property, adding 35 more acres to the 953 acres and 14 properties in Princeton already preserved by D&R Greenway with help from our partners. A new trail will open next spring connecting this land to Herrontown Woods and the Ricciardi tract preserved by our partners.

D&R Greenway would like to thank its partners in this acquisition: 

• NJ Green Acres Program
• Mercer County
• Princeton Township
• Friends of Princeton Open Space
• A generous anonymous donor

Wendy Mager, President of Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), talks about the collaboration: "FOPOS is delighted that we could support D&R Greenway in the acquisition of the All Saints' land.  It forms a crucial link in a connecting trail system.  We look forward to working with D&R Greenway to create trails where folks can enjoy these beautiful woods."

Located in the ecologically valuable Princeton Ridge, the volcanic diabase rock that underlies the Ridge supports unique woodlands. The extensive woods include countless giant, venerable specimens of trees that thrive in rocky soil typical of the Ridge - sweet gum, black birch, bigleaf aspens, musclewood, as well as oaks, hickories and tuliptrees. As a deep interior forest (that is, one that is more than 600 feet wide), it supports birds that depend on old trees for food, such as the pileated woodpecker, and birds that nest in old forests including wood thrush and scarlet tanager. 

D&R Greenway has now preserved 15,091 acres of land throughout New Jersey since 1989.

27.6 acres to be preserved in West Windsor

West Windsor locks in JCC open space deal
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Bridget Clerkin
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

By Bridget Clerkin

WEST WINDSOR -- Putting an end to two years of deliberation, the West Windsor town council decided unanimously to approve an acquisition of 27.6 acres of open space along Clarksville Road from the Jewish Community Campus of Princeton Mercer Bucks at Monday night's meeting.

As the "yes" votes proceeded down the line of council members, the packed chamber erupted with cheers and applause from the many residents who came to support the $1.38 million purchase.

"We did it!" exclaimed Alison Miller, president of the Friends of West Windsor Open Space organization, which has pledged to contribute $100,000 to the purchase price of the land.

"We feel great, we feel great," Miller said. "This is a vindication of the process and the people and the value of the land. We're so pleased. We've worked so hard."

The land comes from an 81-acre tract earmarked for a Jewish community center that has yet to be completed. The township's acquisition has been seen as vital by environmentally-concerned supporters, as it butts up against Duck Pond Park and a wetlands area that has recently been the site of a nesting ground for great blue herons, which have a very low population level in New Jersey.

Before casting their final votes on the issue, several council members explained to the crowd that the desire to purchase the land was never a question to the council, and that it was the appraisals of the land -- two assessments done by two separate agents chosen from a list of state-certified experts -- which caused them to stall. The assessments were used to negotiate the ultimate price of the purchase.

"We have no opposition to acquiring open space, we just had an issue with the price, but I feel now we have reached a resolve," said George Boreck, one of the council members who had pushed for a third appraisal of the property.

Boreck along with Councilwoman Linda Geevers have been vocal in recent months about their idea to consult a commercial real estate broker for another assessment of the land, in order to get an idea of the price in relation to the current downtrodden real estate market.

The council entertained that idea, allowing Boreck and Geevers to consult the agent, but in the end did not use that information during negotiations with the JCC.

"I had an issue with the appreciation of the price over time," Geevers said. "I feel in the future, we should consult a commercial real estate broker for more advice, for a tool in negotiations, to at least hear what they have to say. But we'll move forward (with this purchase) tonight."

A parade of residents used the public comment time before the decision was made to air their support of the deal, with not one speaking against the transaction at that time.

"This (purchase) would bring to fruition a practice started years ago," said FOWWOS member Andrew Kulley, reminding the council that West Windsor residents had voted several times to fund open space acquisitions by essentially taxing themselves to generate money.

It was a sentiment picked up on by Councilman Charles Morgan.

"We have the tax, we have the money, we should buy the property," he proclaimed before voting "a resounding yes."

Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, largely the driving force behind the transaction for the past two years, said he was happy with the reaction of the residents who attended the meeting and thanked them, along with the council, for helping the purchase become a reality.

Hopewell hails greenway's united state (07/03/10)

An excellent acquisition. While only 130 acres, it effectively creates, according to the article, a 8-square-mile stretch of green space. Bravo to D&R Greenway!

Hopewell hails greenway's united state - Key property creates unbroken swath of open space

By Erin Duffy
Image credit, Tom Sommerville

Original article appears here.

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - More than 130 acres of fields, woods and stream nestled between Washington Crossing State Park and Baldpate Mountain have been permanently preserved as open space.

The historic Hollystone Property, as it's called, was acquired with the help of D&R Greenway Land Trust May 25, a $2.8 million purchase open space advocates and state and local officials are planning to celebrate next week.

Located off Route 29 in the area of Fiddlers Creek Road, the property links Washington Crossing State Park with Baldpate Mountain, effectively creating an 8-square mile swath of preserved land stretching from Mercer to Hunterdon County.

"As a result of this preservation, people will soon be able to walk from Washington Crossing State Park to Baldpate Mountain," said Linda Mead, the executive director of D&R Greenway. "As trails continue to be built through this land and other preserves in the area, this entire region will be accessible. That's our goal -- to preserve lands, and provide the public with access to be able to enjoy them."

With the help of open space funds from the state, Mercer County, Hopewell Township and Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, D&R Greenway was able to purchase the 132 acres from its owners, a family that wishes to remain anonymous.

The property will be co-owned by Mercer County, the state, Hopewell Township and the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.

The land includes an early 19th-century home rumored to be built by the founder of nearby Titusville. The previous owners of the property will continue to live there, and an 11-acre "building envelope" has been placed around the house and other existing structures, allowing the homeowners to rebuild within that area if they'd like.

In a recent newsletter, the property was called a "conservation bonanza," with woodlands that make up a 9,500-acre forest that is home to rare and endangered plants and animals.

In January, D&R Greenway scored another open space coup, acquiring the 340-acre St. Michael's tract in Hopewell Township in an $11 million deal. The land was the former site of an orphanage and industrial school owned by the Diocese of Trenton.

Contact Erin Duffy at eduffy@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5723

Club land in Hamilton eyed for pricey housing development (06/17/10)

Link to original story here.

Not all stories are good. Personally, one of my biggest gripes about this piece is the writer does not even once bother to ask anyone contacted for the story if land preservation organizations had been contacted about purchasing the land instead of Sharbell, which already has several half-occupied developments collecting dust in Hamilton. It feels like lazy journalism; the AP is even cited as a contributor. Was anyone even interviewed by The Times? While in this current economic climate, it doesn't seem likely this "pricey housing development" would even go up anytime soon, that the Italian American's Sports Club would rather see its property's 90-year-old history turn into a sea of starter castles screams of ignorance and/or indifference.

Hamilton, in Mercer County, is already home to several new developments, many built within the last 10 years. Who thinks another one is a good idea?

Club land in Hamilton eyed for pricey housing development

By Erin Duffy

HAMILTON — The Italian American Sportsmen’s Club has inked a deal to sell more than 30 acres of land to Sharbell Development Corp. for a residential development that could include as many as 50 homes, priced to sell at around $400,000 each.

The IASC, a Kuser Road constant since the 1920s, will retain approximately six acres carved out around its facilities, which include a clubhouse, health club and pool area, according to Tom Troy, the senior vice president of Robbinsville-based Sharbell. 
“We should be good neighbors for one another,” said Troy.

Though club President Frank Bocchini said the deal hasn’t been completely finalized, Troy said an agreement of sale has been signed for roughly 32 acres of the club’s land. 
Troy declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal.

If the deal goes through and Sharbell actually moves ahead with the project, it could be a rarity in the current economy.

“The economy is growing and the housing market is still in recession,” said Eugenio Aleman, senior economist with Wells Fargo Securities, following a report Wednesday of declining housing construction in May.

Overall, new home and apartment construction fell 10 percent in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 593,000, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. April’s figure was revised downward to 659,000.

Applications for new building permits — a sign of future activity — sank 5.9 percent to an annual rate of 574,000. That was the lowest level in a year.

Builders are scaling back now that tax credits of up to $8,000 have expired. The biggest evidence of that trend: the number of new single-family homes tumbled 17 percent, the largest monthly drop since January 1991.

But some builders see opportunity in the down market. Andrew Zuckerman, CEO of Zuckerman Homes in Coconut Creek, Fla., said his company is purchasing land and plans to develop it as early as winter.

“We think now is a good time to buy,” Zuckerman said. “We think the market is slowly stabilizing.”

The rate of home building is still up about 41 percent from the bottom in April 2009. But it’s down 70 percent from the decade’s peak in January 2006.

The Kuser Road club lies behind The Stone Terrace catering and banquet hall, which replaced La Villa Restaurant, and down the road from Veterans Park.

Sharbell plans to use its newly acquired land, which lies to the south and west of the Sportsmen’s Club, to develop single-family homes on 10,000-square-foot lots.

Troy said the company estimates it can build somewhere around 50 homes valued at roughly $400,000 each on the acreage.

The company will be preparing its applications within the next few months, and hopes to appear before the township’s planning board by fall, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Erin Duffy at eduffy@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5723