The Princeton Council is moving ahead with its plans to acquire the former Westminster Choir College campus on Walnut Lane, opposite Princeton High School.
The Princeton Council approved an ordinance at its Sept. 23 meeting that authorizes the town to acquire the 22-acre campus from Rider University “by negotiation, purchase, condemnation or eminent domain,” following a public hearing.
Princeton officials have said that acquiring the property would enable the town to more effectively plan for its long-term future, such as providing much-needed educational and recreational facilities for the community and the school district.
The Westminster Choir College campus has been mostly vacant, with the exception of the Westminster Conservatory of Music, since Rider University moved the choir college to its Lawrence Township campus in September 2020.
The Westminster Conservatory, which is also part of Rider University, continues to operate on the former Westminster Choir College campus. It has offered music lessons to children and adults since it was founded in 1970.
Rider University acquired the choir college and its campus through a merger in 1992. It decided to sell the campus in 2016 for financial reasons, but a deal to sell it to a commercial, Chinese government-owned entity fell through.
The Princeton Council’s vote to begin the steps to acquire the property was unanimous, but some residents – including members of the Westminster Conservatory staff – expressed concern about its future use.
Amy Wolfe, who teaches at the Westminster Conservatory, said it should remain on the property as part of the Westminster Choir College legacy. It means a lot to her and to others as well, she said.
“Princeton has always been a vibrant musical community which has supported me and my colleagues and the families of Princeton,” Wolfe said. “I hope that you will continue to support the Westminster Conservatory in whatever capacity works.”
In response, Princeton Council President Mia Sacks said she believed that the conservatory staff received a message several days ago indicating that Rider University and the town were interested in giving the conservatory an opportunity to determine its future and what makes the most sense for it.
“Obviously, that’s a complex question,” she said. “I just want to reassure you that we understand everything you articulated so eloquently and movingly.”
But Linda Mindlin, who teaches voice at the Westminster Conservatory, was skeptical. Many conservatory staff members are not easily convinced that Rider University has an interest in maintaining it.
“We wake up every day, wondering if next week we are still going to be there,” she said. “There needs to be as soon as possible – whatever is going on – a really solid assurance about the Westminster Conservatory of Music.”
Mindlin described the conservatory as the premiere community music school in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The children who study at the conservatory go on to play in their schools’ music programs.
“I don’t know how much we have to emphasize not just to you but to the entire town as a way of letting them know about the importance of the Westminster Conservatory of Music,” she said.
Local historian Clifford Zink encouraged Princeton officials to designate the campus as a potential future historic district, as noted by the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission and the Princeton Community Master Plan.
Zink said the core of the campus dates to 1933, when the Westminster Choir College moved to Princeton from Ithaca, N.Y. Some of the buildings could continue to be used for music education, he said.
Josh Zinder said he was “very concerned” that the property – in part or in whole – would be turned over to the Princeton Public Schools. He was critical of the school district’s maintenance of its current facilities, calling it a “poor steward” of the school buildings.
Zinder said he was not certain if the agreement is the right thing to do, but he was optimistic about the potential uses for the site – although he was fearful of giving the school district more of the town’s architectural legacy to squander.
Despite the Princeton Council’s decision to start the legal process to acquire the property, there are several lawsuits swirling over its fate. A group of Westminster Choir College students and the Westminster Foundation – which is not part of the choir college – have challenged Rider University’s decision to relocate the school and to sell the property.
Attorney Bruce Afran, who represents the students and the foundation, said the town does not have the legal right to acquire it because the courts have ordered that it must be operated as a religious educational trust, per the trust that purchased the land for the choir college.
But the Princeton Council was assured by one of its attorneys that the town has the right to acquire the land, either through a private sale or condemnation. Its right to do so is not impeded by any of the claims of the various lawsuits.
