Applicant and Owner 20 Nassau Street, Block 19.02, Lots 17, 18, 19 and 20 File No

PRINCETON ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT COUNTY OF MERCER GPNJ Owner LLC -Applicant and Owner 20 Nassau Street, Block 19.02, Lots 17, 18, 19 and 20 File No. Z2020-828 FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS AND RESOLUTION GRANTING PRELIMINARY AND FINAL MAJOR SITE PLAN APPROVAL WITH VARIANCES WHEREAS, the Applicant, GPNJ Owner LLC ( operating as Graduate Hotels) has submitted an application seeking preliminary and final major site plan approval with use variance and bulk variances pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A: 55D-70 (c) and (d) and Section , 10B21 &221 of the former Princeton Borough land use ordinances for conversion and reconstruction of an existing office building with street level retail to a hotel with retail uses on property located at 20 Nassau Street, Princeton, New Jersey (being Block 19.02, Lots 17,18,19 and 20 on the Princeton Tax Map), in the central business (CBD ) zoning district , and the central historic district of the former Princeton Borough; and WHEREAS, the Board held public hearings on the application on December 16, 2020, January 6, 2021, January 20, 2021, and February 8, 2021; and WHEREAS, the Applicant has complied with the notification and publication requirements of the Municipal Land Use Law. All property taxes due and owing for the subject property are paid in full as are the current professional fees/escrow account in connection with the within application; and WHEREAS, the Applicant was represented by Christopher DeGrezia, Esq., Faegre, Drinker Biddle and Reath, LLP and WHEREAS, the Board reviewed and considered the testimony of the following witnesses, the application and plans and exhibits presented at the hearings: Applicant’s Testimony and Exhibits. Testimony was provided by Pablo David, Vice-President, Graduate Hotels, Tim Ryan, Chief Investment Officer, Graduate Hotels, Steven Oakley and Brook Core, Stonehill & Taylor Architects, Joshua Zinder, AIA, John McDonough, PP, AICP, PLA, George Jacquemart, PE, AICP, Ryan Glotzbecker, Thomas O’Shea, PE, Van Note Harvey Associates, Michael J. Mills, FAIA and Meredith Arms Bzdak, PhD, Mills +Schnoring Architects, LLC. REVISED31821 1 The Applicant placed the following exhibits into evidence: A-1 – PowerPoint slide presentation consisting of 81 slides containing general information regarding Graduate Hotels, photos and plans of the proposed site layout, project design, floor plans, elevations, parking garage and circulation, traffic pattern, landscaping, environmental design, acoustical analysis and signage. A-2 (a)- PowerPoint slide presentation of 76 slides entitled “Graduate Princeton Hotel Design Evolution” containing a description of the evolution of the project design in response to community and advisory board comments. A-2 (b)- PowerPoint slide presentation of 27 slides entitled “Graduate Princeton Hotel Site Context” containing photos of Bank Street, photos of the current building at 20 Nassau Street and comparison to the proposed hotel, drawings of existing and proposed streetscape elevations. Summary-Applicant Witnesses Testimony of Pablo David, VP, Graduate Hotels Mr. David testified on behalf of the Applicant at the hearings. He advised that he serves as Vice President of the Applicant entity. Mr. David provided testimony regarding the proposed application and the Applicant’s exhibits. Mr. David noted that the Applicant is an experienced operator of hotels in various college towns and described the Applicant’s development philosophy. In response to Board questions and public comments, he advised that the Applicant proposes a “grab and go” café on the hotel’s first floor primarily for the convenience of its guests, which will provide coffee, nonalcoholic drinks, and snacks. In addition, Mr. David noted that the Applicant also proposes a bar and restaurant on the basement floor which the Applicant anticipates will be used primarily by its guests. Mr. David further testified that he believes the project will revitalize the Princeton downtown area and will provide increased tax revenue for the town. In addition, Mr. David testified that the address of the hotel will be “2-4 Chambers Street” which will be the main entrance rather than 20 Nassau Street to limit the possibility that guests will mistakenly turn down Bank Street. Mr. David further advised that he has informed the municipal administration that the Applicant would fully support issuing 24-hour parking permits to Bank Street residents limiting parking to only residents. Testimony of Thomas O’Shea, PE Van Note Harvey Thomas O’Shea testified on behalf of the Applicant. He advised that he is a licensed professional engineer in the State of New Jersey and serves as project civil engineer. Mr. O’Shea testified that he has been accepted as an expert witness in civil engineering by numerous land use boards in REVISED31821 2 New Jersey and the Board agreed to so accept him. Mr. O’Shea testified regarding the Applicant’s exhibits, particularly with respect to site layout and stormwater management and drainage. Testimony of Steven Oakley, Architect, Stonehill Taylor Architects Steven Oakley testified on behalf of the Applicant. He advised that he is a licensed architect in the State of New Jersey with over 34 years of experience and serves as project architect. Mr. Oakely further testified that he has been accepted as an expert witness by numerous land use boards in New Jersey. The Board agreed to accept Mr. Oakley as an expert witness in architecture. Mr. Oakely provided testimony regarding the Applicant’s exhibits, project design concepts, site- layout, floor plans, elevations, lighting, and environmental design standards. Mr. Oakley testified that the Applicant will design the project to a LEED Silver standard, including electric vehicle chargers, a green roof, and zero percent up lighting. In addition, the Applicant will provide free bicycle rental and storage for guests. Mr. Oakely further testified that the Nassau Street façade has a high historic value and a prominent location on Nassau Street and accordingly, the Applicant is preserving that building. In contrast, he advised that the Chambers Street façade has low historic value and the Applicant proposes to replace the existing structure with a five-story building which will contain the main hotel entrance along with an enclosed auto-court for the purpose of staging access for guests’ vehicles and taxis to facilitate valet parking. The Chambers Street structure will also include underground stacked parking which will be accessed by hotel valet parking staff. He confirmed that the existing pedestrian entrance and connection from Nassau Street into the hotel will be maintained. In response to public comment, Mr. Oakely confirmed that the height of the proposed new Chambers Street building will be under the zone maximum of 65 feet. Mr. Oakley testified that he believes the proposed Chambers Street structure is consistent with the mass of other buildings on that street, particularly the 22 Chambers Street building and the Nassau Christian Center. Mr. Oakley reviewed existing conditions at the Property and photos of the view from Bank Street to the rear of the proposed Chambers Street structure. Mr. Oakley reviewed the zoning bulk requirements and existing site nonconformities. He advised that the Chambers Street façade is considered the front of the building. Mr. Oakley testified that the proposed project will provide a ten-foot side yard setback on the __north_________ side of the Chambers Street building, an eight-foot side yard setback along the Nassau Street façade (which is the setback of the existing building) and no front yard setback, all of which are consistent with the zone standards which do not require front yard or side yard setbacks in the central business district. He acknowledged that the zone standards require a ten-foot rear yard setback where a project abuts a residential district. He initially advised that the Applicant proposed no setback along the first-floor auto court façade with a ten-foot setback for the second through the fifth floors of the hotel. Mr. Oakley confirmed that the height of the proposed rear wall is a function of the height required for the proposed auto-court and its purpose is to encapsulate the proposed auto-court area to minimize noise and light impacts on the neighboring residents. REVISED31821 3 Mr. Oakely noted that the existing six-foot wall could be retained as of right under the municipal zoning ordinance without providing a ten-foot rear yard setback. He also presented the design options considered by the Applicant for the rear façade adjacent to Bank Street, noting the changes which were made in response to comments from Bank Street residents including adding green elements, recessing the inner court area to break up the rear wall façade and reduce degree of shade cast on Bank Street properties. Testimony of Brooke Core, Stonehill & Taylor Architects Brooke Core testified on behalf of the Applicant. She advised that she is a licensed architect in the State of New York and has worked on the project under the direction of Steven Oakley. Ms. Core was accepted by the Board as an expert witness in architecture. Ms. Core testified regarding an analysis she prepared using sun path diagrams to compare the shade cast on Bank Street properties by the existing building and the anticipated shade to be cast by the new proposed structure on Chambers Street. Ms. Core advised that the analysis covered the winter, spring, and summer solstice. She further testified that during the summer months, the new building will allow additional light onto Bank Street and that during the winter and spring months, there will not be a significant difference in shading as a result of the new Chambers Street building. Ms. Core also provided testimony highlighting the project design changes which were made in response to comments received from Bank Street residents and advisory boards, referencing Exhibit A-2 (a). Ms. Core advised that in a further effort to address objections raised by Bank Street residents, the Applicant now proposes shifting the core of the building 3.7 feet to the east which would allow the 20 ft.

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