Princeton Windrows

Princeton Windrows is a resident-owned, resident-governed 55+ condominium community set on a 35-acre campus in Plainsboro, with a Princeton mailing address and just four miles from downtown Princeton. Unlike most senior living options, Windrows is not a corporate-run rental facility — residents own their homes outright and self-govern the community through an elected board. That ownership model attracts an intellectually engaged, often university-affiliated resident base drawn to Princeton's academic and cultural life. The 294 residences come in three distinct styles built between 2000 and 2008. Apartment-style condominiums at Windrows Hall offer one- and two-bedroom layouts with full-service hospitality. One-story villas (Winchester, Oxford, Worcester floor plans) feature two bedrooms, two baths, and a one- or two-car garage. Two-story townhomes (Cambridge, York) include three bedrooms, three baths, and the option of an installed elevator. Floor plans range from compact ~670 sq ft studios to 2,000+ sq ft homes. The all-inclusive monthly fee is the community's defining feature. It covers chef-prepared meals (with country-club-trained chefs) served in multiple on-site dining rooms, all utilities, cable TV, scheduled bus service, 24-hour security, comprehensive landscaping, health and wellness center access, and every amenity on campus. Residents describe the lifestyle as "like living on a cruise ship" — groceries, cooking, and maintenance simply disappear from daily life. Amenities include an indoor swimming pool and spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis court, landscaped walking trails, greenhouse for resident gardeners, extensive library and reading room, pub and lounge, billiards room, card and game rooms, art studio, computer center, convenience store, and beauty and barber salon. A full-time activities director coordinates social clubs, classes, lectures, film screenings, musical performances, and trips throughout Mercer and Middlesex Counties. Active groups include Art Group, Bridge, Book Club, Needlecraft, Poetry, Tai Chi, Tennis, and Water Aerobics. The location is a major draw. Princeton University is less than five miles away, and residents regularly take advantage of university lectures, concerts, and campus events. Downtown Princeton — Palmer Square, the Princeton University Art Museum, Morven Museum, and dozens of restaurants — is four miles up Route 27. The University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro sits roughly a mile from the community, and New Jersey Transit's Princeton Junction station puts Manhattan and Philadelphia each about an hour away by train. Windrows is an independent living community, not a CCRC — it does not offer on-site assisted living or skilled nursing — but the combination of home ownership, all-inclusive services, walkable campus design, and proximity to world-class healthcare makes it a distinctive option for active adults who want the freedom of ownership with the ease of resort-style living.