diff --git a/app/models/mediaflux/connection.rb b/app/models/mediaflux/connection.rb
index 1786adf10..66b793a92 100644
--- a/app/models/mediaflux/connection.rb
+++ b/app/models/mediaflux/connection.rb
@@ -62,5 +62,13 @@ def self.root_namespace
         Rails.configuration.mediaflux["api_root_ns"]
       end
     end
+
+    def self.hidden_root
+      if Flipflop.alternate_mediaflux?
+        Rails.configuration.mediaflux["api_alternate_hidden_root"]
+      else
+        Rails.configuration.mediaflux["api_hidden_root"]
+      end
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/presenters/project_show_presenter.rb b/app/presenters/project_show_presenter.rb
index dc08ebefe..a6e7b702b 100644
--- a/app/presenters/project_show_presenter.rb
+++ b/app/presenters/project_show_presenter.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 class ProjectShowPresenter
-  delegate "id", "in_mediaflux?", "mediaflux_id", "metadata", "metadata_model", "pending?", "project_directory", "status", "title", to: :project
+  delegate "id", "in_mediaflux?", "mediaflux_id", "pending?", "status", "title", to: :project
+  delegate "description", "project_id", "storage_capacity", "storage_performance_expectations", "project_purpose", to: :project_metadata
 
-  attr_reader :project
+  attr_reader :project, :project_metadata
 
   def initialize(project)
     @project = project
+    @project_metadata = @project.metadata_model
+  end
+
+  # used to hide the project root that is not visible to the end user
+  def project_directory
+    project.project_directory.gsub(Mediaflux::Connection.hidden_root, "")
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/projects/_pending_details.html.erb b/app/views/projects/_pending_details.html.erb
index 92093c84c..21920e25f 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/_pending_details.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/projects/_pending_details.html.erb
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <h2>Automatic Settings </h2>
 <dl>
-  <dt>Project ID</dt> <dd id="project_id"><%= @project.metadata[:project_id] %></dd>
-  <dt>Storage Capacity (Requested)</dt> <dd><%= "#{@project.metadata_model.storage_capacity[:size][:requested]} #{@project.metadata_model.storage_capacity[:unit][:requested]}" %></dd>
-  <dt>Storage Performance Expectations (Requested)</dt> <dd><%= @project.metadata_model.storage_performance_expectations[:requested] %></dd>
-  <dt>Project Purpose</dt> <dd><%= @project.metadata_model.project_purpose %></dd>
+  <dt>Project ID</dt> <dd id="project_id"><%= @project.project_id %></dd>
+  <dt>Storage Capacity (Requested)</dt> <dd><%= "#{@project.storage_capacity[:size][:requested]} #{@project.storage_capacity[:unit][:requested]}" %></dd>
+  <dt>Storage Performance Expectations (Requested)</dt> <dd><%= @project.storage_performance_expectations[:requested] %></dd>
+  <dt>Project Purpose</dt> <dd><%= @project.project_purpose %></dd>
 </dl>
 <% if @project.in_mediaflux? && (current_user.superuser? || current_user.eligible_sysadmin?) %>
   <dl>
diff --git a/app/views/projects/show.html.erb b/app/views/projects/show.html.erb
index a1fb0236f..a06014972 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/show.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/projects/show.html.erb
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ Project Details:
     <dt>Project Directory</dt>
     <dd><%= @project.project_directory %></dd>
     <dt>Title</dt>
-    <dd><%= @project.metadata[:title] %></dd>
-    <dt>Description:<dt/> <dd><%= @project.metadata[:description] %></dd>
+    <dd><%= @project.title %></dd>
+    <dt>Description:<dt/> <dd><%= @project.description %></dd>
   </dl>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/config/mediaflux.yml b/config/mediaflux.yml
index 707c81c69..b6e8fee76 100644
--- a/config/mediaflux.yml
+++ b/config/mediaflux.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 production:
+  api_hidden_root: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_HIDDEN_ROOT"] || '/princeton' %> 
   api_root_ns:   <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ROOT_NS"] || '/princeton/tigerdataNS' %>
   api_root_collection: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ROOT_COLLECTION"] || 'path=/princeton/tigerdata' %>
   api_root_collection_name: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ROOT_COLLECTION"] || 'tigerdata' %>
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ production:
   api_port: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PORT"] || 443 %>
 
   # Alternate to production is real production
+  api_alternate_hidden_root: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ALTERNATE_HIDDEN_ROOT"] || '/td-prod-001' %> 
   api_alternate_root_ns: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ALTERNATE_ROOT_NS"] || '/td-prod-001/tigerdataNS' %>
   api_alternate_root_collection: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ALTERNATE_ROOT_COLLECTION"] || 'path=/td-prod-001/tigerdata' %>
   api_alternate_root_collection_name: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ALTERNATE_ROOT_COLLECTION"] || 'tigerdata' %>
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ production:
   api_password: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PASSWORD"] %>
   shared_files_location: <%= ENV["SHARED_FILES_MOUNT"] || '/mnt/nfs/tigerdata' %>
 qa:
+  api_hidden_root: '/td-qa-001'
   api_root_to_clean: '/td-qa-001/qa'
   api_root_ns: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ROOT_NS"] || '/td-qa-001/qa/tigerdataNS' %>
   api_root_collection_name: 'tigerdata'
@@ -32,6 +35,7 @@ qa:
   api_port: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PORT"] || 443 %>
 
   # Alternate to qa is staging
+  api_alternate_hidden_root: '/td-staging-001'
   api_alternate_root_ns:  '/td-staging-001/tigerdataNS'
   api_alternate_root_collection: 'path=/td-staging-001/tigerdata'
   api_alternate_root_collection_name:  'tigerdata'
@@ -45,6 +49,7 @@ qa:
   api_password: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PASSWORD"] %>
   shared_files_location: <%= ENV["SHARED_FILES_MOUNT"] || '/mnt/nfs/tigerdata' %>
 staging:
+  api_hidden_root: '/td-staging-001'
   api_root_ns: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ROOT_NS"] || '/td-staging-001/tigerdataNS'  %>
   api_root_to_clean: '/td-staging-001/'
   api_root_collection_name: 'tigerdata'
@@ -55,6 +60,7 @@ staging:
   api_port: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PORT"] || 443 %>
 
   # Alternate to staging is qa
+  api_alternate_hidden_root: '/td-qa-001'
   api_alternate_root_ns:  '/td-qa-001/tigerdataNS'
   api_alternate_root_collection: 'path=/td-qa-001/tigerdata'
   api_alternate_root_collection_name:  'tigerdata'
@@ -68,6 +74,7 @@ staging:
   api_password: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PASSWORD"] %>
   shared_files_location: <%= ENV["SHARED_FILES_MOUNT"] || '/mnt/nfs/tigerdata' %>
 development:
+  api_hidden_root: '/td-demo-001'
   api_root_to_clean: '/td-demo-001/dev/'
   api_root_ns: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_ROOT_NS"] || '/td-demo-001/dev/tigerdataNS' %>
   api_root_collection_name: 'tigerdata'
@@ -78,6 +85,7 @@ development:
   api_port: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PORT"] || '8888' %>
 
   # Alternate to development is an alternate location in docker
+  api_alternate_hidden_root: '/td-alternate-001'
   api_alternate_root_ns:  '/td-alternate-001/tigerdataNS'
   api_alternate_root_collection: 'path=/td-alternate-001/tigerdata'
   api_alternate_root_collection_name:  'tigerdata-alternate'
@@ -92,6 +100,7 @@ development:
   api_password: <%= ENV["MEDIAFLUX_PASSWORD"] || 'change_me' %>
   shared_files_location: <%= ENV["SHARED_FILES_MOUNT"] || './public/' %>
 test:
+  api_hidden_root: '/td-test-001'
   api_root_to_clean: '/td-test-001/test/'
   api_root_ns: '/td-test-001/test/tigerdataNS'
   api_root_collection_name: 'tigerdata'
@@ -102,6 +111,7 @@ test:
   api_port: "<%= ENV['MFLUX_CI'] ?  '80' : '8888' %>"
 
   # Alternate to test is still a test location
+  api_alternate_hidden_root: '/td-test-002'
   api_alternate_root_ns:  '/td-test-002/tigerdataNS'
   api_alternate_root_collection: 'path=/td-test-002/tigerdata-alt'
   api_alternate_root_collection_name:  'tigerdata-alt'
diff --git a/spec/models/project_show_presenter_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_show_presenter_spec.rb
index dafaa655a..9ba623c93 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_show_presenter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_show_presenter_spec.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
   let(:project) { FactoryBot.create :project }
   subject(:presenter) { ProjectShowPresenter.new(project) }
 
+  describe "#description" do
+    it "delegates to project metdata_model" do
+      expect(presenter.description).to eq(project.metadata_model.description)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#id" do
     it "delegates to project" do
       expect(presenter.id).to eq(project.id)
@@ -23,12 +29,6 @@
     end
   end
 
-  describe "#metadata" do
-    it "delegates to project" do
-      expect(presenter.metadata).to eq(project.metadata)
-    end
-  end
-
   describe "#pending?" do
     it "delegates to project" do
       expect(presenter.pending?).to eq(project.pending?)
@@ -36,8 +36,20 @@
   end
 
   describe "#project_directory" do
-    it "delegates to project" do
-      expect(presenter.project_directory).to eq(project.project_directory)
+    it "hides the root project" do
+      expect(presenter.project_directory).to eq("/test/tigerdataNS/big-data")
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#project_id" do
+    it "delegates to project metdata_model" do
+      expect(presenter.project_id).to eq(project.metadata_model.project_id)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#project_purpose" do
+    it "delegates to project metdata_model" do
+      expect(presenter.project_purpose).to eq(project.metadata_model.project_purpose)
     end
   end
 
@@ -47,6 +59,18 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe "#storage_capacity" do
+    it "delegates to project metadata_model" do
+      expect(presenter.storage_capacity).to eq(project.metadata_model.storage_capacity)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#storage_performance_expectations" do
+    it "delegates to project metadata_model" do
+      expect(presenter.storage_performance_expectations).to eq(project.metadata_model.storage_performance_expectations)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#title" do
     it "delegates to project" do
       expect(presenter.title).to eq(project.title)
diff --git a/spec/system/project_show_spec.rb b/spec/system/project_show_spec.rb
index 4a95928ea..b738d8bba 100644
--- a/spec/system/project_show_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/project_show_spec.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@
             visit "/projects/#{project_in_mediaflux.id}"
 
             expect(page).to have_content(project_in_mediaflux.title)
+
+            # shows the project directory without the hidden root
+            expect(page).to have_content(project_in_mediaflux.project_directory.gsub("/td-test-001", ""))
+            expect(page).not_to have_content(project_in_mediaflux.project_directory)
+
             expect(page).not_to have_content(pending_text)
             expect(page).to have_css ".alert-success"
             expect(page).to have_selector(:link_or_button, "Edit") # button next to role and description heading
@@ -210,6 +215,11 @@
       it "shows the sysadmin buttons for an approved project" do
         sign_in sysadmin_user
         visit "/projects/#{project_in_mediaflux.id}"
+
+        # shows the project directory without the hidden root
+        expect(page).to have_content(project_in_mediaflux.project_directory.gsub("/td-test-001", ""))
+        expect(page).not_to have_content(project_in_mediaflux.project_directory)
+
         expect(page).to have_content "project 123"
         expect(page).to have_content "1234"
         expect(page).not_to have_content "This project has not been saved to Mediaflux"