diff --git a/IPython/html/base/handlers.py b/IPython/html/base/handlers.py
index 50551ee..3ca611e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/base/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/base/handlers.py
@@ -156,10 +156,6 @@ class IPythonHandler(AuthenticatedHandler):
     def kernel_spec_manager(self):
         return self.settings['kernel_spec_manager']
 
-    @property
-    def project_dir(self):
-        return getattr(self.contents_manager, 'root_dir', '/')
-    
     #---------------------------------------------------------------
     # CORS
     #---------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py b/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py
index a7eae8a..31e5ee7 100644
--- a/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
         name = url_escape(name)
         path = url_escape(path)
         self.write(self.render_template('notebook.html',
-            project=self.project_dir,
             notebook_path=path,
             notebook_name=name,
             kill_kernel=False,
diff --git a/IPython/html/templates/tree.html b/IPython/html/templates/tree.html
index 7c83bed..3ecc07a 100644
--- a/IPython/html/templates/tree.html
+++ b/IPython/html/templates/tree.html
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 
 {% block params %}
 
-data-project="{{project}}"
 data-base-url="{{base_url}}"
 data-notebook-path="{{notebook_path}}"
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py b/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
index 1ec0ed3..61d1417 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ class TreeHandler(IPythonHandler):
             breadcrumbs = self.generate_breadcrumbs(path)
             page_title = self.generate_page_title(path)
             self.write(self.render_template('tree.html',
-                project=self.project_dir,
                 page_title=page_title,
                 notebook_path=path,
                 breadcrumbs=breadcrumbs