Princeton To Hold Hearing On Proposed Walkable MacLean Street Apartments

Posted on January 25, 2016 by walkableprinceton
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Rendering of adaptive re-use apartment building at 30 MacLean Street in Princeton. (click to expand)

This Wednesday, January 27, Wednesday, February 17 the Princeton Zoning Board will have a hearing on a proposal to bring 10 new apartments to the old Masonic Hall at John Street and MacLean Street. The new apartments would potentially allow a creative new use for the building, and would provide some much-needed walkable homes (including 2 affordable units) within a 5-minute walk of downtown Princeton – assuming the Zoning Board grants the necessary variances.

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Posted in Affordability, architecture, People, Princeton, Real estate, Smart Growth, The Parking Question, Walking, Zoning | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Princeton’s Next Chief Engineer Should Be A ‘Complete Streets’ Native

Posted on January 21, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Princeton chief

Princeton’s municipal engineer, Bob Kiser, at a recent neighborhood meeting (click to expand).

Princeton’s long-time municipal engineer, Robert Kiser, has announced he is to retire, and it’s likely to cause quite a shakeup at 400 Witherspoon. Kiser predates basically all of the Governing Body, and it is not much of an overstatement to say that he has literally built the town. Being municipal engineer is a massive, massive job. Kiser regularly flips between building sewers, overseeing complex demolitions and designing new road layouts. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of code and, importantly, is also an absolute gentleman. His calm and meticulous demeanor is a big asset for the many long public meetings he has endured while addressing local residents’ concerns about engineering projects. Many nights, he is finishing work at 11 p.m. or after midnight. And yet, it is possible that Kiser’s replacement could fill a big unmet need for the town. Continue reading →

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Challenging Segregation In Princeton And Mercer County

Posted on January 19, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Trenton.

Opportunities for Mercer County residents vary greatly depending on where they live (click to expand).

At this time of year, it’s worthwhile to think of how we can maintain the legacy of Martin Luther King by challenging segregation in Princeton and our local area. Sadly, despite past work and progress, we still live in a very segregated society. According to one recent analysis, the Trenton metro area –  which includes Princeton and all of Mercer County – ranks #2 in terms of the most economically segregated areas in the entire United States. That is a terrible statistic, and it is no secret that traditionally disenfranchised communities like the African-American community fare the worst from unequal systems. Fortunately, recent research gives us a good indication as to what we can do to make things better. Continue reading →

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Home Prices In Princeton Jump 9% in 2015

Posted on January 15, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Homes for sale in Princeton command a big premium (click to expand)

Homes for sale in Princeton command a big premium (click to expand)

The selling price of residential properties in Princeton leapt by 9% in 2015, and the average sales price was over $1 million. Those are two of the findings from an analysis of 2015 real estate data by ‘Sig and Syl’ at Princeton’s Calloway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty.

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Five Safe Predictions For Princeton In 2016…And Five Crazy Ones!

Posted on January 11, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Construction at the old hospital site was one of the most visible changes of 2015, but what does 2016 hold? (click to expand)

Construction at the old hospital site was one of the most visible changes of 2015, but what does 2016 hold? (click to expand)

New Year is the time when we traditionally try to guess what the coming 12 months will bring. For 2016, we’re going to make 5 guesses for things that will probably happen, and five guesses of things that might…but probably won’t. As usual, the focus is on planning, especially planning that brings people the freedom to live where they choose and get around how they choose. Leave a comment below if you think you can do better!

Prediction 1: New University Campus Plan Will Recommend A New Residential College. (likelihood: 8/10). Ever since his appointment, Princeton University President Continue reading →

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Holiday Quiz: Can You Name These Walkable NJ Downtowns?

Posted on December 24, 2015 by walkableprinceton
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Where is this? (click to expand)

So you think you know Jersey? Hit pause on “It’s a Wonderful Life”! We’ve got something better – a big ol’ holiday quiz for you! The question is… how many of these walkable downtowns can you recognize? They’re all in Central NJ (or maybe Bucks County, PA). Forget your strip malls and your ‘what exit?’ gags, and enjoy these local walkable places…

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Three Last-Minute Holiday Gifts For The Discerning Princeton Localist

Posted on December 22, 2015 by walkableprinceton
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Bridge in Mountain Lakes Park, constructed by ‘Friends of Princeton Open Space‘ in 2015 (click to expand).

Left it late to get your holiday gifts in? Here are three ideas to satisfy a Princeton resident with an interest in sustainability, walking or local history… Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, Biking, Community, People, planning, Princeton, Sustainability, Trails, Walking | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Princeton Vs The White House And Paul Krugman

Posted on December 18, 2015 by walkableprinceton
Left, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Paul Krugman. Right, Jason Furman, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Both have criticized zoning regulations as contributing to housing cost and inequality. (click to expand). Image credit: Prolineserver and whitehouse.gov

Left, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Paul Krugman. Right, Jason Furman, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. (click to expand)

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman is worried about rising inequality, and he knows what’s to blame. Writing in his NY Times column earlier this month, he criticized restrictions on land use that drive up housing costs near job centers. Krugman – a former professor at Princeton University – has written about this before, but now Jason Furman, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers has added a forceful case against restrictive zoning, saying it correlates with inequality, and adding “the president [Barack Obama] is personally concerned”. Both Krugman and Furman are on the liberal side of the debate, but there is now a bipartisan consensus among economists that restrictive land use regulations hinder social mobility and contribute to inequality. So why is Princeton still pushing through new restrictions on land use? Continue reading →

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Princeton Businesses Could Benefit From A Downtown ‘Visitor Center’

Posted on December 17, 2015 by walkableprinceton
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Flemington Visitors Center (click to expand)

This weekend, merchants on downtown Princeton’s Chambers Street held their first ‘Chambers Street Holiday Stroll‘, to try to tempt shoppers along one of the town’s lesser-travelled commercial areas. As one business owner said,

“When asked what is undiscovered about Chambers Street, Ms. Schussel good-naturedly replied, “Most of us, that’s why we’re doing this.”

It’sreally too bad that quality local merchants find themselves off the beaten track. An example from another walkable local town might provide a solution… Continue reading →

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Map Of New Princeton Open Space Off Ridgeview Road

Posted on December 10, 2015 by walkableprinceton
Map of 'Blumenthal Tract' open space off Ridgeview Road, Princeton. Courtesy of NJ Conservation Foundation. (click to expand)

Map of ‘Blumenthal Tract’ open space off Ridgeview Road, Princeton. Courtesy of NJ Conservation Foundation. (click to expand)

Last month, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation acquired a new area of open space in Princeton.  Approximately 10 acres of forest were donated by Michael and Barbara Blumenthal, from around the back of their home off Ridgeview Road.  This land will now be off-limits to development, and open to the public. The map above shows where the new open space can be found. Continue reading →

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