Take The Michael Graves Walking Tour Of Princeton

Posted on March 10, 2016 by walkableprinceton
The striking Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, designed by Michael Graves, and on the tour (click to expand).

The striking Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, designed by Michael Graves, part of the tour (click to expand).

March 12 will mark the anniversary of the death of the internationally-famous Princeton architect and designer, Michael Graves. One of the key figures in post-modernist architecture, Graves made his home in Princeton from 1964 till his death in 2015. Just before Graves passed away, he sent an ‘abbreviated guidebook to his hometown’ to Washington Post reporter Andrea Sachs. The full list of sites on this tour is available at the Post website here. It includes sites such as Graves’s home, ‘The Warehouse’, on Patton Avenue, which he renovated over many decades. It also includes other Graves-designed buildings, such as the Paul Robeson Center of the Arts on Witherspoon Street (see photo above). But the tour also includes many local buildings and sites that Graves just found inspiring. We present below a map showing a walking tour that links the sites. Continue reading →

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Princeton Council Should Strike The Right Balance On Witherspoon Street

Posted on March 8, 2016 by walkableprinceton
More potentially 'historic' structures on Witherspoon Street. (click to expand).

This stretch of Witherspoon Street is slated to become part of Princeton’s newest historic district. (Via Google Streetview, click to expand).

Princeton’s Council members indicated earlier this month that they will create a new historic district in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. The measure drew significant support, particularly from members of the African-American community, who have historically made up the largest share of residents. However Council’s enthusiasm for preservation risks going too far, as the boundaries for the proposed historic district are set to include parts of Witherspoon Street – a major local thoroughfare – which contain few historic structures, and which would benefit more from orderly redevelopment. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, architecture, Complete Streets, Placemaking, planning, Princeton, Smart Growth, Zoning | Leave a comment

Princeton U. Testing New Tiger Transit Routes Linking To Dinky Station

Posted on March 1, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Tiger Transit Bus on Nassau Street, Princeton. (click to expand)

Tiger Transit Bus on Nassau Street, Princeton. (click to expand)

Princeton University runs one of the biggest bus networks in the state of New Jersey, with its ‘Tiger Transit‘ program, and this week, the University started trials on two new services, in addition to the eleven others that it typically runs. Although the test bus lines are geared toward undergraduates, the University normally allows local residents to ride Tiger Transit, and one of the routes could offer some local people a useful new transit link to the Princeton Rail station on Alexander Street. Continue reading →

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Bayard Lane Duplex Plan Torpedoed Amid Neighborhood Protest

Posted on February 25, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Rejected duplex homes intended for Bayard Lane. (click to expand)

Rejected duplex homes intended for Bayard Lane. (click to expand)

A plan to construct three duplexes off Route 206 near Birch Avenue was withdrawn after a hearing at Princeton’s Zoning Board on Wednesday night. The proposal from West Windsor Real Estate was for six private residences arranged as three duplexes, at 176-188 Bayard Lane. The homes would have been two-stories, with three bedrooms each. But the proposal got a cool reception from the members of the Zoning Board, and was strongly criticized by neighbors. Continue reading →

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NJ Bike-Walk Summit Comes To Town On Saturday, Mayor Lempert Among Speakers

Posted on February 23, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Mayor Liz Lempert on a bike. (click to expand)

Mayor Liz Lempert on a bike. (click to expand)

This Saturday, the annual NJ Bike-Walk Summit will take place in the Friend Center at Princeton University. This is a new thing – in recent years the Summit has usually taken place in New Brunswick. Delegates from around the State and beyond will come to Princeton to learn about new developments and best practice for making it easier for people to choose to walk or use bikes. The speakers will include national experts on policy and street design, and our own Mayor Liz Lempert (pictured above).

Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Complete Streets, People, planning, Princeton, Sustainability, Walking | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apartment Conversion Of MacLean Street Masonic Hall Approved After Marathon Meeting

Posted on February 18, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Josh Zinder (facing camera) confers with his team at Princeton Zoning Board Meeting (click to expand)

Josh Zinder (facing camera) confers with his team during a break at the Princeton Zoning Board Meeting on Wednesday night (click to expand)

Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment has approved required variances for a planned conversion of the old Masonic Hall on MacLean Street. The building will now be converted to ten apartments, including a mix of studios and one- and two-bed units. The vote came after over four hours of discussion and much hesitation from the Board. Several members were adamant that the adaptive reuse would bring too much density and cause problems with parking. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, architecture, Density, Princeton, Smart Growth, The Parking Question, Zoning | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Angry Signs Protest Walkable Apartment Proposal at Princeton’s MacLean Street

Posted on February 15, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Signs that have appeared around John Street apparently arguing against the 30 MacLean Street redevelopment (click to expand)

Signs that have appeared around John Street apparently opposing the 30 MacLean Street redevelopment (click to expand)

In January, Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment was scheduled to rule on whether a proposal to convert the old Masonic Hall at John and MacLean St into apartments could go ahead. The hearing was postponed, and is now set to be heard on Wednesday, February 17. But signs have been stapled to lamp-posts and utility poles around the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, apparently protesting the development, because it runs afoul of existing zoning. Warning of “developers looking to convert properties to higher density usage and cash in”, the signs list a number of zoning regulations that would require variances if the project is to go ahead. But the developer in this case is a local person who has consulted neighbors, and a strict adherence to the zoning code is unlikely to be in the town’s best interests anyway. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Alternative Transportation, Density, Downtown Vibrancy, planning, Princeton, Real estate, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Princeton’s Mt Lucas Road Land Purchase: A Potentially Costly Deal

Posted on February 4, 2016 by walkableprinceton
A red fox runs through open space in Princeton (click to expand)

Preserved open space in Princeton…can you spot the red fox? (click to expand)

Princeton’s Democratic Council members are at loggerheads over a potential open space purchase off Mt Lucas Road. Proponents argue that the purchase is necessary to prevent development of 20.4 acres of land, and to provide a link between existing open space to the west and east. But the amount of land that would potentially be subject to development is much smaller. If construction went ahead according to a site plan presented last November, townhouses would be built on just 9 acres of the land, with the majority of the site being permanently protected under a conservation easement (a so-called ‘cluster development’). That means that the town would be preserving just 9 acres of land, for a price – $4.4 million – that seems high. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, planning, Princeton, Real estate, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Trails, Zoning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Princeton University Issues Update On Goals Of Campus Plan

Posted on February 1, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Whitman College - a relatively recent addition to the Princeton University campus - completed 2007. Photo: Princeton University, Office of Communications

Whitman College (2007), Princeton University. Photo: Princeton University, Office of Communications

Last week, Princeton University released the first major update on the findings of its 2026 Campus Planning Exercise. The last Campus Plan led to a huge amount of development around the University grounds, including some highly-controversial projects such as the relocation of the terminus of the Princeton Branch rail line for construction of a new Arts Campus. The new Campus Plan is also likely to have a major effect on the town. Although the latest update is short on specifics, it provides some important insights about what areas the new plan is likely to focus on. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Community, Placemaking, planning, Princeton, Sustainability, The Parking Question, Transit | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Princeton Bike Study Could Fix President Eisgruber’s Commute To Work

Posted on January 29, 2016 by walkableprinceton
Walter_Lowrie_House_(Princeton,_New_Jersey)

Walter Lowrie House, at 83 Stockton Street, Princeton – residence of Princeton University Pres. Christopher Eisgruber. (click to expand).

Consultants working to create a new bicycle circulation plan for the town of Princeton should also consider a very important stakeholder: Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber. Eisgruber was the subject of international press attention in recent months after his sensitive response when his office was occupied by student protestors. But around the same time, Eisgruber also revealed that he is now cycling to work as often as possible. You can find a photo of him arriving at Nassau Hall on his bicycle right here. But Eisgruber noted the problems associated with cycling in Princeton – problems which the new bike circulation plan will hopefully fix. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Complete Streets, People, planning, Princeton, Sustainability | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment