walkableprinceton

First Look: West Windsor’s ‘Ellsworth II’ Site Plan For Cranbury Road Near Princeton Junction Station

Posted on May 28, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Existing conditions at the ‘Ellsworth II site’ in West Winsdor, seen here from Google Maps. The site could be set for redevelopment with a mixture of uses according to a new plan. (click to expand.)

West Windsor seems to be on an apartment surge, with plans for a mixed-use neighborhood off Bear Brook Road, and the recent approval of a mixed-use redevelopment of the ‘Ellsworth Center’ at Cranbury and Route 571 (Princeton-Highstown Road). The Ellsworth Center looks set to be the site of not one, but two mixed-used redevelopments, as a new plan has been put forward to redevelop the ‘Ellsworth II’ parcel at the back of the site! The site plans are below…

Continue reading →

Posted in Density, planning, Real estate, Smart Growth, Transit | Tagged New Jersey, nj transit, Princeton, smart growth, West Windsor | 3 Comments

West Windsor’s Maneely/Toll Brothers Mixed-Use Development In Detail

Posted on May 27, 2014 by walkableprinceton

‘Building A’ from Toll Brothers’s proposed development of the Maneely property in West Windsor. (click to expand.)

Toll Brothers have proposed a mixed use development at Bear Brook Road and old Bear Brook Road in West Windsor- a site sometimes know as ‘the Maneely property’. The plan, developed in conjunction with West Windsor township, calls for 188 ‘corporate suites’, 4o apartments, 51 town homes and 20,000 sq ft of commercial space. A 10-acre plot on the site is set aside for a 72-unit affordable housing development, which will potentially be constructed by Project Freedom. The plan was presented to the West Windsor Planning Board earlier this month. The details are below. Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, Density, Placemaking, planning, Real estate, Smart Growth | Tagged planning, Princeton, toll brothers, West Windsor | 7 Comments

Do You Know What Princeton Landmarks Are Built On ‘Brownfield Sites’?

Posted on May 23, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Princeton’s library / Hinds Plaza was built at a ‘brownfield site’. (click to expand.)

Princeton’s recent Democratic Party Council Candidate Forum- which we wrote about earlier this week– featured an amazing moment when the moderator skipped a crucial question about land use in Princeton. This oversight meant that the audience missed out on getting the opinions of the three candidates on a subject that has become a controversial subject of public complaint, and which has made the town the subject of a new legal battle in County Court. Most importantly, this issue is at the very heart of redevelopment in Princeton. Continue reading →

Posted in Placemaking, planning, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability | Tagged planning, Princeton, remediation | 1 Comment

‘Subway’ Now Open At East Nassau Street Location In Princeton

Posted on May 22, 2014 by walkableprinceton

New Subway sandwich store at 252 Nassau Street in Princeton. (click to expand.)

Princeton may not have a ‘Chipotle’, but we now have two ‘Subway‘ sandwich stores after a second branch of Subway opened on East Nassau Street. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton, Zoning | Tagged Princeton, subway, walkable | 1 Comment

Princeton Democratic Council Candidates Offer Contrasting Approaches to Zoning Reform

Posted on May 20, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Princeton Council candidates (left to right) Jo Butler, Bernie Miller, and Sue Nemeth at the recent candidate forum. (Click to expand.)

It’s widely recognized that Princeton housing has become unaffordable to many people who work in town- but what are the solutions? At a recent forum for the three Democratic Party candidates fighting for the chance to take part in the November election to Princeton Council, some differences in approach seemed to emerge. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, People, planning, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Traffic, Zoning | Tagged democratic primary, planning, Princeton, smart growth | 2 Comments

Robbinsville Expanding Walkable ‘Town Center’ Development With New Apartments

Posted on May 19, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Plan for ‘Town Center South’ development; developer’s rendering via Times of Trenton. (Click to expand.)

Robbinsville, NJ has approved a new 64-unit apartment complex to add to its ‘Town Center’ development. Continue reading →

Posted in Density, Placemaking, planning, Smart Growth | Tagged planning, robbinsville | 7 Comments

Walkable Princeton On TV!

Posted on May 9, 2014 by walkableprinceton

David Keddie (left) interviewed by Michele Tuck-Ponder (middle) and Ingrid Reed on ‘Reed and Ponder’ (Click to expand, image from Princeton Community Television).

‘Walkable Princeton’ has made it to the small screen on the “Reed and Ponder” show on Princeton Community Television! David Keddie, founder of Walkable Princeton, was interviewed by Ingrid Reed and Michele Tuck-Ponder as part of their regular show focusing on politics, policy and people. The show airs Friday night at 7 p.m. but you can view it online below. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Community, People | Tagged Princeton | 2 Comments

Trenton Unveils Pretty Cool New Community Planning Website

Posted on May 1, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Screenshot of Trenton Community Masterplan website ‘Trenton250.org‘ (click to expand.)

The City of Trenton has unveiled an impressive website aimed at getting the input of residents into the latest update of the municipal Masterplan. Why would a broke city spend money on a fancy website about a mundane municipal matter- and why would anybody care? The answer is simple- because the municipal Masterplan, more than any other political document, will shape the lives of local residents. Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Local, planning | Tagged planning, Princeton, Trenton | 1 Comment

Princeton Needs At Least 900 Affordable Homes…But Where And How?

Posted on April 29, 2014 by walkableprinceton

These little houses make up an affordable housing project that was built at Franklin Avenue, Princeton, in the 1930s. They may be redeveloped as a modernized affordable development in the near future. (Click to expand.)

The Witherspoon-Jackson Neighbors’ Association heard last Saturday from affordable housing advocates, as the issue of Princeton’s housing imbalance came up once more. Surprisingly, Princeton has a number of income-restricted homes available to buy, but there have been no takers! Homes in Washington Oaks are available from $81,216.00 – $117,807.00, and in Griggs Farm for a similar rate. Why is nobody buying them? Is it because they don’t know about them? Or does it reflect the situation of working people, who can’t commit to even a reasonably-priced unit like this? Many people are renting who might do better trying to buy their own place. And the situation for renters is dire. Market rates are through the roof, and the waiting list for affordable units is measured in years. How many units would it take to make a substantial difference? Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Density, Princeton, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged affordability, planning, Princeton, Real estate | 1 Comment

Princeton Can Easily Gather More Money From The University…Here’s How.

Posted on April 23, 2014 by walkableprinceton

Princeton University's campus. (click to expand.)

Princeton University campus, just off Nassau Street. (click to expand.)

This week, we are awaiting the announcement of a new agreement detailing the amount of financial support that Princeton University will contribute to Princeton’s municipal finances. The amount of money that Princeton University gives the town is a regular source of discussion and controversy. In 2013, the University offered a ‘voluntary payment’ of $2.475 million to the town, up from a sum of about $200,000 to the former Borough and Township in 2003. There are still many people in the town who demand that the University should pay more. Continue reading →