AvalonBay Apartments In Princeton Approved

Posted on July 26, 2013 by walkableprinceton
A placard protesting the AvalonBay Apartment plan at the Princeton hospital site, from a demonstration held outside the Planning Board meeting in June. Remaining objectors had a rough night on Thursday, as the proposal was approved with variances. (Click to expand.)

A placard protesting the AvalonBay Apartment plan at the Princeton hospital site, from a demonstration held outside the Planning Board meeting in June. Remaining objectors had a rough night on Thursday, as the proposal with all variances was approved. (Click to expand.)

Those who follow local municipal matters do not generally associate Wanda Gunning with stand-up comedy. But the Planning Board Chair had quite a good joke mid-way through the latest hearing on the AvalonBay apartment plan for the former Princeton Hospital Site. During discussion about what the new road through the site would be called, Board member Jenny Crumiller jokingly suggested ‘Wanda Gunning Way’. Ms Gunning replied “No, no, you never want to put ‘gunning’ in a street name.” Continue reading →

Posted in Density, Downtown Vibrancy, People, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Walking, Zoning | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Is That A Good Deal?? ‘360 sq feet’ Apartment in Tree Streets Neighborhood

Posted on July 25, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Does $1,425 sound about right for a 1br-apartment in this property? (Click to expand.)

Does $1,425 sound about right for a 1br-apartment in this Princeton property? (Click to expand.)

As part of an occasional series where we cast an eye over the Princeton, NJ rental and real estate market, we invite you to comment on a local listing that we have pulled more or less at random off Craigslist. Previous entries are here and here.

Today we are looking at a 1br, 1-ba apartment at Spruce Street and Pine, in Princeton’s Tree Streets section. The rate is “from $1,425” per month. Full listing here. Continue reading →

Posted in Good Deal? | Tagged | 2 Comments

Mixed-Use Residential Development To Come To Princeton’s Gasoline Alley?

Posted on July 24, 2013 by walkableprinceton
This building at Nassau and Maple Street is a potential site for mixed-use development. (Click to expand)

This building at Nassau and Maple Street is a potential site for mixed-use development. (Click to expand)

Do you remember Turney Motors on Nassau Street? The used car dealership?? Continue reading →

Posted in Density, Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged , | 6 Comments

It’s Time To Charge For Parking At Princeton Community Pool. Yes, Really, It Is.

Posted on July 23, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Community Park Pool, with all that lovely free parking right outside!

Community Park Pool, with all that lovely free parking right outside! (Click to expand)

Princeton’s Community Pool, open for its second season since undergoing extensive refurbishment, is having a bumper season. Attendances are averaging an incredible 1,600 people per day. Kids are learning to swim, dive and also appreciating the place to cool off. The facility is a credit to the town. There’s just one ‘problem’: not enough parking. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Complete Streets, Princeton, Sustainability, The Parking Question, Traffic, Transit, Walking | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

West Windsor Organizes For Sidewalks

Posted on July 22, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Residents of West Windsor are organizing for improved walkability, with a campaign to install sidewalks on a key section of Cranbury Road in the township, near Princeton Junction rail station. As seen in the image above, this section of road (from the intersection of Millstone Road west to Princeton-Highstown Road) is dangerous for pedestrians, with no sidewalk or even shoulder along much of the way. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Complete Streets, Local, Trails, Walking | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Princeton No Longer The Biggest Town In Mid-Central Jersey

Posted on July 19, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Princeton is totally surrounded by farmland in this historic aerial photo. (Click to expand, photo credit: )

Princeton is totally surrounded by farmland in this historic aerial photo. (Click to expand, photo credit: Princeton University Library )

Check out this photo of Princeton and Mercer County from the 1920s. Princeton is the only town in the area. It appears as a dense cluster of buildings (imagine how walkable it must have been!!!!) surrounded on every side by farmland. Kingston is there too, a scattering of houses in the lower right-hand corner. West Windsor, Lawrence T’wp, Hamilton T’wp, and the ring of I-95/I-295 are nowhere to be seen. None of them were built yet. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Community, Density, Downtown Vibrancy, Local, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Traffic, Zoning | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

New Jersey Drivers Give Walkers Reason To Be Fearful

Posted on July 18, 2013 by walkableprinceton
A Princeton resident was awoken from a nap to find a truck crashed through her living room in one recent reckless driving incident (photo from Princeton Patch, click to expand)

A Princeton resident was awoken from a nap to find a truck crashed through her living room in one recent reckless driving incident (Photo from Princeton Patch / by Seth Callen, click to expand)

Earlier this year the tragic death of Rabbi James Diamond shocked Princeton. Now, a string of dreadful accidents featuring New Jersey car drivers has us questioning whether our transportation choices are worth the cost in human life and injury. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Complete Streets, Local, Princeton, Traffic, Walking | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Guyot Stream Walkway at Jefferson Road, Princeton

Posted on July 17, 2013 by walkableprinceton
A forest trail, in the midst of residential Princeton.

A forest trail, in the midst of residential Princeton. (Click to expand.)

This post is part of a series where we invite readers from our Facebook page to identify scenic and interesting locations around Princeton, NJ. You can find earlier entries here and here.

One of the great things about Princeton is that there are abundant opportunities to Continue reading →

Posted in Beautiful Walkable Princeton | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Shiller: Big Demand For Renting and Walkable Homes

Posted on July 16, 2013 by walkableprinceton
What does the future hold for the Princeton real estate market? Answer: greater demand for walkability and renting.

What does the future hold for the Princeton real estate market? Answer: greater demand for walkability and renting. (Click to expand)

If you want to get an idea about what way the housing market will play out in the coming years, you would be well advised to pay attention to the words of Robert J Shiller. Shiller is the author of ‘Irrational Exuberance‘, a book which correctly noted a stock market bubble in 2000. He is also known for noting an alarming overexpansion of property values during the mid-2000s, co-creating the Case-Shiller Index of home prices, and being a Professor of Economics at Yale University. Continue reading →

Posted in Real estate, Zoning | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Why Are Taxicabs So Expensive In Princeton?

Posted on July 15, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Why are cabs in Princeton so expensive??

Why are cabs in Princeton so expensive??

A recent letter-writer to ‘Town Topics’ wrote of her experiences while visiting Princeton from England. Having stayed at a hotel on Route 206, just over the Princeton boundary, she was appalled when a taxi ride of 3 miles cost $28 before tips! She concluded: Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Alternative Transportation, Local, Princeton | Tagged , , | 1 Comment