walkableprinceton

New Princeton U. Housing Rises On Olden Street

Posted on June 25, 2013 by walkableprinceton

New Princeton U. faculty housing on Olden Street, by J Robert Hillier company.

New Princeton U. faculty housing on Olden Street, by the J. Robert Hillier company. (Click to Expand)

Princeton University visiting faculty are set to get a fantastic new place to stay on Olden Street, just off Nassau Street at the north-eastern edge of the university campus. Construction of new apartments designed by J Robert Hillier is well underway and it’s great to see that the mature trees are being preserved. Mr Hillier’s past projects have included the Princeton Public Library and the ‘Waxwood‘ condominium conversion on Quarry Street (among many others!). In addition to being close to the University, this housing will be footsteps away from some of the best restaurants and activity centers in downtown Princeton. Continue reading →

Posted in Density, Princeton, Smart Growth | 2 Comments

State Of The Princeton Blogosphere In June 2013

Posted on June 24, 2013 by walkableprinceton

What blogs are Princeton people reading?? (Image from newscientist.com)

In 7 days time, Google will close its ‘Reader‘ service, a mini-disaster for those who browse a lot of blogs. One columnist in the ‘New Yorker’ described the end of Reader as “like hearing that your favorite old bookstore is closing down“. Subscriber numbers within Reader’s ‘Feed Discovery’ are an indication of the popularity of any blog (for example, ‘The Huffington Post‘ has 206,478 subscribers). As this data will disappear in one week’s time, here is a ‘Top 10’ list of Princeton area blogs*, ordered by the number of Google Reader subscribers:

Continue reading →

Posted in Princeton | 2 Comments

Can We Bring Affordable Housing To Downtown Princeton?

Posted on June 21, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Princeton Community Housing operates at four major sites in Princeton. (Click to expand)

Princeton Community Housing (PCH) offers affordable housing at four major sites in Princeton: Griggs Farm and Princeton Community Village, at the north end of town, and Elm Court and Harriet Bryan House, which are both age-restricted and located in the Western Section. By operating these income-restricted communities, PCH opens the housing market in Princeton to many people and families who would otherwise be priced out of the area. This makes Princeton a fairer, more diverse community, and enables moderate-income workers to live in town instead of having to commute to Princeton from other places. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Princeton, Zoning | 1 Comment

Jersey Census Data Again Shows Demand For Walkability

Posted on June 20, 2013 by walkableprinceton

A Big Welcome to Princeton’s 20 new residents! (Click to expand image.)

Data from the US Census released last week confirm several demographic trends that support increased demand for walkable housing. The population of New Jersey is stable- in fact it grew slightly between 2010 and 2012. Our state is still a desirable place to live with a diversified economy that offers many jobs in different sectors. The people who say that ‘everybody’ is leaving New Jersey in the face of high taxes or whatever else are wrong. Older people are leaving the state, but as they leave, new residents come to New Jersey and an increasing fertility rate has kept the population stable. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton | 3 Comments

Lake Carnegie Dam In The Summer

Posted on June 19, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Lake Carnegie Dam, June 2013. (Click to expand)

In the first of a series highlighting beautiful, walkable locations in Princeton, NJ, we focus on a site at the north-eastern corner of the town: the dam at Lake Carnegie. Lake Carnegie, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a beautiful, man-made lake, constructed in 1905-1906 by damming the Millstone River. The D&R canal tow-path, runs along the southern side of the lake, is a fantastic trail for walkers, joggers, cyclists. It is also popular with bird-watchers and people who like to fish.

Posted in Beautiful Walkable Princeton | 2 Comments

Princeton Set To Get New Spanish Deli

Posted on June 18, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Despana market on Nassau Street (click to expand).

It looks like Princeton’s new Spanish cafe/ deli is all set to open! Despana Foods, which has operated a deli in Soho, NYC since 2006, is opening in Princeton! Do you like tapas? Chorizo and manchego cheese? Paella? Then this is definitely a place you’ll be wanting to check out. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton | 3 Comments

Protect The Grid And Our Trees

Posted on June 17, 2013 by walkableprinceton

A ‘Y-tree’ in Princeton, produced when the tree is cut away in the middle to allow electrical wires to pass through. (Click to expand)

The beautiful trees that line our Princeton streets are frequently sliced in half to allow electricity wires to pass through. Carving out the middle of the tree canopy makes the tree take on the shape of the letter ‘Y’, and these ‘Y-trees’ are common in and around Princeton. This is crazy. In addition to seriously detracting from the natural form of the trees, overhead electrical wires are a liability, which can be knocked down by any passing storm, leaving Princeton residents without power. Overhead wires are also u-g-l-y, and detract from our street-scapes. Continue reading →

Posted in Complete Streets, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability | 3 Comments

Are Bears Really A Threat To Princeton?

Posted on June 14, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Black Bear. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo by Courtney Celley) (Click to expand.)

A few bears have been sighted in Princeton in the last couple of weeks and people are going a little bear-crazy! Yesterday, in an editorial apparently taken directly from ‘The Colbert Report‘, the Princeton Packet worried about the possibility of bear attacks in Princeton and called for new protocols on whether children should be allowed to walk home alone when bears are around. Continue reading →

Posted in Princeton, Walking | 2 Comments

Princeton Offers Free Bike Training Event For Kids on Saturday

Posted on June 13, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Kids riding at the 2012 Princeton Wheels Rodeo. (Photo from Prineton Sun)

Kids riding at the 2012 Princeton Bike Rodeo. (Photo from Prineton Sun)

The weather in Princeton has been pretty much terrible recently with a month’s worth of rain falling in one week. Storms and possible tornadoes are following heavy rain showers, which followed Tropical Storm Andrea. But the outlook is good for the weekend, and Princeton is offering a free event for kids and adults at Princeton High School. Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Community, Events, Princeton | Leave a comment

A Tale Of Two Hotels

Posted on June 12, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Trenton Marriott, via www.venere.com

It’s easy to criticize with the benefit of hindsight, but the decision of Trenton City Council in 2000 to finance the construction of a hotel in downtown Trenton really looks like a disaster. As explained in the linked article from NJ.com, the figures never made sense from the get-go. This is how former Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer remembers it: Continue reading →

Posted in Local, Zoning | Leave a comment