First Look: Preliminary Site Plans for Additions And Expanded Parking at Three Princeton Public Schools

Posted on August 13, 2024 by walkableprinceton
Part of site plan for additions at Community Park Elementary School

The Princeton Public School District is currently preparing plans for a school bond referendum, which will be voted on by Princeton residents either later this year or in early 2025 (for details, see this ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ from Princeton School District). The proposed school bond would fund significant improvements at three local schools, specifically, Community Park Elementary, Littlebrook Elementary, and the Princeton Middle School. If approved, the School Board would be able to build new classrooms at each school. Concepts have been under development by the School Board’s “Long-Term Planning Committee” since the spring, and preliminary plans have now been been submitted to the Princeton Planning Board for comments.

Continue reading →
Posted in Complete Streets, planning, Princeton, The Parking Question | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Few Pics From Inside The Newly-Opened “Graduate Hotel” in Princeton

Posted on August 5, 2024 by walkableprinceton

The “Graduate Hotel” is finally open. As reported last night at “Tap Into Princeton“, the long-anticipated new hotel quietly opened on Thursday, August 1. The Graduate Hotel is located at an ultra-walkable location in downtown Princeton (10 Chambers Street, map), across the street from Princeton University campus and one block away from Palmer Square.

Continue reading →
Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Placemaking, Princeton | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Princeton ‘Critical Mass Bike Ride’ Launching This Friday, July 26

Posted on July 23, 2024 by walkableprinceton
Cyclists on a group ride in Princeton in September 2022

A new group bike ride is happening in Princeton, starting this coming Friday, July 26. The ‘Princeton Critical Mass’ ride is part of a global movement of similar rides that have happened in dozens of cities, where people ride bikes together for fun and for safety. They usually do not have a designated leader, and the intention is that riders will have ‘safety in numbers’ by riding as a group.

Continue reading →
Posted in Biking, Events, Princeton | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New “Triumph Brewing Company” Open At Last In Palmer Square In Princeton

Posted on June 28, 2024 by walkableprinceton
A pint of Triumph Brewing Company beer at the new location on Palmer Square

The new Triumph Brewing Company opened this afternoon in Palmer Square in Princeton. The new bar occupies the old USPS branch, and the conversion has taken almost seven years. A crowd of happy customers quickly filled the space. *more photos below*

Continue reading →
Posted in Local, Placemaking, planning, Princeton | Tagged | Leave a comment

Neighborhood Objectors’ Court Case Against Mayor and Council of Princeton is “Dismissed With Prejudice”

Posted on June 11, 2024 by walkableprinceton
Proposed redevelopment along Edgehill Street that is a focus of the objectors’ court case.

A group of objectors who launched a court case to try to prevent a proposed redevelopment in Princeton have been dealt a setback by Mercer County Judge Robert Lougy. The objectors named the Mayor and Council of Princeton as targets for their litigation, but, in a ruling issued last month, Judge Lougy agreed that the Mayor and Council have no case to answer.

Continue reading →
Posted in Affordability, architecture, Placemaking, planning, Princeton | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Proposal for Two New Homes on Valley Road Survives Close Vote of Princeton Zoning Board

Posted on June 10, 2024 by walkableprinceton
View of the proposed new home (left) and ADU (right), at 8 Valley Road, Princeton

The Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment has approved a new home with accessory dwelling unit at 8 Valley Road (map). The proposal was considered at the Zoning Board meeting of May 22, and the outcome was anything but a foregone conclusion. The plan had already been considered at a Zoning Board hearing in February, and failed to find approval at that time. Even with substantial revisions, the new plan, as shown above, was still considered unacceptable by several neighboring homeowners and members of the Board.

Continue reading →
Posted in architecture, Princeton, Real estate, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Inside the New “Floyd House” at Princeton Community Village

Posted on May 30, 2024 by walkableprinceton
The new ‘Floyd House’ at Princeton Community Village

The last few years have seen several new apartment buildings rising in Princeton, but one that a lot of people may not have noticed is the new ‘Floyd House’ at Princeton Community Village. Located in the existing Sassafras Row neighborhood (map), the new building opened in September 2023, and offers 25 apartments, a mixture of 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom units. It is named for Jim and Fannie Floyd, two renowned community leaders. Jim Floyd, the first Black mayor of Princeton Township, was a founder of Princeton Community Housing. Trustees at Princeton Community Housing worked for over 6 years using contributions from local people and the town to complete the project, which includes a comprehensive set of neighborhood enhancements, including a new pavilion, and improvements to the community clubhouse.

Continue reading →
Posted in Affordability, Placemaking, planning, Princeton, Transit | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

New Princeton Objector Group Takes Aim at Proposed Jefferson Road Subdivision

Posted on April 17, 2024 by walkableprinceton
Proposed new single-family homes at 479 Jefferson Road in Princeton

A proposal to build two new homes in Princeton North has come under attack from an anonymous objector group. The group, which calls itself “Save Our Streetscapes” has launched a website (link: “Save Our Streetscapes“) and Facebook group urging residents to Zoom into a meeting of the Princeton Planning Board on Thursday night, April 18, when the application is on the agenda for discussion.

Continue reading →
Posted in Princeton, Real estate, Zoning | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Town of Princeton has 15 Months to Identify New Affordable Housing Sites, After Murphy Signs Landmark “Fair Share” Legislation

Posted on March 20, 2024 by walkableprinceton
Mixed-income apartment building under construction at Princeton Shopping Center. This building counts towards Princeton’s previous round of state-mandated affordable housing.

The town of Princeton faces a tight deadline to identify potential sites for hundreds of new affordable housing units, after the New Jersey State government approved legislation to streamline the state’s “Fair Share” housing rules. Signing the bill today, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called it “a monumental piece of legislation that will make housing more affordable and more accessible for working families all across New Jersey.” The requirement for towns in New Jersey to provide affordable housing dates to legal rulings in the 1970s. Towns that ignore the requirement become open to “builder’s remedy” lawsuits, which allow developers to ignore local zoning and land use regulations.

Continue reading →
Posted in Affordability | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Units Going Fast At New, 100%-Affordable Princeton Senior Living Complex

Posted on February 23, 2024 by walkableprinceton
View of the new ‘Princeton Senior Living’ apartment development on Thanet Circle

A new 55+ community, “Princeton Senior Living”, is now open at 500 Thanet Circle in Princeton (map). At an opening reception on Wednesday, February 21, local elected officials, representatives of area non-profits, and members of the local community had a chance to tour the new apartment complex and meet with management, who shared details about how quickly the new units are being filled.

Continue reading →
Posted in Affordability, architecture, Placemaking, planning, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments