Volume LXXVII, Number 23
Urban Gardening Takes Root in Trenton, Lambertville . . . . . . . . 5 HomeWorks Highlights Young Women, Academics, And Community . . . . . . 8 Einstein Exhibit Coming to Princeton Public Library . . . . . . 10 Brian Cox and Succession — It’s All About Displacement . . . . . . 15 NJSO Closes Princeton Season with Fiery Soloist . . . . . . . . . 16 PU Women’s Lightweights Dominate IRAs, Sweeping Grand Finals . . . . . . . 24 Bernardi Comes Up Big as PDS Boys’ Lax Advances To Non-Public Group B Semis . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Jesse Hollander Helps PDS Girls’ Lax Reach Non-Public Group B Semis . . . . . . .30 Art . . . . . . . . . . . .19, 22 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 23 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 36 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 13 New To Us . . . . . . . . . 32 Obituaries . . . . . . . 33-35 Performing Arts . . .17, 18 Police Blotter . . . . . . . 11 Real Estate. . . . . . . . . 36 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Summer Sign-ups . . . 2, 3 Summer Wellness . . . . 20 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Master Plan Survey Makes Public Input A Continuing Priority With the latest version of the Princeton’s Master Plan Community Visioning Survey having gone live at the end of last month, municipal staff and local officials are hoping for a healthy response from residents, who are invited to express their opinions on priorities for different kinds of development and community needs. Public input is key to the master plan development process, which has been underway for more than a year and will go to the Planning Board for adoption after comments from residents are considered in at least two meetings in the winter. “I think because our existing master plan is based in 1996, with adoptions along the way, people might not be aware of how important the public input is, and how ultimately it does get used,” said Justin Lesko, the town’s planning director. “I shouldn’t be sitting behind a desk imposing these regulations. That’s why we’ve structured the process this way — to have more hands-on activities like the open house, and now, more intentional questions.” Lesko said staff members have been sending emails to community groups and putting up signs about the survey at bus stops and other locations around town. Following the survey, municipal staff and a steering committee including 13 local residents plan to host listening sessions over the summer to solicit feedback from residents and community groups. A second open house is targeted for September. Two previous surveys elicited nearly 5,000 responses from the public, and more than 300 people attended an open house session last November at Princeton Public Library. In the newest, fi ve-minute survey, residents are asked some specifi c questions about questions that were raised in the first survey and first open house. One question addresses four parcels that are either large, under-utilized, or undeveloped: Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Valley Road School, the Butler Tract, and the Jasna Polana Golf Course. Participants are asked if they would be best used for municipal facilities, housing, open space, residential buildings, retail, or other uses — depending on the location. Continued on Page 9
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Wednesday, June 7, 2023
PPS Elementary Schools Plan for Growth After a brief pause, when enrollment dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) is facing a growing population and the need to make important decisions about where all those students will be going to school. On Monday evening, June 5, PPS Superintendent Carol Kelley, along with a cohort of Board of Education (BOE) members and school administrators, presented several options for the future of the town’s elementary schools to a gathering of about 100 parents and community members assembled in the Princeton High School cafeteria. As the district continues to gather information and input from stakeholders throughout the community, the possible scenarios under discussion include: 1) no changes — the status quo; 2) redistricting and rebalancing, with four pre-K to fifth grade buildings, about 370 students in each building; 3) building where the growth is, with four pre-K to fifth grade buildings, with larger populations at Littlebrook and Community Park, and smaller at Riverside and Johnson Park; 4) a “sister school” concept, with two sets of
schools paired pre-K-2 and 3-5; and 5) a new upper elementary (or lower middle) grades 5-6 school. “The discussion is part of ongoing outreach to our parents, students, and the community as the district analyzes and evaluates options for the 20242025 school year and beyond,” Kelley wrote in her invitation to the event. “We have been listening to feedback from parents and staff across the district and want to make sure all voices are
heard. No decisions regarding future plans have been made.” During the course of the evening participants shared their priorities and concerns for the future of the schools, as they heard from Kelley and others about some of the pros and cons of each option under consideration. In the coming weeks there will be additional stakeholder meetings, as well as internal discussion among teachers and administrators, and external Continued on Page 7
Construction at 20 Nassau Street Causes Temporary Closure of Several Businesses
A row of retail businesses on the ground fl oor of 20 Nassau Street, the former office building currently being renovated to become the Graduate Hotel, will close for anywhere from 20 to 50 days to allow for key structural and safety measures to be undertaken. Jammin’ Crepes, Sakrid Coffee, Small Bites, Milk and Cookies, and Nassau Barbers are affected by the work. How long each will be closed depends on their location and size. “With the building being historic, and
kind of old, you fi nd things once you open up walls,” said Pablo David, vice president of government affairs and community relations with A.J. Capital Partners, owners of the Graduate Hotel chain. “Needs are different. Issues range from fire safety to structural problems, utilities, and HVAC. Some major upgrades are needed throughout that portion of the building, to make it safe.” David said the organization has been in communication with each of the Continued on Page 11
CELEBRATING PRIDE: The third annual Princeton Community Pride Picnic on Saturday afternoon celebrated Princeton’s LGBTQ+ community with games, music, art, activities, local nonprofits, and more on the Palmer Square Green. Attendees share what brought them to the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)
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