Princeton has earned its share of awards and honors over the years. But local officials consider the latest designation, The American Planning Association’s naming of Nassau Street as winner of the 2016 “People’s Choice” award in the Great Places in America program, to be especially significant.

“Winning the People’s Choice Award for Great Places in America is an enormous honor for our town, and it’s an honor shared with our planning staff, Historic Preservation Commission, local merchants, Princeton University (which helps to ensure we have an independent bookstore and movie theater), residents, and visitors,” said Mayor Liz Lempert in an email. “Nassau Street’s lively mix is also a result of wise decisions by our predecessors, who helped to plan and shape the street over generations into a place with a sense of place that has withstood the test of time.”

The designation was officially announced at the November 14 meeting of Princeton Council. Following a brief presentation, American Planning Association board member Courtenay D. Mercer presented the governing body with a special plaque. As past president of the New Jersey chapter of the organization, she was pleased to see a New Jersey town winning the honor.

“Nassau Street is an awesome place,” Ms. Mercer said, “renowned for its historic character and the way it embraces a mixed-use philosophy, which we planners really love. It serves as a social hub of the community.”

For the past three years, the American Planning Association has asked the public to nominate their favorite public space, neighborhood, or street. Suggestions are collected in the first half of October through social media outlets, and five finalists are then selected. According to Ms. Mercer, nearly 100 suggestions were received this year. Once the five finalists were picked, the public was asked to vote during the second part of the month.

Nassau Street won the most votes, edging out The Millwork District in Dubuque, Iowa; Sims Park, New Port Richey, Florida; the Pearl District in San Antonio, Texas; and the Whiteaker Neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon.

Several other “Great Places in America” were recognized this year. In the Great Neighborhoods category, those named included Downtown Santa Ana, California; Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, and Old Louisville, Kentucky. The Great Public Spaces category recognized Fairmount Park in Philadelphia; Golden Heart Plaza in Fairbanks, Alaska; and Findlay Market in Cincinnati, Ohio; among others. Those named as Great Streets included Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, New York; Main Street in Davidson, North Carolina; and Main Street in Ketchum, Idaho.

Spaces recognized by the APA have “unique and authentic characteristics that have evolved from years of thoughtful and deliberate planning by residents, community leaders, and planners,” according to its website. Since launching Great Places in America nine years ago, APA has designated 260 neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces that have “a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.”