By Anne Levin 

Two work sessions dominated the meeting of Princeton Council on Monday evening, October 28. The first was on the concept plan for refreshing Hinds Plaza, and the second was a discussion on removal and replacement of the two kiosks located on Nassau Street.

After hearing a progress report from municipal staff and Arterial, Inc., the consultants on the Hinds Plaza project, Council members and Mayor Mark Freda offered comments and suggestions and aired some concerns. Regarding the kiosks, which are at the intersections of Witherspoon Street and Vandeventer Avenue, the governing body directed staff to remove them while tabling the question of whether and how they should be replaced.

In his presentation, James Ribaudo of Arterial said Hinds Plaza is 20 years old and in need of refreshment and reorganization. The company has held three workshops with the steering committee dedicated to the project, as well as stakeholder meetings, and is compiling a plan based on feedback and their own observations.

“The current structure of the plaza no longer matches the demands that are placed upon it from a daily basis, but more importantly the various programmatic events that take place there,” said Ribaudo. He added that the existing trees are at the end of their life span and need to be replaced, so each option in the conceptual design includes new trees.

Extending the plaza to the edge of Witherspoon Street is among the ideas being explored. Other possibilities include moveable, sculptural seating; the reuse of existing sculpture and plaques; some changes to the gateway that bears the namesake of the plaza, the late community activist Albert Hinds; a seating platform that could double as a stage; and some changes to the pergola that would entail thinning out the wisteria and having swing seats extended from the top.

The seating platform, which would be in front of Princeton Public Library’s blank wall, would be fixed and not moveable. An allee of trees would border the outdoor dining space for the restaurants Witherspoon Grill and Kristine’s.

Councilwoman Eve Niedergang said she was thrilled to know that the plaques bearing Hinds’ name would be reused, a sentiment echoed by others including Councilman Leighton Newlin.

“I want to see this plaza scream about the history of African Americans in this town,” Newlin said. “Because that’s why we named it after Albert Hinds.”

Niedergang urged the staff to confer directly with the library about the location of the outdoor stage. The library’s Executive Director Jennifer Podolsky said that the stage “might be a bit of an obstacle. The library has a portable stage that we bring out. For things like Dancing Under the Stars, the stage would be in the way.”

Podolsky also referenced events such as the Children’s Book Festival, which takes up the entire plaza. “We wouldn’t be able to do those events, or they’d be significantly shrunken with this design,” she said.

Concerns were aired by Niedergang and others about shade and provisions for stormwater runoff. Ribaudo said stormwater runoff would be addressed by directing the water to feed the new trees that would be planted.

Freda said he is worried about safety, particularly if the plaza is extended to Witherspoon Street. “A raised curb is not enough to stop an automobile from going into the plaza,” he said. He also had concerns about the allee of trees. “They’ll grow too close together. We have to look at how large they’re going to be 15 years down the road.”

Councilwoman Leticia Fraga said moving the gates that bear Hinds’ name next to trash receptacles would be disrespectful, as would having them next to bike racks. “So check in with the people in the community who were instrumental about naming Hinds Plaza,” she said, specifically mentioning local historian Shirley Satterfield.

Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros, who is on the steering committee, said two types of bike racks are being explored — one for transients, and the other for longer term use.

The fate of the kiosks on Nassau Street is part of the Nassau Streetscape project currently being developed. Built originally as phone booths and newspaper vending boxes in 1988, the kiosks are used for flyers and messaging. The Department of Public Works removes the flyers once a month and does necessary repairs, said Municipal Engineer/Deputy Administrator Deanna Stockton. The project will replace all the sidewalk material under the kiosks.

Before voting to remove the kiosks, several Councilmembers commented that they are an eyesore.

“We should remove them. They are a mess,” said Lambros. “After a storm, there is paper all over. I do think there are electronic kiosk options [to be explored].”

Council approved ordinances related to parking and loading zones in front of Triumph Restaurant & Brewery on Palmer Square East, and parking for teachers and staff at Princeton High School on Franklin Avenue between Harris and Jefferson roads, and on Moore Street between Houghton Road and Franklin Avenue. A third ordinance related to garbage pickup time in and outside of the central business district was reintroduced, and will be given a public hearing on November 12.

The next meeting of Council is November 12 at 7 p.m. Visit princetonnj.gov for details.