To the Editor:

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) has filed for another facilities referendum, its fourth since December of 2018 when taxpayers approved a $27 million dollar referendum. Taxpayers were also asked to approve a $17.5 million referendum in January of 2022 and a $13 million referendum in November of 2023. The newest referendum, scheduled for a January 2025 vote, is by far the largest referendum in recent years expecting to cost between $85-89.5 million.

The Board of Education (BOE) says the $85-89 million referendum is needed to accommodate 220 new school- age children that will arrive from 1,100 new housing units that are scheduled to be built in Princeton over the next five years.  more

To the Editor:

I would like to introduce myself, Chris Santarpio, to the entire Princeton community as a Board of Education candidate. You may have seen my yellow lawn signs pop up around town recently. I chose the color yellow because to me this signifies positive energy, optimism, and sparking creativity. If elected, I will bring these qualities to the BOE.

My husband and I made Princeton our home in early 2020. We chose Princeton because of its vibrant and diverse community. I immediately became involved in the PTO as our son entered kindergarten at Community Park Elementary.  I am now serving my second year as PTO Co-President. I have also regularly attended Board of Education meetings, committee meetings, and PTO Council (PTOC) meetings (the PTOC consists of the district administration and leadership from all of the school-level PTOs within PPS, meeting monthly throughout the year). By serving in the PTO and attending these meetings, I became aware of the challenges facing the BOE and realized I could bring my skillset to help PPS thrive.   more

To the Editor:

Since I announced my candidacy for the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education over six weeks ago, I have had the privilege of meeting with dozens of community members, teachers, and administrators. Through these conversations, I have gained a deeper understanding of the diverse aspects of our district, and I am very excited to continue this journey.

My background is rooted in public service and community involvement. I have had the honor of serving as a volunteer EMT, providing critical support to our community during emergencies. Additionally, as the vice chair of the Princeton CARES committee, I have been actively involved in fostering a supportive environment for all residents, ensuring that the voices of our diverse community are heard and valued. In my professional life, I have focused on optimizing systems and improving efficiencies, skills that I believe are directly applicable to the challenges our school district faces today.  more

To the Editor:

Three years of construction noise. Two gas leaks requiring you to evacuate your home. Constant large construction vehicles navigating your narrow residential street, blocking traffic and interrupting your work or your sleep with backup alarms and other noise, starting at 7 a.m. Construction workers parking in front of your house, all day, every day, so that you and your other neighbors without driveways can’t park to unload groceries, or packages, or children. Damage to street trees. Standing water perfect for mosquitos. Loud talking or idling engines so close that you can hear details of the conversation and smell the exhaust as you sit in your living room.

The site, formerly a quiet duplex owned by the same family for decades, now has haphazard piles of construction materials in the front yard, set off by a temporary chain link fence that, after three years, seems permanent. Until this week, it had a sign pronouncing the arrival of new apartments for fall 2023. more

To the Editor:

In 2021, my husband and I moved our family of five to Princeton. After 13 years as an “Army wife” that sent us to North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and the United Nations in New York City, we chose Princeton in great part because of its reputation for excellent public schools. My kids quickly settled in, making friends at Community Park Elementary School and at soccer and hockey practices. I also settled in, connecting with other families on the sidelines, through CP’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and at Cherry Hill Nursery School, which my youngest attended and where I’m now proud to serve as director. I began to understand both the great strengths and challenges that the Princeton Public Schools and the supporting community face to maintain their reputation for excellence and build even stronger schools.

I am running for the Princeton Board of Education because I care deeply about our students’ futures and the stability of the district, and I believe I have important skills and experience that can contribute to their success. As a former teacher and an education consultant (while my husband served the U.S. Army, I served in classrooms, schools and districts around the country as an instructional coach), I bring a wealth of experience in education technology, strategic planning, curriculum design, and educational leadership.  more

To the Editor:

Wow! Congratulations and thank you!

On Friday morning, August 9, at 6:45 a.m., we called the Princeton Police to report that a very large branch of an old maple tree had fallen and blocked the entire street in front of our house from curb to curb.

By 8 a.m. the only trace of the branch and many leaves remaining in the public right of way and neighboring properties was a bit of sawdust from the cutting of very large logs.

One hour and a quarter — an impressive job by Taylor Sapudar, Princeton’s arborist, and his specialized tree crew. A nice example of the benefits that we get for our tax dollars. When we told the story to some friends, they all said that wouldn’t happen in their towns.

Alice and Joe Small
Hawthorne Avenue

To the Editor:

Prayer in August

Let me know Summer before it is gone.
Let me share the high noon loveliness
Of wildflowers in country lanes
Where hedgerows are alive with the hum
Of bumble bees:
Study the deep green of summer trees
Reflected in shaded streams
Listen for the plaintive call
Of the mourning dove
Feel quiet contentment of cows
Grazing in peaceful fields
On drowsy afternoons.
Before it is too late
Let me walk barefoot in lush grass,
Breathe deeply the ripe sweetness of summer…
Grow dizzy from the breath
Of a hundred roses.

Kathleen M. Duhaime
Raymond Road

To the Editor:

I was both surprised and disappointed to learn that Princeton has no residential fire safety support services available to the community.

In a town that spends hundreds of thousands on consultants and unnecessary street renovations, to not have any community-wide fire safety services in place is embarrassing and unacceptable.

At the very least I’m certain the community would benefit from a periodic smoke/carbon monoxide detector inspection and replacement program. I was informed that such a program did exist at one time but was simply abandoned when the person doing the inspections retired. more

To the Editor:

We recently attended a Council meeting about housing development at the seminary. At that meeting, many members of the public voiced enthusiastic support for the project, but many neighbors cited concerns ranging from cutting down trees to changing the neighborhood character to the fact that only 20 percent of the units will be affordable housing.

While these are of course reasonable concerns, the fact is that the Council and Planning Board have been working on this for several years, and they have addressed many of these things already. For example, it would be wonderful to preserve every tree on site, but that’s not realistic, and our regulations require as many as possible to be replaced. Some might prefer if the project were 100 percent affordable housing, but that is not financially feasible, and anyway Princeton needs more housing of all types, not just deed-restricted affordable. Some residents worry about stormwater runoff, but in fact the law requires all stormwater to be retained on the property, meaning the development will likely improve the neighbors’ situation. more

To the Editor:

My wife and I have a 40-plus year appreciation of the special place that is Princeton and feel privileged to own a circa-1830 house in the Mercer Hill Historic District for the past 11 years. We have a deep respect for history and the firm belief that the historic buildings that comprise the rich fabric of this special town need to be honored and carefully preserved. Indeed, the longer a building survives in its appreciably original state, the greater the need for it to be protected against alteration. We are merely the stewards of a house and barn that are temporarily in our care. I would argue that institutional owners have an even greater mandate to be thoughtful stewards of their historic buildings, as they will surely have much longer periods of ownership. more

To the Editor:

I live on Alexander Street across from a group of houses owned by the Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS). They have been the subject of several recent Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) hearings, as PTS is proposing long-delayed renovations to them. The houses were built in the 1830s in what is now the Mercer Hill Historic District (MHHD). A few of them are Steadman houses; Charles Steadman being considered the leading architect-builder of his era in Princeton.  It is HPC’s mandate to protect and preserve Princeton’s architectural heritage. Their documented renovation guidelines are that the owner save as much original exterior material as possible. If unable to save, then the replacement material should be the same as the original. (For nearby 44 Mercer Street, HPC gave an administrative waiver to PTS for the renovation of that house, allowing the complete removal of historic original wood siding, windows and window trim.) In conversations with PTS, the MHHDA learned of the initial plans to remove all the exterior wood and original windows and replace them with synthetic material and aluminum-faced replacement windows.  Based on this, the Association contacted HPC about the lack of compliance with HPC guidelines. (PTS has since modified its plans and will replace the siding with wood material.) more

To the Editor:

Many thanks to the couple who — several months ago and unbeknownst to us — quietly paid our dinner bill at Kristine’s.

We apologize for the delay, and wish to extend our profound gratitude for your kindness and generosity. Please be assured that we will not soon forget your wonderful and completely unexpected gift, and that we will “pay it forward.”

Ellen Saxon and Vince Peloso
Gordon Avenue, Lawrenceville

To the Editor:

When I was in third or fourth grade in Nassau Street School, we were taught a lot about Princeton. We took walking tours of various areas of the town, and were told of the historic significance related to them. I doubt we appreciated a lot of what Mrs. Taylor was telling us; but having had the privilege of living in and around Princeton for almost 60 years, a lot of that history became meaningful. more

To the Editor:

As leaders of Princeton Community Housing (PCH), a nonprofit organization developing and managing welcoming affordable rental homes in Princeton since 1967, we recognize that advocacy is an important part of our mission.

We have a housing crisis in this country. New Jersey alone needs 214,000 more affordable homes for extremely low-income households, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. There is also a dire need for more affordable homes in Princeton, as evidenced in part by the over 1,000 households on PCH’s combined waiting lists. Many of these households are young families starting out, people already working in town, and longtime residents who want to remain in their community. For these reasons, we support the goal of Princeton’s Master Plan to ensure that “Princeton will be a vibrant, growing, and welcoming community with a diverse mix of land uses that accommodate a broad variety of needs, housing ample and diverse enough to accommodate all who want to live here….” more

To the Editor:
Last Tuesday, a violent storm moved through my neighborhood, causing the street tree in front of my house to split in half, with half of the tree falling on my home.

I am writing to thank Officer Stoupas of the Princeton Police Department and the members of the Public Works Department for going above and beyond to ensure my safety during the storm. I am also extremely grateful to our arborist, Taylor Sapudar, and to Justin and his crew from Justin’s Tree Service for their prompt, courteous, and professional handling of the removal of the tree.

The staff of the Municipality of Princeton makes our community a great place to live.

Maryann Witalec Keyes
Franklin Avenue

To the Editor:

The term undocumented immigrant conveys an inaccurate and largely pejorative and derogatory condition, attributed to working class residents of Latin American origin who are presumed to lack formal authorization to reside in the United States.

There is a general perception that most of these workers and their families are subject to unceremonious deportation, that they can be arrested on sight, without a warrant, and that they have no protection under our civil rights laws. This became abundantly clear during the recent “visit” to Princeton of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) posse of agents in several unmarked vehicles dangerously driving around town for hours looking for “egregious noncitizen criminals” using “targeted intelligence.” more

To the Editor:

Smart Growth America defines smart growth as “creating homes for families of all income levels alongside one another in locations where daily needs are close by.” We all appreciate and welcome families of all income levels, but the problem with the redevelopment plan for the seminary’s properties is that it does not recognize that this neighborhood is not walkable to any daily needs. For planning purposes, walkable is a term of art, generally accepted as a quarter of a mile. Using that criterion, this location is not walkable to schools, the grocery, the Dinky, a pharmacy, or medical attention. more

To the Editor:
Climate change is upon us, and New Jersey is the third most impacted state in the U.S., with Princeton among New Jersey’s most affected areas. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect raises our town’s temperatures by 6.3°F to 8°F and, until Princeton takes action, temperatures will only climb. What reduces the UHI effect? Trees. According to American Forests, because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25°F cooler than air temperatures above a nearby blacktop. When you walk on Nassau, the difference in temperatures between the University side and the business side is palpable.

Last Monday, Princeton Council approved a Green Development Checklist. This detailed checklist is admirable and begins by focusing on the big picture: “Does the development limit disturbed areas by limiting clearing and grading to a carefully described and compact development envelope?” more

To the Editor:
As a concerned 30-plus year Princeton resident, a design professional, a father of two, and a neighbor to the Princeton Seminary, I have reviewed the public information supporting the proposed ordinance and offer the following summary of my concerns over rushing the approval of the Seminary Property Redevelopment Ordinance:

Unique Development: The redevelopment plan includes multifamily dwellings separated by Hibben Road, presenting unique challenges compared to other developments in Princeton.

Shared Spaces: Residents will need access to shared amenities, potentially leading to the addition of a new crosswalk near the existing one at Hibben and Stockton.  more

To the Editor:

On Monday, July 8, the Princeton Council introduced an ordinance to adopt a redevelopment plan for the Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) property on Stockton at Hibben Road. The properties were formerly the home of Tennent-Roberts Halls and Whiteley Gymnasium, late 19th century buildings that were demolished in 2022 in anticipation of a sale to Herring Properties, the contract purchaser. To date, PTS is still the owner of record.

The last open meeting to address the potential redevelopment was held on October 17, 2023, where the group representing Herring Properties presented a plan that included the construction of 238 units on the site, 20 percent of which would be affordable. Several comments from the audience followed the presentation. more

To the Editor:
During the hottest day of the year, we threw the coolest Pride. Princeton’s Sixth Annual Pride Parade and After-Party on June 22 was everything our community needed and deserved, a true celebration of queer joy, as meaningful as it was inspirational and fabulous!

Thousands of us marched, sashayed, and rolled through the beautiful Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood on our way to an empowering and entertaining After-Party at the YMCA. We couldn’t have asked for better syncopation for our mobilization than the wonderful Empress Winter Guard! Thank you to Lt. Ben Gering and the entire Princeton Police Department for showing support and keeping us safe, along with Keshon and Mike at the YMCA for so warmly welcoming us to your gorgeous green space. Much love and respect to our Grand Marshal Walter Naegle, Sen. Andrew Zwicker, Mayors Mark Freda (Princeton) and Reed Gusciora (Trenton), Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, Princeton Council members, and trans-activist Miles Gorman for marching with us in solidarity at the Parade and sharing inspirational remarks at the After-Party.  more

On Thursday, July 4, our Fourth of July Jubilee theme was Civic Season, a national program of activities helping us to us better understand our past and shape the future.

On behalf of Morven Museum & Garden, we thank the outstanding group of community partners who shared our vision of adding this important educational component to the celebratory activities: Historical Society of Princeton, Paul Robeson House of Princeton, People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos, Princeton Academy of Art, Princeton Public Library, RevolutionNJ, YWCA Princeton, and the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society.

 more

To the Editor:
The worrisome trend of demolishing historic buildings within Princeton’s designated historic areas has been accelerating. A few recent examples in the Mercer Hill Historic District include the demolition of all siding and windows of an 1830s vintage home next door to the Barracks on Edgehill Street, and the demolition of all siding and replacement of windows of a historic home at 44 Mercer Street — a notable gateway to Princeton on the corner of Alexander and Mercer Streets. more

To the Editor:
On Monday, July 15, at 4 p.m. the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hear applications from the Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) to strip the historic fabric from five houses located on their campus at the intersection of Alexander and Mercer streets, specifically numbers 15-17, 19, 25-27, 29, and 31 Alexander Street. A sixth house, at 44 Mercer Street, has already been stripped of its historic siding and windows, the result of an administrative waiver granted in error. Four of the Alexander Street houses are the work of Charles Steadman, Princeton’s noted 19th century architect and builder. Together with the Steadmans and related period houses on the opposite side of Alexander Street, this grouping is at the core of the Mercer Hill Historic District and are key contributors to it, forming an iconic, character-defining gateway to Princeton.  more

To the Editor:

It was a beautiful sunny day. I used my new multi-geared bike to travel from Bank Street to the hardware store in the Princeton Shopping Center. I decided to take the new Witherspoon Street with the “sharrows.” Because Witherspoon Street slopes downward to Valley Road, I was traveling along in the highest gear at a good clip.

Three cars came up behind me honking their horns and passed me at high speed over the two don’t pass lines, seemingly trying to cut me off. A fourth car also passed illegally and the driver gave me the finger, yelling out the window, “get the f— off the road.” What about “share the road” do they not understand?

If this continues, sooner or later someone is going to get seriously injured or killed on Witherspoon Street. For public safety, perhaps better signing, slower speed limits, police surveillance, or restricting all bicycles should be considered.

Tony Nelessen, PP, CNU, MArch UD
Emeritus Professor
Bank Street