ENVIRONMENTAL HEROINE: Shown here with her husband Peter, Rosemary Grant, senior research biologist emeritus at Princeton University, is among those included in the new “Women in Conservation” app from D&R Greenway Land Trust.

By Anne Levin

The newest free app from D&R Greenway Land Trust takes participants on a tour of the Cedar Ridge Preserve in Hopewell while highlighting the groundbreaking work of women in the conservation field. From locals Beverly Mills and Elaine Buck, known for telling the stories of African Americans in the Sourlands, to internationally known activists Greta Thunberg and Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the app encompasses a wide range of ages and experiences.

The hands-free audio tour is part of the TravelStorys series, described in a release from D&R Greenway as “the United States’ largest library of curated geo-located audio tours on a professionally maintained platform.” Previous entries include “Healing Trails on Princeton’s Greenway Meadows” and “Children and Nature” at the St. Michaels Farm Preserve in Hopewell.

The new tour began as a Girl Scout project for young Princeton resident Madeleine Freundlich, who had assisted D&R Greenway as an elementary school student with messaging for the land trust’s Children’s Discovery Trail on Drakes Corner Road. Madeleine won the Girl Scout Gold award for her efforts. Heather Callahan and Maria Stahl, from the Princeton AlumniCorps Project 55 program, have expanded and narrated the tour while serving as year-long fellows with the land trust.

“This was one of the first things I started working on this summer,” said Callahan, who graduated from Princeton University this year. “It’s been in progress for a while, but I’m really happy with how it turned out. It takes visitors on a trip, visiting women from all different parts of the world. It’s a diverse mix of women who have been impactful in preserving land for our generation and generations to come.” more

By Anne Levin

The 18-month term of the Princeton Community Renewable Energy Program (PCRE) will end next month. The energy aggregation project, which began in June 2020, was designed to provide a supply of electricity that was cheaper and had more renewable energy than power supplied by PSE&G.

The municipality had an 18-month contract with Constellation NewEnergy Inc., “which more than doubled Princeton’s renewable energy support by providing 50 percent renewable energy content, and saved residents a few dollars on their electricity bills,” reads a statement from Sustainable Princeton. The nonprofit hopes to work with the town again on a second iteration of the program when conditions for renewable electricity are favorable.

Residents do not have to take any action to switch back to PSE&G, and will soon receive a letter from PSE&G stating that their electricity supply will be automatically switched back to the utility starting with the December 2021 meter reading. There will be no changes in service.

There was no cost to the town to offer and maintain the PCRE program. Residents were offered the option to increase to 100 percent renewable electricity for a slight premium of about $4 a month. Molly Jones, executive director of Sustainable Princeton, said information will be available next month about how many people participated in the 100 percent option. In the meantime, several people have reached out to Sustainable Princeton expressing their support for another contract. more

By Anne Levin

Two people died and one was critically injured following a motor vehicle crash on Princeton Kingston Road (Route 27) near Carnegie Drive, on Sunday afternoon, November 7.

The accident followed a car theft incident and took the lives of a 15-year-old juvenile from Newark, whose name has not been released; and Jodi Marcou, 61, of Kendall Park. Marcou, who was driving westbound on Route 27, was struck head-on by a stolen vehicle driven by the 15-year-old. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

A passenger in the stolen car, 14, also from Newark, was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center and is in critical condition, according to information from the Princeton Police Department.

According to her profile posted on LinkedIn, Marcou was a development specialist at Rutgers University and had previously been coordinator of the Rutgers Jewish Film Festival. She graduated from Rider University in 1980.

The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and Princeton Police Department (PPD) released a statement Monday detailing the incident, which started when the police department was called at 12:40 p.m. to a residence on the 100 block of Clover Lane for an attempted motor vehicle theft.

“The victim reported that three unknown suspects entered his vehicle in an attempt to steal the vehicle, which was parked in the driveway. The suspects were driving a 2015 black Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was later determined to be stolen out of Pequannock Township,” reads the statement. “While PPD was on scene investigating the attempted theft, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was observed traveling west on Clover Lane, followed by a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover. It was reported at that time that the Range Rover was just stolen from a residence on Dodds Lane.” more

By Anne Levin

At a meeting Monday night, Princeton Council voted in favor of a resolution allowing Claridge Wine and Liquor to transfer its liquor license from its current location in Princeton Shopping Center to 102 Nassau Street, formerly the site of Landau’s, where it plans to relocate.

Carried over from the previous meeting, the resolution has been opposed by some businesses and members of the community who cited concerns over delivery trucks and traffic congestion. But several customers of the store spoke in favor of the move. Councilmembers voted 5-1 for the transfer, with Michelle Pirone Lambros casting the only opposing vote.

The meeting also included updates on the Witherspoon Street improvement project and plans for demolition and construction related to the Graduate Hotel at 20 Nassau Street. The governing body approved the $8.9 million bond ordinance allowing the acquisition of the 150-acre Lanwin property, and voted in favor of an agreement with Rider University allowing the town to rent parking spaces at the former location of Westminster Choir College.

A presentation was made informing Council about efforts to create a dog park in Princeton.

Councilmembers gave the go-ahead to a task force to continue its efforts, and were especially interested in the idea of creating small parks in different neighborhoods rather than one large park, creating accessibility to those who don’t have cars.

The dog park topic first came up in 2013. A task force was formed in August 2019, and a petition was put together, gathering more than 350 signatures. Efforts to pursue the issue were slowed by the pandemic, but have resumed. more

A MOVE ACROSS TOWN: The architecture firm JZA+D has relocated from 20 Nassau Street to a house on Witherspoon Street, with possible plans to build an addition next door.

By Anne Levin

With architecture firms Richardson Smith, Studio Hillier, and KSS located on Witherspoon Street for the past several years, the thoroughfare might be considered a kind of “architects’ row.” The newest addition to this creative mix is JZA+D, which recently relocated from 20 Nassau Street, soon to become the 180-room Graduate Hotel, to a house at 254 Witherspoon Street.

The house is on a double lot at the corner of Leigh Avenue, across from the Avalon Princeton development. Plans are being explored to expand to the empty lot next to the house, adding a full studio and more.

“Right now, we’re scattered throughout the building, so we want to add on,” said managing partner Joshua Zinder. “We’ve also talked to someone about putting a laundromat into the building. We’re optimistic about having another retail presence or some housing with leftover space. We might do two apartments, but we’re still trying to work that out.”

Zinder and partner Mark A. Sullivan knew they wanted to own rather than rent. “Mostly, we wanted to be in a position where we could be engaged in the community,” Zinder said. “This is a great location for that.”

Zinder considers the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, designated a historic district in 2016, to be a key Princeton location. “I see the area from town hall [Witherspoon Hall] to Paul Robeson Place as an opportunity to create a more diverse, multicultural, and multi-income community,” he said. “I’m an architect and developer, so I’m very pro-density. I’m glad to see the town is getting behind that.” more

By Anne Levin

David Nirenberg

The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) has appointed David Nirenberg as its 10th director and Leon Levy Professor, effective July 1, 2022. The IAS Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of the appointment on October 30.

Nirenberg, who is currently dean of the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and professor of medieval history, earned a master’s degree and doctorate from Princeton University’s Department of History. He succeeds Robbert Dijkgraaf, who has served as IAS director since July 1, 2012. Nirenberg’s term is for five years, and can be renewed for another five.

“I couldn’t think of a better choice to hand over the baton. I have come to know David as an eminent scholar, creative thinker, and thoughtful academic leader with an impressive track record of success,” said Dijkgraaf, in a press release. “He has a deep connection to the core values of IAS of joining together excellence, diverse perspectives, and the limitless possibilities of the shared pursuit of knowledge. This appointment will add many new dimensions to the intellectual life at the Institute that I hope to enjoy personally for many years to come. It is thanks to the tremendous effort of trustees and faculty that we can look forward to welcoming David as our next director.”

Nirenberg was founding director of the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society. In that position, “He championed a program that afforded both funding and space to catalyze collaborations across every division, school, and affiliated laboratory at the university,” according to the release. “By uniting practitioners across fields, the collegium enables novel investigations and new forms of thinking based on the cross-pollination of ideas.”

At the University of Chicago, Nirenberg has served as dean of the social sciences and executive vice provost. He is the Deborah R. and Edgar D. Jannotta Distinguished Service Professor of Social Thought, History, Divinity, Romance Languages, and Literatures.

“The appointment of a humanities scholar is a bold choice, which departs from several decades of directors trained in science and mathematics, but reaffirms in the strongest sense the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration at IAS,” said Charles Simonyi, the Institute’s board chair. “An energetic and astute leader, David understands that the Institute is a public good in service of society: to be a haven for scholars with a long view ready to share the fruits of their curiosity.” more

MORE SPACE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING: The Princeton Senior Resource Center’s new facility on Poor Farm Road, the Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, will be unveiled to the public at several community open houses this month, following the grand opening on November 4.

By Anne Levin

Anyone who has attended a class, lecture, or event at the Princeton Senior Resource Center’s (PSRC) Suzanne Patterson building knows that the site is short on space and parking. The grand opening on Thursday of PSRC’s new location on Poor Farm Road, which will supplement the original building, brings the senior center into a new era of light, space, and plenty of parking.

“We often say we are a senior center unlike any other,” said Drew Dyson, PSRC’s chief executive officer, during a tour of the new building this week. “We wanted this to be a place people are drawn to. We were very intentional about making it a destination.”

Across the atrium from the law firm Mason, Griffin & Pierson, the Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning takes a visual cue from its wooded setting. The high-tech classrooms, state-of-the-art technology lab, first floor lounge, lecture hall, and teaching lab all look out on the surrounding trees. So do PSRC’s offices, which have been moved from the Patterson Center, where art studios will take their place.

Architects Juliet Richardson and Terry Smith of the Princeton firm Richardson Smith Architects looked to the surrounding trees when turning what was previously two stories of office space into something that reflected PSRC’s purpose and creative ideals.

“One of the things we noticed right away was how there was this incredibly strict, boxy building sitting on a lovely landscape,” said Richardson. “We thought, ‘how can we transform this?’ We considered it to be a meeting place. We didn’t want it to be institutional. We wanted it to be about community and building friendships, a place you could come and gather and meet people.”  more

By Anne Levin

At a meeting of Princeton Council on October 25, Councilmembers voted on whether to adopt an ordinance requested by the Hun School that would have rezoned two lots from an R-2 (residential) district to an E-2 (educational) district. Three Councilmembers voted in favor of the request. One voted against it, and two abstained. That meant they couldn’t come to a final decision.

Municipal Attorney Trishka Cecil asked for another day to research proper procedure in such a situation. She has since reached the conclusion that the ordinance was defeated, as she stated in a memo the day after the meeting.

“The outcome of the vote at the time was unclear: had the motion passed, had the motion been defeated, or had the vote resulted in a tie, making the mayor eligible to vote?” she wrote. “I have since had an opportunity to review the case law and governing statutes, and it is my conclusion that the ordinance was defeated.” 

The proposed change had been reviewed and endorsed by the Planning Board. The rezoning would allow academic support uses of the Mason House, which was formerly the headmaster’s home. The house had been recently used for academic support space to free up space for COVID-19 testing and an expanded infirmary during the pandemic. more

By Anne Levin

At its meeting Monday night, Princeton Council voted to introduce an ordinance enabling the acquisition of the largest remaining tract of undeveloped land in Princeton. The 153-acre parcel, which has frontage on Province Line and Cherry Valley roads, will be preserved instead of turned into a housing development.

The municipality recently announced its agreement with Bryce Thompson and Lanwin Development Corporation to buy the parcel for $8.775 million. Private donations, grants, and nonprofit partners from the New Jersey Green Acres program and Mercer County’s Open Space program, as well as monies from the municipal open space tax trust fund, are paying for the purchase.

The acquisition saves some 4,000 trees that form part of an old-growth forest of oak, beech, and hickory trees that would have been destroyed. “Instead, those trees will continue to sequester an estimated 340 megatons of carbon annually, to help prevent flooding on Cherry Valley Road, and to provide habitat for songbirds and many other species,” wrote Wendy Mager, president of the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), in a message.

FOPOS, The Watershed Institute, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, and the Ridgeview Conservancy were involved in a collaboration with the municipality, led by Councilmembers Eve Niedergang and Mia Sacks, and Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic. The acquisition is part of  “Princeton’s Emerald Necklace,” an initiative that aims to connect open spaces throughout the town and provide greater access to a more diverse group of community members. more

By Anne Levin

An ordinance banning the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers during summer and winter months was adopted unanimously by Princeton Council Monday night, capping 10 months of deliberations by several individuals, boards, commissions, and nonprofits involved in the effort.

In a meeting that stretched longer than five hours, Council also heard testimony on the proposed rezoning of two parcels on the campus of The Hun School, and an application by Claridge Wine and Liquor to transfer its liquor license to the former location of Landau’s at 102 Nassau Street, where it would relocate. No final decisions were made on either proposal.

Council also introduced an ordinance enabling the acquisition of a major parcel of open space (see accompanying story).

Princeton was one of nine cities to be awarded a $55,000 Partners for Places grant last December to support work with the landscaping community to adopt practices that protect the health of both the landscapers and the environment. Work on developing an ordinance has been underway since then. Sustainable Princeton, Quiet Princeton, the Princeton Environmental Commission, and the Board of Health have been part of the effort, which was led by Councilmember Eve Niedergang.

“This is an attempt to achieve an environmentally sustainable goal while simultaneously focusing on social justice and racial equity,” Niedergang said. “It’s been a long haul, but we’re here, and I think our project partners are happy to be here and excited about the outcome of moving this forward.” more

HONORING THE DEAD: The holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) has become a colorful tradition at the Arts Council of Princeton. Several free community events are planned for this year’s commemoration.

By Anne Levin

There are some who consider Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican version of Halloween. But the two autumn observances —  Halloween on October 31, Dia de los Muertos on November 1 and 2 — couldn’t vary more in spirit.

While they share a theme of death, Halloween is all about mischief–making, grisliness, darkness, and of course, sweet treats. The Mexican holiday is a joyous celebration of life and death, honoring those who have passed with vibrantly colored costumes, parties, parades, and offerings.

Marking the holiday has become a tradition at the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP). This year’s commemorations have grown in scope.

“The Arts Council of Princeton is honored to have hosted our community’s Dia de los Muertos celebrations for more than 20 years,” said ACP Artistic Director Maria Evans in a press release. “This year is extra special. We’ve expanded our offerings to include something for everyone — all ages, interests, and backgrounds.” more