ARTICLES¬
Mapping A Street's Future
Marjorie Censer, Staff Writer
May 25, 2006 Princeton Packet
Group sparks sense of vision in Princeton
Editorial
April 7, 2006 Princeton Packet
In Looking at Witherspoon's Future, Group Keeps an Eye on Hospital Site
Matthew Hersh
March 9, 2005 Town Topics
Letter to the Editors of
June 14, 2005 Princeton Packet
June 15, 2005 Town Topics
Borough downtown development gets Smart Growth Award
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer
March 8, 2005 Princeton Packet
Neighbors of hospital fear unwanted changes
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer
March 8, 2005 Princeton Packet
Residents, Merchants Eye
Possibilities Of an Ever-
Changing Witherspoon
Matthew Hersh
February 23, 2005 Town Topics
Princeton Future discussions to be broadcast on cable TV
January 11, 2005 Princeton Packet
Housing diversity urged for Witherspoon Street's future
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer
December 21, 2004 Princeton Packet
Witherspoon Street Under
Scrutiny
Matthew Hersh
December 8, 2004 Town Topics
Princeton Future to study downtown
Stephen Hsia, Princetonian Contributor
November 10, 2004 DailyPrincetonian.com
Princeton Future Changes Gears
Searches for 'The Next Big Thing'
Matthew Hersh
March 10, 2004 Town Topics
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Housing diversity urged for Witherspoon Street's future
Neighbors voice concern that luxury units will price current residents out of the market
Jennifer Potash, Staff Writer, Princeton Packet
December 21, 2004
Residential uses should be encouraged on Witherspoon Street — but not just luxury units that would price out of the market a number of current Princeton residents, according to participants in a study on the future of the street on Saturday.
Princeton Future, the nonprofit organization that promotes a holistic approach to planning, is conducting a six-month study on how Witherspoon Street might be improved and preserved, and some parcels of land might be redeveloped.
About 40 participant divided up into three working groups Saturday and discussed possibilities and recommendations for the section of Witherspoon Street from Clay Street to Nassau Street.
"It is a very complex (streetscape) with fine-grained exteriors that are rare in 20th-century urbanism," said Michael Mostoller, an architect and Princeton Future member.
During the previous four meetings, participants agreed to a set of unifying themes concerning Witherspoon Street including shared values, the familiarity of people and places, rich history and variety of uses and users the street serves, said Yina Moore, a Princeton Future member.
"It is our street," she said, reflecting the comments made by the participants at prior meetings.
Participants have expressed a strong desire for Witherspoon Street, including the sections near Princeton Township Hall and the University Medical Center at Princeton, to have a more residential focus. Houses that have been converted to commercial use should revert back to residences and the hospital site should be converted for a variety of housing needs such as serving the needs of senior citizens and low- and moderate-income people, participants have said.
Witherspoon Street, between Nassau Street and Paul Robeson Place, is mostly built out except for one or two parcels. The Griggs Corner surface parking lot, at Hulfish and Witherspoon streets, drew much interest from the working groups. There is no redevelopment plan for the privately owned site that is currently before any municipal body for review.
A lack of available downtown parking — the Borough Council put a provision into place that development applications within 500 feet of the new Spring Street parking garage could not count those spaces toward meeting the municipal parking requirements — may be one factor currently holding back development of the Griggs site.
A majority seemed to favor a mixed-use building at the Griggs Corner site with retail on the first floor and residential uses on the upper floors. While the development could complement Palmer Square, it should not be of an imposing scale, it was agreed.
"It's like a little minnow next to a big fish," said Holly Nelson of Leigh Avenue in Princeton Township.
Hendricks Davis of John Street said he supports an urban enterprise zone for the Griggs Corner lot that would promote minority-owned businesses. In the 20th century, black-owned businesses dotted Witherspoon Street including Griggs Imperial Restaurant and various food markets, he said.
One group supported developing the lot into a green space to complement the new plaza under construction next to the Princeton Public Library.
For Witherspoon Street, past Paul Robeson Place, the majority of the buildings are in good condition and merely need some "maintenance and TLC," said Kevin Wilkes, a landscape architect.
While some participants expressed a strong preference for more of a residential emphasis along the bulk of Witherspoon Street between Paul Robeson Place and Valley Road, others favored the type of mix between Paul Robeson Place and Clay Street.
The next Princeton Future meeting on Witherspoon Street will be 9 a.m. Jan. 15 at the Princeton Public Library's Community Room.
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