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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Mapping a Street's Future
Witherspoon plans emphasize safety, walkability
Marjorie Censer, Staff Writer, Princeton Packet
March 25, 2005
Princeton Future members presented the conclusions of the Witherspoon Street Corridor Study at an open meeting Saturday at Princeton Public Library.
The group divided its presentation into three parts: overall recommendations, recommendations for the streetscape and options for the University Medical Center at Princeton site.
For the hospital, Michael Mostoller, chairman of the organization's planning and design task force, presented six different options.
Each scheme proposed that a street be created to run through the block now occupied by the hospital complex, eliminating the "super-block."
In some, the new street runs between Witherspoon Street and Harris Road, and in others, between Franklin and Henry avenues. Additionally, every option recommended lower buildings, and most allowed for neighborhood-scale commercial activity. A linear park was included in each scheme.
Yet the density and the total number of housing units varied significantly among plans. The option with the lowest density suggested 111 units, while the highest was 306 units, with an accompanied range in density of 13.57 to 37.41 housing units per acre.
Mr. Mostoller said each of the schemes operated within the parameters set by the neighborhood during previous meetings.
"In a marketing situation, there is no real interest in the value of the neighborhood or town," he said. "We're acting in this vacuum to try to create something that could be developed, but that includes the neighborhood challenges expressed in this chart," he said during a presentation of a list of possibilities.
Kevin Wilkes, a landscape architect and member of the Witherspoon Street Corridor Study advisory group, presented specific recommendations for improving the streetscape of Witherspoon Street.
Mr. Wilkes suggested the gates of Princeton Cemetery be opened to promote Princeton's history and allow visitors to see the cemetery. He also proposed that the street's utility lines be put underground.
"The utility lines ... are causing tremendous damage to the tree canopy on the western side of the street," he said. "They are both trying to occupy the same space, (and) the trees are going to lose."
Mr. Wilkes emphasized the need for the borough and township to take better care of the street's trees. He recommended that new trees, either London planes or oaks, be planted.
He also focused on improving the safety of the street. The plan calls for three "neck downs," or places in the road where the sidewalk extends out to create a clear pedestrian crossing. These would be at the commercial area between Quarry and Maclean streets at Franklin Avenue and at Community Park.
Mr. Wilkes proposed the creation of a linear park, titled Unity Park in the study, in the area in front of the hospital site. He recommended against creating a bike lane on Witherspoon Street and suggested an alternate bike route that uses Jefferson Road and Moore Street.
"There is enthusiasm across the community for a safer bike system," Mr. Wilkes said. "We actually do not believe it is safe to put bicycles in the roadbed of Witherspoon Street. We know people disagree."
Yina Moore, chairwoman of Princeton Future's neighborhood preservation task force, spoke of the overall recommendations for Witherspoon Street. Ms. Moore said area residents want to preserve the residential character of the neighborhood and save the existing structures.
In addition, Ms. Moore recommended that the street's historic resources be identified and protected and that more public space be made available. Residents want the street's safety and walkability improved and for the scale and the "grain" of the neighborhood to be preserved.
Ms. Moore also spoke of the benefits of the public process conducted by Princeton Future.
"A public process does not present preconceived ideas or conclusions," she said. "It is one of the best ways to ensure that people can become informed or heard. ... It is a form of participation that contributes quality to the entire decision-making process of the town."
Mr. Mostoller said in an interview Monday that he thought the meeting went well.
"My feeling is that what we were able to accomplish there is we have a set of very specific recommendations that will be used as guidelines for specific projects that will ensue," Mr. Mostoller said. "We just hope we're helpful in some way so that all the values of the town are put in front of the people who make decisions."
Members of Princeton Future plan to attend Thursday's meeting of the Regional Planning Board of Princeton. Representatives of the hospital are scheduled to present a proposal to the board, and Princeton Future hopes to introduce its options for the site during the public portion of the meeting.
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