Town Sees Year of Change, Controversy, Progress

“WE WANT CHMIEL!”: On March 20, about 170 demonstrators — students and parents — at Princeton High School (PHS) called on the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education and Superintendent Carol Kelley to rescind their decision to remove Frank Chmiel as PHS principal. Chmiel was not reinstated, and Kelley later resigned. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

By Donald Gilpin and Anne Levin

Steeped in history and tradition but changing every day, Princeton seemed to gain momentum in 2023 in its role as a hub of innovation in government, education, culture, political activity, and entertainment. The weekly Town Topics calendar of events was packed this year, but all that activity did not come without conflict and debate, as one look at the “Mailbox” section would show.

SNOWY GREETING: The Princeton area got a lovely brushing of snow on March 7, but it was gone by mid-morning. “Settled 1683” was removed from the “Welcome to Princeton” signs on roadways leading into town in July in recognition of the Indigenous peoples who were here previous to that time. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

Speaking of controversy and history, and moving forward with change — in July, after years of debate, the town’s “Welcome to Princeton, Settled 1683” signs became just “Welcome to Princeton.” The settlement date was removed on the recommendation of the Princeton Civil Rights Commission (CRC), an important step in recognizing that Indigenous peoples were the original inhabitants long before European settlers arrived in 1683.

Conflict in the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) erupted in March over the ouster of Princeton High School Principal Frank Chmiel, with protests and petitions demanding his reinstatement, a dramatic public hearing in May where the Board of Education (BOE) confirmed his termination, and the aftereffects still being felt in late October with the sudden resignation of PPS Superintendent Carol Kelley, who was replaced by Acting Superintendent Kathie Foster as the schools moved forward. Two new members were elected to the BOE in the November election, taking the places of Jean Durbin, who chose not to run, and Michele Tuck-Ponder, who was defeated.

On the municipal level too, as the town celebrated the 10th anniversary of the consolidation of Borough and Township, there was no shortage of controversy and debate, but a new Master Plan was approved in November, new 64-gallon trash carts were delivered to every household in February, and new development with affordable housing proceeded at Thanet Circle and the Alice apartments on North Harrison Street. Proposals for projects at the Nassau and Harrison Street intersection and an apartment complex at the former Tennent/Roberts/Whiteley campus at Princeton Theological Seminary are currently in dispute.

FOR THE DOGS — AND PEOPLE: Mayor Mark Freda and Council President Mia Sacks, shown cutting the ribbon, were among the dignitaries at the grand opening of the Princeton Community Dog Park in Community Park South on February 5. More than 100 people and 70 dogs were on hand for the festivities. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

On a less controversial note, Princeton found much to celebrate in 2023. There was the opening of the Community Dog Park at Community Park South in February; Porchfest in April, sponsored by the Arts Council of Princeton with support from Princeton University; the return of the Farmers Market to Hinds Plaza in June; “Oppenheimer Fever” in July, with tours, talks, and commemorative events surrounding the opening of the film Oppenheimer about former Princeton resident and Institute for Advanced Study Director J. Robert Oppenheimer; Pride Month events in June; Joint Effort Safe Streets celebrating the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood in August; and more.

Construction projects proliferated in town and on the University campus throughout 2023 — on Witherspoon Street, at the new Graduate Hotel on Nassau and Chambers streets, the new Triumph Brewery site on Palmer Square, work on Washington Road, and seemingly in every corner of the University campus — from the new Meadows Community across Lake Carnegie, to Ivy Lane, to the new art museum and health center going up in the middle of the campus.

Princeton University, a national leader in artificial intelligence, culminated a year of extraordinary expansion and progress on multiple fronts with a joint announcement, along with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, of the creation of an artificial intelligence innovation hub for the state.

Both town and University were powerfully affected by national and international events in 2023, the most striking being the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza. Princeton Council and Princeton University both acted clearly and forcefully in opposition to antisemitism and Islamophobia. There were numerous demonstrations in town and on the University campus, both in support of Israel and in support of the Palestinians.

At the end of 2023 there is much to hope for in 2024, which is certain to be another year of change, controversy, progress, and excitement in Princeton.

IT’S COMING ALONG: The transformation of the former office building at 20 Nassau Street into the Graduate Hotel continued in July with new construction on Chambers Street, where the entrance will be located. Part of a chain of hotels in college towns, the Graduate is targeted to open in May 2024. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

Development and Construction

With multiple projects underway this year, Princeton has seemed more like a construction zone than a university town. The Witherspoon Street Improvement Project, the Graduate Hotel, and various road improvements caused residents to complain about frustrating traffic tie-ups and delays.

Work on the hotel at 20 Nassau Street caused the temporary closures of Jammin’ Crepes, Small Bites, Sakrid Coffee Roasters, Milk and Cookies, and Nassau Barbers, but proprietors were notified ahead and able to make alternative plans. The facade of the Graduate is on Chambers Street, which has necessitated occasional closing of the thoroughfare. The opening of the new hotel is targeted for May 2024.

The first phase of construction on the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project, which included sections between Nassau and Green streets, was finished in June. Roads, curbs, and sidewalks were improved or replaced. Trees were removed or replaced, and there were updates to the traffic signals at the Paul Robeson/Wiggins/Witherspoon intersection. Phase 2, between Green Street and Leigh Avenue, is currently underway. This involves underground utility upgrades, tree removals and replacements, sidewalk removals or expansions, and roadway surface improvements or replacements. It is expected to continue through next summer.

Of all the contentious issues that occupied residents this year, the development of the former Tennent/Roberts/Whiteley campus of Princeton Theological Seminary figures especially high. A standing-room-only crowd turned out in October to hear contract purchaser James P. Herring describe his proposed 238-unit apartment complex, 48 of which would be designated affordable.

Many of those who have expressed concerns about traffic, aesthetics, and related issues are residents of the neighborhood surrounding the campus. But residents from other neighborhoods have also voiced questions about Herring’s concept, which was vetted over the summer by the town’s redevelopment team. Several others spoke in favor of the plan.

Meetings of Princeton Council and the Planning Board, as well as a public hearing, will take place before a redevelopment agreement is negotiated and a regular site plan review is undertaken.

Construction continues on the 110,000-square-foot reimagining of the Princeton University Art Museum, planned for opening in 2025. Despite allegations of sexual misconduct by Ghanian British architect Sir David Adjaye, which cost him the loss of several projects, the University chose to keep him on. The allegations were “enormously troubling,” said Museum’s Director James Steward, but Adjaye’s work was completed, and it would be unfair to those building the museum and bringing the project to completion to start over.

The museum project is one of several on the University campus, as nearly three million square feet of new buildings are planned for the main campus and the expansion to West Windsor.

At the end of November, Council held a work session on the proposed renovation of Community Park South, the 26-acre expanse bordered by Route 206, Birch Avenue, Community Park School, and Community Park Pool. A steering committee worked on the concept for nearly a year, narrowing seven possible designs to one. New tennis courts, pickleball courts, a new paddle tennis court facility, and two fields for softball and baseball are among the design elements, along with improvements of the existing dog parks, at a total cost of $24 million to $28 million. But the concept is only a “wish list,” said Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros, and nothing is set in stone. Opportunities for public comment will follow in the future.

After more than one meeting and much discussion, Princeton’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted at the end of June to reject Sakrid Coffee’s idea for a coffee roasting operation at 300 Witherspoon Street. But Sakrid’s application for a coffee shop, minus the roaster, was approved. The concern, mostly from neighboring residents in the Witherspoon-Jackson district, was about chemicals and fumes that might come from the process. Ultimately, the decision to deny the roaster was based more on whether the Zoning Board could allow a manufacturing use in a commercial district, where it was not permitted, than on environmental concerns.

Downtown Retail

Having changed its name from the Princeton Business Partnership to Experience Princeton, the organization charged with promoting the local business and restaurant community witnessed an uptick in activity during 2023. Its first annual report was issued in November, boasting more than 20 new businesses, 11 ribbon cuttings, and fewer of the vacancy rates that plagued Princeton during and after the pandemic.

Stores that opened this year include Johnny Was, Charbellum Boutique, Lilly Pulitzer, Princeton Bridal, Hamilton Home, Mostafavi Eye Princeton, Sona Beauty Salon, Alpha Fit Club, Emmoda Salon X Spa, and JAG-ONE. Eateries Ani Ramen, Maman, Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli, and Aspendos Mediterranean Cuisine welcomed shoppers and diners.

Restaurant Week in March counted 40 participating eateries selling 6,196 meals, according to Experience Princeton. Small Business Saturday and a special digital gift card for use only in Princeton during the holidays were among the campaigns focused on drawing attention to the town’s retail and restaurant scene.

Health Concerns

COVID-19, which dominated the headlines for much of the previous three years, was conspicuously absent from most of this year’s front-page news. There was a COVID-19 uptick early in the winter, and on January 11 Town Topics reported that three respiratory viruses — COVID, flu, and RSV — “remain a threat,” but by February 8 the news was “COVID Wanes, Tripledemic Fears Fade.”

COVID-19, along with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is not going away, and masks have become a familiar sight around town and in certain settings. COVID-19 numbers rose in August, and in September new COVID-19 vaccines were available and strongly recommended by physicians and health authorities. A November 22 headline warned “Flu, COVID and RSV Season Has Arrived,” but there seemed to be no loud alarms, just advice to take precautions where warranted.

The month of September saw two significant upheavals in the Princeton health care community.

On September 1 all 72 elderly residents of Princeton Care Center (PCC) on Bunn Drive were suddenly evacuated and forced to find new quarters after PCC told the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) that financial problems were forcing them to close with less than 24 hours’ notice.

Many members of the municipal staff, the health department, the police department, emergency personnel, and the fire department spent many hours that day helping PCC residents to prepare for and complete their sudden move. Princeton Mayor Mark Freda pointed out that the NJDOH, which had jurisdiction over the center, as well as PCC, shared responsibility for the crisis.

Later in the month, in a September 15 press release, the Municipality of Princeton announced that Catholic Charities would be the new behavioral health provider for the town starting in January 2024. The change, which will require the reorganization of some services previously shared with Corner House Behavioral Health, is expected to improve and expand mental health and addiction services as well as save taxpayer dollars.

Municipality

After more than a year of meetings, public hearings, surveys, and listening sessions, the town approved a new Master Plan at the end of November. The controversial plan, which necessitated two public hearing sessions so that everyone who wanted to comment would get a chance, caused consternation among many residents. Nearly 1,000 signed a petition in opposition, started by the Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development.

While sympathetic to the public’s concerns, members of the Planning Board voted unanimously in favor of the plan. But they felt there were misunderstandings about issues such as traffic congestion, stormwater mitigation, the loss of green space, and most of all — density. Planning Board member and Councilman David Cohen summed it up at the end of the second public hearing, which lasted nearly five hours, saying, “The recommendations reflect tested and true development patterns already common in some of Princeton’s nicest neighborhoods, and they fall squarely within the bounds of best practices espoused consistently by the vast majority of the planning profession and being adopted by similar communities across the country.”

An ongoing project to plan upgrades to Nassau Street was the subject of a public outreach meeting in June, followed with an online survey by the street design firm Arterial. More than 200 people responded. At a work session on the proposal during a meeting of Princeton Council in July, there was further discussion of such proposed ideas, among them reducing the number of travel lanes on Nassau Street between Witherspoon Street and Vandeventer Avenue to create a bike lane on the north side of the road. No decisions were made. But subject to financing, construction could begin in late 2024 or early 2025.

It’s hard to believe it has been a decade since Princeton voted to consolidate the former Borough and Township, but on September 28, the Municipality of Princeton celebrated its 10th anniversary with a public party outside Witherspoon Hall. State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, Mayor Mark Freda, and former Mayor Liz Lempert — who was the first mayor of the newly consolidated municipality — were on hand for the event, along with many of the people who made the merger of the former Borough and Township a reality. With speeches and informal talks, they recalled the nearly 60 years of attempts it took to finally make consolidation happen.

FUN WITH BOOKS: Author Gabrielle Balkan entertained young fans at the Princeton Children’s Book Festival on October 7 at Hinds Plaza. Presented by the Princeton Public Library, the festival featured nearly 50 authors and illustrators of children’s literature along with arts and crafts activities. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)

The Princeton Farmers Market returned to its Hinds Plaza home at the beginning of June. Begun on the plaza outside Princeton Public Library in 2009 with the idea of bringing locally grown and produced food to the center of town, the market was reduced and relocated during COVID-19. Judging from the high turnout every Thursday from June until Thanksgiving, it was a welcome return.

After the rollout in February of a new trash collection system in which every household received one 64-gallon trash cart designed to save labor by the use of robotic arms on the trucks, there was some confusion about the switch. Additional carts could be ordered for a fee, which not everyone was happy about. Some residents complained that they were not aware of the change from the old system.

A delay in delivery of the new carts, and a flyer with the wrong date for pickup of the old ones, didn’t help matters. But all seemed to settle down by mid-spring. Skyrocketing costs in trash collection systems and environmental concerns led to the changes.

Affordable Housing

Since the court-mandated affordable housing settlement handed over to Princeton in 2018, more than 1,000 new luxury apartments with 20 percent affordable housing set-asides are either planned or under construction.

In November, Avalon Princeton Circle unveiled its 221-unit multifamily project at Thanet Circle, at the site of two obsolete office buildings. Included in the complex of apartments and townhouses are 11 affordable units, five of which are for people with special needs. Also going up at Thanet Circle is Princeton Senior Living, which is 100 percent affordable and geared to households headed by individuals 55 and older with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income.

The Alice apartments, a 125-unit mixed-income community at the intersection of North Harrison Street and Terhune Road along the northern boundary of Princeton Shopping Center, is under construction. At its December 11 meeting, Council approved resolutions related to an affordable housing project on Franklin Avenue, allowing plans for that development to proceed to the next level.

An affordable housing overlay zone for portions of Witherspoon Street in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood was approved by Council in November. Housing overlay zones are added layers on top of existing zoning ordinances that provide incentives for developers to build housing, particularly affordable housing, within specific districts.
Part of the Affordable Housing Overlay Zone 2 includes five buildings in the Jugtown Historic District. The owner, RB Homes, has proposed creating an apartment building with 20 units, four of which would be designated affordable, at the site, which is located at the intersection of Nassau and North Harrison streets. The project would add a four-story addition behind two, two-story buildings at 344 Nassau Street.

This did not sit well with the 537-plus residents of the neighborhood who signed a petition opposing the proposal. Residents stressed that they have no problem with affordable housing in their neighborhood, but worry about safety at the intersection, which they said is already dangerous. Historic preservation is another key concern.

“The Harrison Street crossroads is a gateway into town,” said historian and resident Clifford Zink at a meeting of the Planning Board in March. “It used to be a separate village, mostly called Queenston.

Every time I come into Princeton from that area, you ride along Carnegie Lake, which has kind of a suburban feel. But as soon as you get up to the Jugtown area, it’s the entrance into Princeton. You suddenly realize you’re in a special place.”

No decision has been made on the proposal.

Political Activism

A Princeton Council resolution In January condemning antisemitism and a resolution in December condemning Islamophobia highlighted the most compelling political and moral issue for Princeton in 2023. The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza accentuated the importance of those measures, as demonstrations, vigils, forums, and other events — some academic, some pro-Palestinian, and some pro-Israel — took place in town and on the Princeton University campus.

“We stand in solidarity with the many local residents who are suffering with the escalation of this conflict,” and “we mourn with those who have lost family and friends, and we plead for the speedy return of the hostages,” said Nick DiDomizio, a member of the Princeton Civil Rights Commission, which drafted the resolutions.

A Tigers for Israel vigil, sponsored by the University Center for Jewish Life, drew more than 400 participants to the campus’ Frist South Lawn on October 12, followed the next day by a vigil organized by Students for Justice in Palestine and attended by about 300 people gathering outside Nassau Hall to mourn and condemn violence in Israel and Gaza.

In addition to the rallies on campus, there were demonstrations in Palmer Square and in Hinds Plaza in support of Palestine and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, counterdemonstrations supporting Israel, and gatherings in solidarity with hostages and calling for their release.

CELEBRATING PRIDE: The third annual Princeton Community Pride Picnic on June 3 celebrated Princeton’s LGBTQ+ community with games, music, art, activities, local nonprofits, and more on the Palmer Square Green. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)

A highlight event of the year was the Princeton Pride parade on June 17, with thousands of colorfully dressed people of all ages celebrating love and community as they marched from the Princeton Municipal Building on Witherspoon Street to the field at the Princeton YMCA.

The parade, the centerpiece of several Pride Month in Princeton events, was organized by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ), which offers programs and support to the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the year, with Chief Activist Robt Seda-Schreiber at the helm.

The BRCSJ was forced to rise to the challenge later in the summer on August 26 when a bomb threat forced evacuation of its Stockton Street headquarters and the Saturday morning Drag Queen Story Hour had to move to a nearby stoop. The Princeton Police Department searched the building, finding no explosives, as event headliner Carrie Dragshaw (Dan Clay) read her story and entertained the adults and children sitting and standing on the sidewalk and grass.

The Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) in its 43rd year continued to work for peace on multiple fronts, with a variety of events under the leadership of its executive director, the Rev. Robert Moore.

Advocating peace legislation with members of Congress and others, the CFPA continued to promote “diplomacy, not war” in the Israel-Hamas War, in Ukraine, and around the world.

Closer to home, the CFPA has already kicked off its Peace Voter 2024 Campaign with candidate briefings and the preparation of Peace Voter guides based on voting records and candidate questionnaires in targeted races.

Among the 2023 highlights for CFPA were the November 12 Annual Conference and Multifaith Service for Peace; the Annual Commemoration of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; a webinar on Ending Climate and Nuclear Crises for the Next Generation; and a vigil for a Diplomatic Surge to Prevent Endless and Nuclear War in Ukraine.

On December 31 the CFPA is sponsoring a New Year’s Eve Sing-along and Multifaith Vigil at the Trenton Friends Meeting on East Hanover Street at the corner of North Montgomery Street in Trenton.

There was more political action in a February 15 demonstration of Princeton University graduate students and supporters seeking a graduate student union; a May 1 International Workers’ Day march from Witherspoon Street through Palmer Square to Washington Road and past the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs with about 150 participants demanding equal rights for area workers; and for three weeks in late April and early May in front of the Graduate Hotel construction site on Nassau Street, where electricians claimed that Graduate Hotels had hired non-local workers in order to pay lower wages and benefits.

As the year draws to a close two individuals with close Princeton connections remain in captivity overseas.

Evan Gershkovich, 32, 2010 Princeton High School graduate and soccer team captain and a journalist and Wall Street Journal writer who reported on Russia, remains in prison in Moscow, detained since March 2023 by Russia’s Federal Security Services on charges of espionage, which the Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government deny. The White House and leading media groups, along with NATO and the European Union, have condemned the arrest. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced that he wants to “reach an agreement” on the return of Gershkovich and “find a solution,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

Also in captivity, kidnapped in Iraq in late March, is Princeton University politics doctoral student Elizabeth Tsurkov, 38, who is believed to be held by the group Kataeb Hezbollah or Hezbollah Brigades, an Iran-backed militia classified as a terrorist group by the United States. Princeton University officials have said that the University continues to work with government officials to help secure her release and safe return.

Princeton Public Schools

After a year in which PPS controversies dominated the headlines, the last few months saw the restoration of a note of stability and optimism for the district, with Cecilia Birge at the helm at Princeton High School and Kathie Foster leading the district as acting superintendent.

The upheavals in the district began with the sudden dismissal of PHS Principal Frank Chmiel on March 17, after Superintendent Carol Kelley placed him on administrative leave. Calls for Chmiel’s reinstatement were widespread with petitions initiated by students and parents gathering thousands of signatures. Lawn signs stating, “We Want Chmiel,” “Princeton Parents don’t support Board of Ed.,” and “The parents of Princeton Public Schools have no confidence in Carol Kelley,” appeared around town.

Eager to move forward, the BOE appointed Kathie Foster, who had previously served as PPS interim assistant superintendent, to return as interim PHS principal.

Hundreds of Chmiel supporters demonstrated at PHS and at the Valley Road administration building. They also appeared at meetings of the BOE to voice their opinions. Chmiel and his lawyers requested a Donaldson hearing before the BOE to make his case for reinstatement. He chose to make the hearing public, and it was held at the Princeton Middle School cafeteria on May 15.

At the hearing Kelley presented a statement of reasons for Chmiel’s nonrenewal, including failure to communicate effectively with central administrators, failure to ensure a safe environment for students and staff, and allegedly lying about his COVID-19 vaccination. Chmiel refuted most of the charges and blamed Kelley for the communication lapses.

The emotional five-hour meeting culminated in the BOE’s 8-2 vote to uphold Kelley’s dismissal of Chmiel, whose lawyer filed an appeal with the state commissioner of education and threatened a civil lawsuit.

Following the hearing, things seemed to quiet down as the end of the school year approached.

In early April Johnson Park Elementary, Riverside Elementary, and PHS each received a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant funded by the New Jersey Education Association. The money has funded significant Green Team projects at each of the schools.

In June Tiffany Brennan was hired as the supervisor of mathematics and business education for grades six through 12 and has been leading a comprehensive math program review, which has included surveys and focus groups, plus classroom observations and a review of professional development in the wake of criticism of declining test scores in math and staffing challenges following the pandemic.

In September Birge became principal at PHS and PPS opened a new preschool classroom at Community Park and two more preschool classrooms at the Princeton Community Family Learning Center at All Saints’ Church.

Also in September, elementary school parents raised multiple concerns over the district’s before- and after-school care services provider Right at School. On September 21 the for-profit business agreed to terminate its contract with PPS. The Princeton YWCA will be the official after-care provider for the PPS starting January 2, 2024.

On October 27, Kelley announced her resignation in an email to the PPS staff, and the BOE approved her resignation and her request for a paid leave of absence through August 31, 2024. Foster stepped into the acting superintendent’s position on November 15.

Good news for the PPS rounded out the year, with a $13M facilities bond referendum passing easily on Election Day; district technology workers submitting a petition to the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) to unionize; and, at the final meeting of the year, the BOE Long Term Facilities Planning Committee presenting a preliminary plan for expansion and improvements at Princeton Middle School, Community Park, and Littlebrook, along with additional work at PHS and demolition of the older section of the Valley Road administration building. The BOE, in collaboration with expert consultants, continues to work out designs and plans to accommodate the rising student enrollments at all of the schools. Opportunities for public input are coming up in early 2024, a bond referendum of $81 million-$85 million is anticipated for the fall of 2024, and the district is looking at a tentative date of fall 2027 for completion of the construction projects.

Also in school news, Princeton Charter School was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in September with a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School award, the only winner in Mercer County, one of just nine in New Jersey, and only 353 in the whole country.

SPRING IN BLOOM: Visitors enjoy the garden at Prospect House, which formerly served as the residence for the president of Princeton University. Built in 1851, it was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1985. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

Princeton University

Princeton University was constantly in the news throughout 2023, dramatically shaping events and being shaped by them.

The June 29 U.S. Supreme Court Decision to end affirmative action in higher education created major impediments to the University’s pursuit of diversity, but President Christopher Eisgruber vowed that the University would be “creative and persistent in our efforts to preserve and build upon the diversity of our scholarly community.” He continued, “That diversity is a source of great strength to this University, and it will be essential to our future and the future of this country.”

With two new residential colleges completed in late 2022, the current freshman and sophomore classes are the largest in Princeton’s history, as the University increases its socioeconomic diversity, prioritizing accessibility to more students from different backgrounds.

The University’s building boom continues at an unprecedented rate with new graduate housing and athletic and parking facilities in the Meadows Neighborhood on Washington Road in West Windsor scheduled to open next year. At the center of the campus, anticipating a 2025 opening, will be the new Princeton University Art Museum.

Also underway and looking to a 2025 completion is the vast new Environmental Studies and School of Engineering and Applied Science (ES+SEAS) campus with four new buildings on Ivy Lane.

In mid-February, in a dramatic move that had caused significant controversy between the town and University before it was finally resolved, the 96-year-old former Court Clubhouse was moved across Prospect Avenue to accommodate part of the ES+SEAS complex.

Additional building plans were unveiled in November when Princeton University announced a major gift from Dr. Thomas Frist Jr. and Patricia Champion Frist that will create the new Frist Health Center, double the size of the current health center, also scheduled to open in 2025.

Perhaps the most prevalent theme at Princeton University throughout year concerned the challenges of technology and the need to “wholeheartedly embrace the study of technology,” as Eisgruber urged in his February State of the University letter, where he emphasized the changing world of technology and “what these changes mean for Princeton as a university steadfastly committed to the ideals of liberal arts education and curiosity-driven research.”
As the year approached its close, technology remained at the top of the agenda as Eisgruber and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on December 20 announced plans to create an artificial intelligence innovation hub for the state, in collaboration with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

At the gathering of representatives from state and local government, business, education, and the AI industry in Chancellor Green rotunda, Murphy stated, “With today’s announcement, New Jersey — alongside Princeton University — is poised to shape the future of this revolutionary field and unleash a new century of game-changing discovery.” He noted that the new AI hub would be “a new home for the world’s boldest and brightest to pioneer breakthroughs for the betterment of humankind.”

The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza caused shock waves at Princeton University as it did in universities and communities around the world. The University struggled to balance freedom of speech priorities with concerns for the safety of students and staff, while also standing firm against both antisemitism and Islamophobia.

There were vigils and demonstrations in solidarity with Israel, led by the Princeton University Center for Jewish Life, Chabad of Princeton and others; and there were demonstrations and gatherings to support the Palestinians, mostly organized by Princeton Students for Justice in Palestine. Feelings on both sides ran high, but Princeton, unlike many of its peer institutions, for the most part maintained an air of civility without eruptions of violence.

Eisgruber issued strong statements in support of free speech and in support of Jewish and Palestinian members of the community. School of Public and International Affairs Dean Amaney Jamal helped to lead the University’s efforts to promote productive dialogue. She conducted several seminars, forums, and conversations and co-wrote a New York Times op-ed titled “The Discourse is Toxic. Universities Can Help.”

Elections

The race for PPS Board of Education grabbed headlines in 2023 local news with two new candidates winning seats in the November 7 election, one incumbent holding on to her post, and another losing hers.

In a year with significant controversy and turbulence in the public schools, there were three board seats up for grabs. Challengers Eleanor Hubbard and Adam Bierman will join the BOE on January 1, 2024, and incumbent Beth Behrend has reclaimed her seat for a third three-year term.

BOE member Jean Durbin chose not to run for reelection, while two-term BOE member Michele Tuck-Ponder and new candidate Rene Obregon fell short in the vote tallies.

Princeton voters also approved, by a wide margin, a PPS $13 million facilities bond proposal for security upgrades and improvements at all the district schools.

In the election for Princeton Council, Democrats David Cohen and Leticia Fraga were unopposed and will both be serving a third term.

Democrats were dominant in Mercer County and most statewide elections, with Dan Benson coasting to victory in the race for county executive, Andrew Zwicker securing his seat for another term on the New Jersey senate for the16th legislative district, and new candidate Mitchelle Drulis and incumbent Roy Freiman outdistancing their Republican rivals to win assembly seats representing the 16th district.

Benson will be stepping into the Mercer County executive seat that has been held for 20 years by Brian Hughes, who announced in March that he would be stepping down at the end of the year.

POOL TIME: Community Park Pool was busy on July 8 as poolgoers enjoyed some summer fun. The pool was open seven days a week through September 4. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)

Departures and Appointments

Among the most active members of Princeton’s Department of Recreation was Vikki Caines, who retired in April after 25 years of service. In addition to being the public face of Community Pool, she filled a multitude of roles, many more than her title — customer service manager/administrative service coordinator — would lead one to believe.

Jill Barry, who served as the executive director of Morven Museum & Garden for seven years, left in September to start a new job as CEO of the Houston Botanic Garden. While a search for her successor is underway, curator Elizabeth Allan is interim executive director.

At the end of June, McCarter Theatre Center announced that Martin Miller was its new executive director. Miller comes from the Obie-winning TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Ark.

Jonathan Lee Walton was named the eighth president of Princeton Theological Seminary this year. Among his many achievements, Walton is the author of two books and former dean of Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity. He knows Princeton well — he earned master’s and doctoral degrees at the seminary.

Besides the PPS, there were several appointments at area educational institutions. Bart Bronk was appointed head of school at Hun, Kelley Nicholson-Flynn was named head of Princeton Day School, and Andrea N. O’Brian was named the Princeton Montessori School’s new head of school.

Among other appointments of note was Helen Lanctuit, named the first CEO of Share My Meals, the nonprofit that serves the food-insecure in the Princeton area.

Losses

Among the distinguished individuals with local connections who died during 2023 was W. Jason Morgan, a former geology professor at Princeton University and the discoverer of tectonic plates. The National Medal of Science winner was honored with a service at Princeton University Chapel and a symposium in his name on October 7. He died on July 31.

When the submersible headed for the Titanic wreck in June was found to have imploded, killing all aboard, Princeton University graduate R. Stockton Rush III, Class of 1984, was among them. In fact, Rush was the co-founder and CEO of the company behind the expedition. While the international media questioned the safety of the vessel, Rush’s Princeton classmates fondly recalled his sense of adventure in an article in the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

The sudden death on August 1 of Sheila Oliver, lieutenant governor of New Jersey, came as a shock to many. Oliver, 71, had been the state’s lieutenant governor since 2018, and had served as the head of the Department of Community Affairs. In 2010, she became the first Black woman to serve as speaker of the New Jersey Assembly in the state’s history.

Rabbi Eric Wisnia, longtime spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaim in West Windsor, died on September 29. Among his many additional activities were president of the Mercer County Board of Rabbis, president of the New Jersey Association of Reform Rabbis, president of the Hightstown Area Ministerium, and member of the Institutional Review Board for Medical Ethics at the Medical Center at Princeton.

Kurt Tazelaar, lifelong Princeton resident and environmentalist, musician, abstract painter, and a familiar face at the Princeton Record Exchange, where he worked for decades, died at age 64 on August 15. Social worker Vivian Shapiro, the wife of former Princeton University President Harold T. Shapiro, died on May 29. Longtime Firestone Library curator and editor Alfred Lavern Bush died on November 9, and prominent obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. William F. Besser passed away on October 28.

Other notable Princetonians who died during 2023 included mathematician Joseph J. Kohn, Princeton High School math teacher William Humes, longtime Princeton University administrator Robert E. Van Vranken Jr., Friends of Marquand Park president Annette Cottrell Merle-Smith, aeronautical engineer and musician John Earl Yates, and most recently, beloved community members Claire R. Jacobus, Isabelle Livaudais de la Houssaye, and Dr. Sarane Spence Boocock.