A jaw-dropping public unveiling of Michael Graves design predicted.
By: Jennifer Potash
The Arts Council of Princeton will reveal its latest expansion plan to the public March 9.
The public is encouraged to view and comment on the plans, said Anne Reeves, director of the Arts Council, at an open house from 3 to 5 p.m. at the 102 Witherspoon St. building.
"We think it will make people’s jaws drop and we want them to come see it," Ms. Reeves said.
The original expansion scheme by noted architect Michael Graves was defeated by a one-vote margin by the Princeton Regional Planning Board in 2000. The intent of the expansion plan is to correct handicap-accessibility problems and provide more up-to-date arts studios and performance space. There are no plans to increase the number of programs offered.
Planning Board members cited the overall size of the expansion and negative effects of traffic on the neighborhood as reasons for denying an earlier bid for site plan approval.
A 200-seat theater included in the rejected application has been removed. The new plan calls for the renovation of the existing loft theater, which will retain the present 120- to 140-seat capacity, based on the stage configuration, according to the plan.
Tom Rowe of the Graves firm, principal architect for the project, said the current Arts Council building occupies 25 percent of the site. By comparison, the previous expansion proposed 55 percent lot coverage while the new plan has 40 percent lot coverage, he said. The new expansion would still be three floors, he said.
Preliminary floor-plan drawings and some computerized images of the proposed expansion were shown to neighboring residents in December.
Mr. Rowe said the changes made since that meeting are "mostly refinements" to the plan. Based on concerns the expansion extended too close to an adjacent residence, the project was pushed forward toward Witherspoon Street, Mr. Rowe said.
A portion of the lawn will be lost, but a glass-enclosed walkway in the front of the building, which also serves as a lobby area, as well as the presence of more windows will provide an open and welcoming facade, Mr. Rowe said.
The curved blue-brick main entrance to the building off Paul Robeson Place remains in the plan.
The Arts Council filed a concept plan with the Princeton Regional Planning Department on Feb. 21, Ms. Reeves said.
Ilene Cutroneo, the department’s administrative coordinator, said the staff had not yet begun a review of the plan. The plan will be presented to the Planning Board for a concept review at a later date, she said.
Ms. Reeves said the suggestions of residents and outreach to the community made by the Arts Council’s Neighborhood Committee was very helpful in devising the new plan.
At the most recent neighborhood meeting Dec. 10, several residents continued to express concern about the size of the expansion and how it fits in a residential neighborhood. Other residents said the expansion would likely increase parking and traffic woes on the narrow residential streets.
The Arts Council has an arrangement with Palmer Square to provide discounted parking to patrons and is seeking permission from Princeton Borough to have a drop-off lane on Witherspoon Street. The existing driveway on the Arts Council property with access to Green Street would be reconfigured with access only from Paul Robeson Place.

