Township Committee hears university’s long-term plans

Consultant gives officials a glimpse of the campus of the future

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   In a presentation before the Princeton Township Committee, Princeton University officials Monday offered a long-term vision of the campus that embodies an interest in preventing sprawl, promoting a pedestrian-friendly environment and building upon the existing park-like landscape.
   The presentation, which was given to the Regional Planning Board of Princeton last month and will be offered to the Princeton Borough Council in the coming weeks, outlined the long-range plan, which is being developed by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners.
   The plan — a two-year undertaking that Beyer Blinder Belle began in the fall — focuses primarily on the 400-acre main campus, University Vice President and Secretary Robert Durkee said.
   The plan, Mr. Durkee explained, focuses on six guiding principals. These include: to maintain a pedestrian-oriented campus; to promote density over sprawl, where appropriate; to preserve the park-like character of the campus; to maintain campus neighborhoods while promoting a sense of community; to build in an environmentally-responsible manner and to sustain strong community relations.
   "We are not imagining a significant spread of academic space to across the lake," Mr. Durkee said, referring to Lake Carnegie.
   Beyer Blinder Belle, the prime consultant, is overseeing a team of seven other firms that specialize in areas such as landscape architecture, site sustainability, transportation, parking, architecture and planning, and horticulture and garden design. In addition, Mr. Durkee said a campus planning committee, which includes himself and President Shirley M. Tilghman, has been formed.
   "This project is receiving the highest level of oversight on the campus," Mr. Durkee said. "This is a project that we are taking very seriously."
   Beyer Blinder Belle partner Neil Kittredge said the overall scope of the plan — which he said will be an evolving process — has two fundamental parts: to look at the campus as a whole, taking into consideration transportation, parking, sustainability and landscape; and to focus on individual university neighborhoods, such as Alexander Street and University Place.
   "The major focus of our effort is the main campus," Mr. Kittredge said.
   Currently, the university occupies 9.4 million square feet of space, which it uses for academic, residential and other uses.
   In addition, "landscape is a huge theme" when planning for the future, Mr. Kittredge said.
   The Township Committee commended the university for sharing its plans. However, committee members stressed public transportation as a key issue in the planning process.
   "When you think about transportation, I’d suggest you think about transportation that might extend to the shopping center," Committeeman Bernie Miller said, adding that essentials that students and faculty need are often not readily available from Witherspoon Street or Palmer Square retailers.
   Mayor Phyllis Marchand said she hopes to see the Dinky train service to Princeton Junction remain as the university adjusts in the years to come. "I think that (the Dinky) does really add charm."
   In other business, the Township Committee passed an ordinance that recognizes Princeton Community Television, or TV30, as a nonprofit organization. With its new status, TV30 will no longer be a municipal agency and will take over its own management.
   The station, which serves the township and borough, receives $80,000 annually in funding. The funding comes from Patriot Media franchise fees, subscriber fees and a program development grant. According to Councilman Bernie Miller, the station’s new status will give it the ability to raise money independently.
   In addition, the Township Committee introduced two ordinances that authorize a pair of sidewalk repair projects. The first ordinance would appropriate $37,000 for sidewalk improvements along Riverside Drive. The second appropriates $13,000 for sidewalk improvements along Hemlock Circle. The public hearing for both ordinances will be May 8.