A contest to rename Princeton’s municipal buildings is being sponsored by Princeton and Princeton Public Library. The contest is to rename the buildings known as Princeton Borough Hall (1 Monument Drive) and Princeton Township Hall (400 Witherspoon St.) now that the communities have been unified.
”We are pleased that the Princeton Public Library is sponsoring this competition,” said Mayor Liz Lempert.” The library celebrates words, ideas and community every day. I can’t think of a better institution in town to work with our new government to select new and memorable names for these symbols of our community.”
Each building accommodates different municipal functions.
The Municipal Court and the offices of the mayor, administrator and clerk, as well as the Tax and Finance Departments, Police Department and the Engineering, Construction and Historic Preservation Departments are at 400 Witherspoon St.
The Health Department, Human Services and Affordable Housing Departments and management offices for the Sewer Operating Committee and the Public Works Department are at 1 Monument Drive.
Open to Princeton residents at least 18 years old, the contest runs through Feb. 15 at 5 p.m., the deadline for entries to be submitted to the library.
Contestants may submit one name for each building accompanied by a typewritten essay of not more than 250 words in support of the recommendation. Should a contestant need access, the library has 100 computers and a typewriter available for public use.
The entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges who will recommend up to three names for each building to the municipality. The municipality reserves the right not to select a winner or to disqualify entries that do not meet competition requirements.
In addition to a certificate commemorating their role in the naming of the buildings, each contestant whose name is chosen will receive a $250 gift certificate to McCaffery’s, season tickets to Princeton University football or basketball for next season, a free family membership to the Princeton Community Pool and free borrowing privileges for CDs/DVDs at Princeton Public Library.
Winning entrants will be notified (in advance of the public announcement) and the building names will be announced during the week of March 1.
Entry forms are available at the library’s welcome and information desks and on the website at princetonlibrary.org. They are also available at the Office of the Clerk at 400 Witherspoon St.

