Y
Pop-Up Gallery Volume LXX, Number 51
A
www.towntopics.com
Letter From AvalonBay Suggests Potential Lawsuit Over Consultant’s Invoices
No Foul Play in Death of Princeton University Sophomore. . . . . . . . . 4 This Time the Dream’s On Me: A Christmas Fantasy. . . . . . . . . . . 13 Handel’s Messiah Presented by NJSO . . 16 Minor White Photography Project at Princeton University Art Museum . . . . . . . . . . 14 Stephens, Cannady Stepping Up for PU Mens’ Hoops. . . . . . . . . . . . 23 PDS Boys’ Hockey Takes Rulon-Miller Crown . . 27
This Week’s Profile in Education Features Lawrenceville School’s Derrick Wilder . . . . . . . 8 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Classified Ads. . . . . . . . 32 Mailbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Music/Theater . . . . . . . 16 New To Us . . . . . . . . . . 22 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . 30 Police Blotter. . . . . . . . . 4 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . 32 Religion. . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Topics of the Town . . . . . 5
Among the topics of a closed session that preceded Monday night’s meeting of Princeton Council was potential litigation by AvalonBay Communities, developer of the rental complex on the former site of Princeton Hospital. A letter mailed to Princeton’s administrator Marc Dashield by AvalonBay senior vice president Ronald S. Ladell advised Mr. Dashield that the development company wants to be reimbursed the $100,233 paid to consultants from the escrow accounts created by AvalonBay for work during construction. Mr. Ladell claims that invoices from the Whitman company, the environmental consultants hired to oversee the construction, are incomplete. Mr. Ladell’s letter says he has spoken with the town’s municipal attorney Trishka Cecil and has filed an appeal with the Mercer County Construction Board of Appeals (CBOA) for all of the charges reflected on the Whitman invoices and billed to the two escrow accounts. But he hopes for a resolution — if the accounts be “immediately replenished in the amounts of $84,140 and $16,093. “In accordance with my conversation with Trishka, I have requested that the CBOA defer scheduling the hearing on the appeal in order to allow AvalonBay and Princeton to attempt to resolve this dispute prior to February 1, 2017,” he wrote. Mr. Dashield said Monday that he could not comment on the situation because it could evolve into potential litigation. Mr. Ladell wrote that he first contacted Mr. Dashield with his concerns last August. The back-up material he received in response was missing information for several time entries and some reports were unsigned “and therefore it is impossible to even determine which employee allegedly performed the work.” The letter quotes Mr. Dashield’s justification of the Whitman invoices as saying “it is standard practice to employ outside engineering companies to provide engineering inspection services on large construction projects …. However, none of the services provided by Whitman and his employees were engineering services and, in fact, some of those same employees are not even licensed engineers.” He uses documentation by one Whitman employee to illustrate his claims
75¢ at newsstands
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Land Use Ordinance Passes, To Mixed Reviews December To the relief of several residents and the consternation of some local architects, Princeton Council voted Monday evening to approve an ordinance that revises the town’s land use code regarding single family residential development. The ordinance adjusts or creates new parameters for porches, prevailing front yard setback, and the measurement of cathedral ceilings. Another section regarding garages was removed from the proposed ordinance because of wording that confused some Council members. It will be revisited when the governing body meets in January. The ordinance is the first to have been recommended by the Princeton Neighborhood Character and Zoning initiative Task Force. Formed earlier this year, the group has been looking at the implications of current zoning laws and how they are enabling existing homes to be torn down and replaced with much larger structures — at a rate that many find alarming. Mayor Liz Lempert, Council member Jenny Crumiller, and Planning Board members Wanda Gunning, Gail Ullman, and Tim Quinn met over nine months to study the issue, led by consultants, the
RBA Group. Three public forums with residents, architects, and members of boards and commissions, were held last month. Detailing the ordinance at Monday’s meeting, Princeton’s Planning Director Lee Solow said the teardown/rebuild phenomenon is not unique to Princeton. The average size of a house was 1,660 square feet in 1973, and is now 2,657 square feet, he said.
Resident Mary Clurman urged Council to pass the ordinance. “We lost part of our neighborhood to AvalonBay,” she said, referring to the development of a rental community that opened recently on the former site of Princeton Hospital. “Don’t let it happen again.” Resident Anne Neumann also spoke in favor of the measure, calling it “a good first step.” But architect Joshua Zinder called the
Calling on police departments to “embrace reform,” Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole emphasized how her priorities had changed completely in her 35 years in law enforcement. “Everybody wants to talk about guns and drugs, and, yes, we need to talk about crime and crime rates, but my most complicated issue right now is first of all equity and social justice in our policing, in our community. And also it’s the intersection of public safety and public health.” Speaking at an all-day policy forum
held earlier this month at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Ms. O’Toole noted the paramount need for trust between police and their communities, along with multi-disciplinary efforts, new training and new policies. “And my number one priority,” she said, “is focusing on the next generation and the relationship between our children and our police. Because if we are going to succeed we need the trust of our community. Without that trust we as police will fail.
15th – 23rd 11am – 8pm Meet the artists: Race and Policing Issues Spark Controversy; Friday, Dec. 16th “Embrace Reform,” Seattle Police Chief Urges 5–8pm Continued on Page 12
Continued on Page 12
S
6
WOW is hosted by Art+10 STILL TIME TO Pop-up Gallery is located at 14 1/2 Witherspoon Street, GIVE THE BEST GIFT! Wondrous on Witherspoon Wondrous Witherspoon In the former Army and Navy store Continued on Page 12
SERENADING THE SEASON: Members of the Princeton High School Choir singing on Palmer Square Sunday. Between carols, several singers described their favorite holiday gifts for this week’s Town Talk. (Photo by Emily Reeves)
Love on Land CeLebrate at Sea Enjoy a 3-night Norwegian Cruise with your purchase of an engagement ring.*
Donations to: Wonderful Works of Art for the Holiday Season. Donations to: Princeton Holiday Princeton Holiday YWCA Children’s Please see our ad on PageYWCA 2 Children’s Pop-Up Art Program Pop-Up Art Program A-Team Trenton Gallery A-Team Trenton Soup Kitchen Gallery Soup Kitchen
hamiltonjewelers.com/loveonland
* r E st r i C t i o N s a p p ly
Town Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SEE PAGE 8