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University to abandon planned Arts and Transit neighborhood
Published: Tuesday, February 1st, 2011
The University will likely abandon its plan to build an Arts and Transit Neighborhood, Vice President and Secretary Bob Durkee ’69 said after a special joint meeting that the Borough Council and Township Committee held to discuss the proposed construction ...(back to the article)
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And how much money has been spent to date on this abandoned project? Dear Prince, this is an important fact that's not in this story. Projects such as this should be managed to succeed, not fail. Who failed to build the local coalition? Who failed to anticipate the obstacle so that it could be overcome? I'd say somebody didn't do their job. But what did this failure cost---$100,000 annual salary times 4 years plus consultant fees and engineering fees? Millions perhaps? And for what? Nothing. Does this project demonstrate "more money than brains?" At least it demonstrates mismanagement, but who exactly is accountable for this waste of money? And what is the consequence?
so it failed because some townspeople don't want to see the dinkey move a little bit down the road? i agree with the above comment. someone at the unviersity really effed this up. on that same note, residents in this town sure are whiney and entitled. it's an efficient train--get over it. i hope the university punishes the town for this by paying less (if anything) in voluntary non-profit taxes.
sorry, i meant INEFFICIENT train.
The abandonment of this project in this location is a great loss to both the town and the university and, unfortunately, reflects a certain rift between the two. How else can one explain the lack of trust by the borough council in the university's pledge to improve shuttle service from the relocated dinky terminal to Nassau St? Surely a solution can be devised that satisfies all parties. I fear that a relocated arts center will be placed on campus in a spot that further separates the U from the community. The proposed location near McCarter is ideal in bringing town and gown together. This is madness and cooler heads must prevail to resolve a fairly simple problem. Trust is imperative or else this project could foretell much worse times ahead between all parties.
Since its inception more than five years ago, the primary University spokesperson for the Arts Neighborhood has been Bob Durkee.
While few have voiced opposition to the addition of these buildings and much needed parking to this area, all along there have been objections and concerns about traffic patterns and the relocation of the Dinky.
By failing to present any viable plan which preserved the current Dinky location, the University has effectively scrapped what would have been a welcome addition to the University and the community. And our presentations have sometimes been characterized as arrogant.
Eventually most of the same facilities will be built elsewhere in Princeton, but in the meantime, as others have pointed out, time, good will, and money have been spent. Also, several generations of students and faculty have practiced their art that are short of their expectations.
A very sad day indeed. When I first read the headline, I honestly thought it was a holdover from the Prince joke issue.
What will the lewis center do now? They moved creative writing to new south for nothing and also added new dance and theater spaces to complement this now-failed move. What a waste of time, money and brain power. This is stupidity at a major level.
This demonstrates the pinnacle of arrogance by the 800 pound gorrila: the University in failing to be effective outside the University walls. Keep this in mind when it comes time to decide on Tilghman's successor. The CEO needs to manage inside and outside the gate.
As a Princeton student, I am quite glad that this plan failed, so that the Dinky will not move to an even more inconvenient location.
this is appalling. 200 yards. that was the proposed move of the dinky. in other words, the distance from the current station to wawa. please. i can see absolutely no reasonable justification for the opposition.
This is short-sighted, change-resistant, obstructionist government at its very worst. I have attended many meetings about the arts district, including last night's, where the seven Borough Council members behave like part time mall cops - wielding their power just because the have it. While they have held the University and the national arts community hostage, blocked a $300M investment that would add jobs and taxable properties, the University has planned and constructed a magnificent 250,000 square foot Chemistry complex, planned and begun construction on a similarly awesome Neuroscience and Psychology facility, constructed a world-class soccer stadium, planned and implemented Tiger Transit and graduated 5000 stellar undergraduates.
Moving the dinky station 460 feet to radically improve a rundown part of town, create a much better experience for regular riders and visitors is an easy trade and the move would, on balance, have enormous positive effects on the environment. More cyclists, more walkers, fewer vehicle miles and very green buildings, which may not be possible to construct in other locations.
Stunningly, the all-Democratic Borough Council thumbed their noses at a) union representatives and union members in attendance, b) McCarter Theater and their tens of thousands of patrons, c) local merchants who welcomed the increased business the project would bring, d) Governor Christie, one of the most popular political figures in the nation, who wrote in support of the project and e) Tom Byrne '76, the former chair of the Democratic Party in NJ, who wisely counseled the Council to approve the project and learn to work more productively with the University.
By the way, there were at least 300 people in attendance, with overflow seating and simulcasting, not the 100 the Prince reports. It should also be noted that the five Township Committee members, also all Democrats, seemed to grasp reality, asked thoughtful questions, and seemed to want the project to go forward, but didn't want to pick a fight with the Borough Council.
The Borough Council has badly misread its constituents, never commissioned a single study or poll to assess the community's true feelings and treats the University like dirt rather than a valued partner and constituent. At least our Democratic Senators, Congressman and Republican Governor treat the University as one of the state's most valuable assets and work in Washington and Trenton to advance the University's interests.
This really tragic and a huge loss for the University, the Community, the State and the Country.