Today I had the great pleasure of hearing Sara C. Bronin give her views on zoning. Author of the recently published book “Key to the City,” she has a unique perspective of the many maladies caused by outdated zoning laws from the 1950s and 1960s with large lot zoning and auto dependent development. Her work is informed through efforts to
Increasingly malls are becoming locations for innovation beyond the traditional model of long corridors lined with stores. We were pleased to find public art and a community hub on a recent visit to Bridgewater Commons in Bridgewater, New Jersey. British multi-disciplinary artist Lois O’Hara hand painted this expansive 75-foot art mural. Her vibrant and diverse practice takes in large scale
St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in New Brunswick has a Gothic Revival facade, complete with pinnacles, a central tower, and flying buttresses. The tower is visible from multiple vantage points throughout New Brunswick. It has an attractive silhouette thanks to the four pinnacles rising from each of the four corners. Detail of the pinnacle and flying buttress, providing support for
On a recent visit to New York a slow down allowed us to take in the Lincoln Tunnel approach from New Jersey. Somber preparations has begun for the 9/11 commemorations. I’ve always admired the Art Deco style pylons. We made a quick stop at Gotham West Market with different food vendors. Chrissy & Ed had Mexican. T and I chose
This handsome station and plaza are a common sight for commuters. One needs to walk a few blocks away to see some exciting things happening. These way-finding signs offer an important amenity, especially for first time visitors. Given their significant size, a missed opportunity is to have something on the back blank side. Given the efforts to position Rahway as
It’s not every day that I get chance to take multiple trains from my home in Metuchen to just across the state line into New York. When visiting for a few short minutes I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Suffern is a town with Revolutionary War ties and today has the character of a commuter town with a
This cast concrete block building on the edge of town makes use of this distinctive building material. Upon entering town this skinny vernacular cottage caught our attention for the detailed spindle work. The town of Occoquan originated in 1758 when John Ballentine built his home Rockledge. Grist mills, a foundry, and tobacco warehouses predominates. During the Civil War, Gen Wade
From the train sheds it is a short walk into the station. Whereas other stations are functional, this one is attractive to bringing people in like kings and queens. Warrington Plaza recognizes the planner who helped to start the NJ Transit system with the Hoboken station as the first property. This bank with Roman Ionic pilasters and parapet with enrichment
South of the Border is a highly visible destination along the expressway for people travelling through South Carolina. Billboards precede it for hundreds of miles. We were struck by how few people we saw there while driving by. Its heyday as a tourist trap may be over, especially as new attracts like Buc-ees draw away people in search of the
The entrance into Atlantic City gives a nice sense of arrival with these vertical pylons with stylized letters. A cluster of national chain stores makes it clear this is a shopping destination. The Nike store has pride of place while turning the corner towards the major resorts on the shore. Coach is located in the Tanger Outlets development, basically turning