A concept plan for renovating Hinds Plaza, the public square in front of the Princeton Public Library, was unveiled at an Oct. 28 Princeton Town Council meeting. The Council also recognized the work of Centurion, a non-profit organization whose mission is to overturn wrongful convictions and to provide services to exonerated individuals.
Arterial Princeton, the design company in charge of the upcoming Nassau Street redecoration, gave a presentation that included several options for a new look for Hinds Plaza.
“The current structure of the plaza no longer matches the demands that are placed upon the plaza from a daily basis, day to day use, but more importantly, the various programmatic events that take place here,” James Ribaudo, Director of Operations and Design Leader of Arterial, said at the meeting.
Ribaudo presented three different options, titled “Engaging the Library,” “Engaging the Pergola,” and “Maintaining Symmetry.”The preferred option, “Engaging the Library,” would have the usable plaza extend to the edge of Witherspoon Street, replacing the current sidewalk. This option would also include new paving and furniture and renovations to the existing pergola.
Ribaudo said the plans were created in conversation with stakeholders and that the openness of the plaza was of particular importance.
“The number of fixed elements is limited. That was something that we heard loud and clear, that movable furniture is the most important thing so that again, the events can be accommodated,” Ribaudo noted.
However, Ribaudo also emphasized that this process would still require more feedback. The presentation indicates that a decision on a final concept is scheduled for November 2024.
Witherspoon Street, adjacent to Hinds Plaza, was renovated from 2022 to 2023. The Nassau Streetscape Improvement Project, a large-scale construction effort also led by Arterial, is set to begin in the spring of 2025.
The Town Council also recognized Centurion, a non-profit that aids exonerated people, at its Monday meeting.
Centurion was founded by Jim McClosky, who first became interested in wrongful convictions while studying at Princeton Theological Seminary. Councilmember Leighton Newlin, the former Director of Special Services at Community Education Centers, strongly advocated for the council’s recognition of Centurion. In his previous line of work, Newlin said, he found that many men lost “invaluable time spent with their families for crimes they did not commit.” He emphasized the importance of “Princeton’s understanding of the impact of volunteers in exonerating people in jail.”
72 individuals have been exonerated in New Jersey since 1989 and a collective 516 years have been lost from their lives. Like many other states, New Jersey recognizes exonerated people and offers compensation for wrongfully convicted individuals who have not entered a plea that amounts to $50,000 per year.
The next town council meeting is scheduled for November 12, 2024.
Mary Balid is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Christopher Bao is an assistant News editor and the accessibility director for the ‘Prince.’ He is from Princeton, N.J. and typically covers town politics and life.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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