Washington Town Center: An Argument For Urban Re-Use in Trenton

First off, let me offer my apologies for being somewhat neglectful of the blog lately. Unfortunately other things have precluded me from posting anything with sufficient depth. I’d rather post not at all than post something crappy. Surely many of those who read this blog are familiar with the development known as the Washington Town Center. Why should the Washington Town Center be seen as somewhat encouraging to those who would redevelop Trenton? Simply put, it’s a practice run for coaxing people back to our cities. Examine the area in question here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=robbinsville,+nj&ie=UTF8&ll=40.222485,-74.627573&spn=0.011764,0.019956&t=h&z=16&om=1

The area bounded by Route 33, Washington Boulevard, and Robbinsville-Edinburg Road is what is now known as the Washington Town Center. The development has actually grown quite a bit in size since the preceding photo was taken. Development has now extended to the east of Robbinsville-Edinburg Road, practically all the way to the defunct rail line (once part of the Camden and Amboy railroad which the locomotive “John Bull” was built for) to the west of Route 33. While the loss of nearly 400 acres of open space is lamentable, the idea behind Washington Town Center gives hope to those of us who wish to halt the outward push towards rural areas. There are many theories and philosophies that attempt to explain the drive toward suburbia, but I think that the developers of Washington Town Center have actually hit on something significant which is somewhat of a backlash against suburbia itself.

Taken from the Sharbell Development Corporation Website:

"It's a feeling of pure charm and innocence. A return to neighborhood-style living with welcoming, time-honored traditions. All perfectly at home in Washington Town Center. As inviting as it is nostalgic, a distinguishing feature of this new community is the big city ambiance that comes into view with its own village square. Just steps from your door, it's where neighbors meet and friends are made while taking in the joys and conveniences of quaint shops and stores. Nearby, beautiful public parks, lakes and open spaces offer fun and relaxation for everyone to enjoy. It's a welcoming, neighborhood picture drawing on the qualities and culture that endure in the hearts of everyone who remembers the carefree, friendly atmosphere of a real hometown."

A noble cause indeed. Suburbs have often been criticized for the way they foster isolation and the destruction of the “hometown” feeling that Washington Town Center is trying to achieve, and rightly so. Washington Town Center is clearly a direct response to the isolation of the suburbs, and it is refreshing to see that people have eschewed the “need” for a larger house on a larger piece of land for closer ties with neighbors and a more interactive daily life that consists of more than just pulling the car into the garage at night and turning on the TV. There is a (dare I say growing) class of people who honestly prefer a smaller “hometown” feel to their communities as is evidenced by the fact that people are buying homes in Washington Town Center. However, let me be clear in saying that while the idea and the “spirit” of Washington Town Center is to be applauded, I feel that it misses the mark in a few ways:

• Although the development is a clear rejection of suburbia in aiming for a more intimate relationship between neighbors, businesses, etc…it still comes at the price of less open space to the tune of nearly 400 acres, which is one of the big problems associated with the growth of suburbs.
• The cost of development is as high or higher than a suburb due to the fact that infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, gas, electric, etc…) had to be built entirely from scratch.
• While promoting a lifestyle somewhat less dependent on the automobile (some goods and services are located within walking distance of homes), Washington Town Center is still going to contribute to the growing traffic problem in Central NJ. More and more cars will be choking nearby Route 130, Route 33, I-195, I-295, and the NJ Turnpike. Not to mention the fact that many will undoubtedly be making the morning sprint from Washington Town Center to either the Hamilton or Princeton Junction train stations, or the Route 130 park and ride, making gridlock in those areas even more unbearable.

I’m sure that by now all of you are saying, “I thought this was a blog about Trenton?” The fact is, while Washington Town Center isn't a poster child for smart growth, it teaches us important lessons about how people in the region feel about suburbia, and how we can attract those people to Trenton. Anyone who has ever talked to an “old-timer” about Trenton knows that it was (and in some places still is) a city of neighborhoods with hometown pride where everyone knew everyone and you could walk to the store or the train or work. Sound familiar? The problem with Trenton is not the rowhomes, the corner bars, or the tightly packed commercial streets where residences and businesses once mingled. As one very astute Councilman recently stated “It’s the crime, stupid!” Clearly, if crime were brought under control (really brought under control, not downplayed in the media as is the M.O. of the administration) there would be a market for small city living. Why does that make sense? Let’s look at some of the ways Washington Town Center falls a bit short and see where Trenton would excel:

• Re-use of building stock in Trenton will not only reduce the destruction of open space, it also can be done without displacing people. At its height, Trenton was a city of about 130,000 people. Currently only about 85,000 live in the city and many non- residential buildings have the potential to be re-used, or are being re-used as housing such as the Cracker Factory, the Cigar Factory, the Broad Street Bank, the Ice House, etc… Please note that links to all of these are located at the bottom of the page.
• Suitable infrastructure already exists that can easily be upgraded. With water, sewer, gas, electricity, cable, and telephone infrastructure already in place, the cost of development is significantly reduced. Obviously certain things need to be updated/upgraded (fiber optics), but the costs pale in comparison with building from scratch.
• TRENTON IS HISTORIC! Though I’m sure many people would be quite satisfied with a “loft” condominium in Washington Town Center, there are also many people who are looking for something more. One needs only to look to places like Manayunk, Brooklyn, Hoboken, and Lambertville to find innovative and chic examples of stylish urban re-use that recycles old spaces while preserving history. A great example of this in Trenton is the Cracker Factory project in the South Ward. New construction simply cannot offer the high ceilings, expansive floor space, artisan quality brick/iron work, and 19th century attention to detail that is offered in the 1850s factory turned loft condominium building. When was the last time you saw a real estate ad that touted “Beautiful 1980s vintage architecture” as a feature?
• Trenton is a transportation hub which, properly utilized, could lessen the congestion that currently plagues our roadways. By locating residences within walking distance of mass transit, the workplace, and shopping/entertainment, the automobile becomes necessary only for out of town trips.

So where does this leave us? I like to think that developments such as the Washington Town Center, though they may be flawed in some ways, represent a clear shift in the way people think about what constitutes a “desirable” place to live. Trenton can be that desirable place.

Slan go foill