By Anne Levin and Wendy Greenberg

The January 2025 inauguration of President Donald Trump ushered in a year in which Princeton residents took part in numerous demonstrations against his administration’s policies. Chief among them was immigration, hitting home especially hard when 15 local residents were taken away in early morning raids on July 23 and 24 by Immigrant Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Two proposed residential development projects at opposite ends of town — 238 units at 108 Stockton Street on the former Tennent-Roberts-Whiteley campus of Princeton Theological Seminary, and 10 units planned for the lot behind the historic Hornor House at 344 Nassau Street — are awaiting next steps. But while the original plan for 344 Nassau Street has been revised with a compromise that satisfies the neighbors, the developer, and the town’s Historic Preservation Commission, 108 Stockton continues to be a source of sometimes bitter divisiveness.

Compared with 2024, downtown Princeton looked less like a construction site this year, but cranes and backhoes were busy building housing complexes at 900 Herrontown Road (where the SAVE animal shelter used to be) and Princeton Community Village off Bunn Drive. Anchoring the Princeton Shopping Center and now leasing are The Alice and the Avalon Bay complex. Nearby at Thanet Circle is the Thanet Development — Princeton Senior Living complex.

Plagued with empty storefronts in recent years, due in some degree to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Princeton Shopping Center is now reported to be fully leased. This past summer, the green courtyard was livelier than it had been in years with concerts, movie nights, and family-oriented activities, many attended by residents of The Alice and Avalon Bay. Edens, which owns the center, announced in September that it had signed Fitness Factory Health Club, which is planned to open in spring of 2026, filling the void left by the 2020 departure of New York Sports Club.

The former Westminster Choir College campus is now under the aegis of the municipality, which acquired the Walnut Lane site through eminent domain in April and is currently exploring design alternatives. The final decision on which would work best is targeted for summer of next year.

Retail and Restaurants

Among the new occupants at Princeton Shopping Center this year were 4ever Young Med Spa, Hudson Table, and Tropical Smoothie. Best Grill & Fries and Lumi Salon opened at 200 and 126 Nassau Street, respectively; and House of Cupcakes moved to 142 Nassau from its former location on Witherspoon Street.

Spaces were also filled this year by Ayat Princeton on Spring Street, Belle Journee across from the Graduate by Hilton Princeton on Chambers Street, Skinspirit on Hulfish Street, XiBei Cuisine on Witherspoon Street, and Anej Skin Studio on Nassau Street.

“HANDS OFF!”: In a year of many protests, more than 1,000 demonstrators braved the stormy weather on April 5 to gather at Hinds Plaza to rally against ongoing Trump administration initiatives and demand that the federal government stop interfering with a wide range of health, education, environmental, and personal aspects of their lives and the country’s welfare. (Photo by Thomas Hedges)

Demonstrations and Activism

In late March, around 500 demonstrators gathered outside the Tesla dealership adjacent to Mercer Mall (now Mercer One) for Tesla Takedown III, a rally against the actions of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ushered in by the Trump administration.

Princeton’s “Hands Off!” rally on April 5 brought more than 1,000 demonstrators to Hinds Plaza, spilling out onto Witherspoon Street, which was closed for the occasion. Protesting a range of policies of Trump, Musk, and the federal government, the rally organized by Indivisible Princeton, Indivisible Cranbury, and several co-sponsors was part of a national movement.

Building on the big response to the “Hands Off!” event, the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) participated in a May Day National Day of Action just a few weeks later, again on Hinds Plaza.

The national No Kings Day of Action across the nation was observed with a rally in Princeton on June 14, the same day as the annual Pride Parade. This time, the packed rally took place at Monument Park, which features a large image of George Washington. And according to the Rev. Robert Moore, director of the CFPA, the setting couldn’t have been more appropriate.

“George Washington fought the Battle of Princeton to prevent America from being ruled by kings,” he said. ‘No, we’re going to be a democracy. We’re not going to be a monarchy. He fought for a democratic government in this country.”

A second No Kings Day rally drew thousands of protesters to Monument Park again on October 18.

More than 200 people gathered in Hinds Plaza on Labor Day, September 1, at a vigil and rally organized by Resistencia en Action NJ to voice their support for workers, for social justice in resistance to government policies, and in support of immigrants locally and across the country.

FIRE AWAY: More than 50 reenactor regiments participated in the 2025 Experience the Battle of Princeton event on January 5 at Princeton Battlefield State Park on Mercer Road. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Municipal Actions and Development

In January, the Historic Preservation Commission endorsed Hillier Properties LLC’s proposal for restoration and construction of several properties in the Witherspoon-Jackson district. The Witherspoon Project included the restoration of 16 existing buildings, with a goal of preserving the architectural styles. After hearing some concerns from neighbors, the project was slightly revised to omit the originally proposed construction of four-story buildings, instead maintaining a 35-foot height for each new building.

But the project has been stymied by regulations of the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls that went into effect at the end of 2024, complicating the approval process. Among the goals of the project is housing of “missing middle” workers who serve Princeton but cannot afford to live here. If approved, it will take at least two and a half years to complete.

Princeton Council approved a resolution in January for an extensive renovation of Community Park South. The 26-acre expanse bordered by Route 206, Birch Avenue, Community Park School, and Community Pool had been on the town’s “to do” list for decades and is being undertaken in three phases.

In February, the municipality took another step toward purchasing the Westminster campus by hiring the Newark-based consultants Topology. The town had announced its intention to acquire the 25-plus-acre campus from Rider University, which had owned the music college since 1992 and unsuccessfully attempted to sell it. The $42 million acquisition was finalized in April.

Rider has continued to operate the Westminster Conservatory of Music, the community music school on the campus, through the end of the year. The administration of Rider President John Loyack, who took over in July, has expressed an interest in continuing its affiliation with the Conservatory in perpetuity. In the meantime, the university renewed its commitment to running the conservatory through August 1.

At the end of July, McCarter Theatre Center made a pitch to Council to be part of the Westminster campus. The theater wants to use Westminster’s Bristol Chapel, the Playhouse, and other locales to expand its community arts education program. McCarter applied to the Economic Development Authority for tax credits pursuant to the Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion (CAFE) program that would help fund the project and is awaiting final word.

Midway through a four-step process, the Topology consultants told Council in November that following discussions with members of the community, the public schools, and municipal staff, they have established a clear project plan to develop a vision for the site. Respondents to a public survey stressed that the site be used to promote arts and culture, support recreation and open space, and create housing opportunities as well as opportunities for Princeton Public Schools. The next two steps of the project include developing design alternatives and coming up with a preferred option.

In March, Council approved the purchase of two vacant lots on Cherry Valley Road. Wendy Mager, who chairs the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) and several members of the public spoke in favor of the action, which they said was important to wildlife for food, mating, and cover; as well as key to meeting challenges of climate, flood irrigation, and population level.

Also in March, Council heard a report on the state of the two kiosks located on Nassau Street, one at the corner of Vandeventer Avenue and the other at Witherspoon Street. Both needed to be removed to make room for a project replacing some sidewalks on Nassau Street; what would happen to them after that was the question.

While some find the flyers and messaging tacked to the kiosks sloppy and unattractive, several members of the public who spoke at Council meetings said they value the kiosks as an outlet for free speech and community engagement.

Following those discussions, the town teamed up with AIA New Jersey on a competition, inviting professional architects and students to submit designs for the kiosk at Nassau Street and Vandeventer Avenue. The six finalists’ entries were on display in the lobby of the Princeton Public Library after being selected by a jury that included architects, local officials, community leaders and business stakeholders. The public was invited to vote on a favorite; the winner is to be announced.

In May, the municipality approved a resolution for a shared services agreement in which the town gives 100 percent of the surplus from the annual payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with the Avalon Thanet Circle 55-plus housing complex to the Princeton Public Schools. Not surprisingly, the move was applauded by the School Board. The issue had been controversial in recent years, and the collaboration was the result of years of dialogue between the town and the schools. The funds will go toward maintenance of certain facilities.

Princeton’s obligation in the Fourth Round Housing Plan Element and Fair Share Plan calls for 229 affordable housing units to be created over the next 10 years. The plan was the subject of special sessions held at the end of June by Council and the Planning Board. To fulfill the obligation, 13 sites were proposed for 100 percent affordable — the former Chestnut Street firehouse, land at The Jewish Center Princeton, a vacant office building at 457 Harrison Street, Hillier Properties’ 16 buildings on Witherspoon Street, and five more in a vacant office building in front of Princeton Cemetery, also on Witherspoon Street.

Developments that would have 20 percent affordable units include 26 at 360-366 North Harrison Street, 18 at 245-247 Nassau Street across from Hoagie Haven, and other sites on North Tulane, Spruce, Route 206, Mount Lucas Road, and Thanet Circle. The process was begun officially in September when Council passed two resolutions for developing the former firehouse on Chestnut Street. The site will be developed by Princeton Community Housing into a 16-unit complex. At a later meeting, Council voted for an ordinance establishing an affordable housing district at the vacant office building on Thanet Circle, to construct a mix of both market rate and affordable units.

With “Defend Historic Princeton” and “Princeton for All” signs on lawns throughout town, and numerous letters about the 108 Stockton Street project appearing on Town Topics’ Mailbox pages this year — most written by neighbors opposed to the proposed 238-unit residential complex on the Princeton Theological Seminary’s former Tennent-Roberts-Whiteley campus — it has been an issue that isn’t going away.

Roughly 20 percent of the units proposed by the developer Herring Properties would be designated affordable, counted toward Princeton’s affordable housing obligation. The neighboring residents, many of whom are members of the Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development (PCRD) and/or Defend Historic Princeton, have no problem with that. Their concerns are about preserving the character of the surrounding historic neighborhood, the density of the project, the PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement with the developer, and the increases in traffic that they foresee.

Full-page newspaper ads, including one with the support of leading historians such as Ken Burns, and legal challenges are all part of the ammunition. Letters in response to these efforts by Councilman Leighton Newlin and Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros added to the controversy. The plan has been approved by the Council and awaits final approval by the Planning Board — likely in the next few months.

A rare spirit of collaboration produced a very different outcome for a proposal of housing units behind the historic Hornor House on Nassau and North Harrison streets. When developer R.B.Homes’ initial proposal for the site was rejected by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and strongly opposed by neighborhood residents, the developer withdrew the original proposal and began meeting with the residents, who had formed the group Save Jugtown.

The result was a revised proposal — with 10 units, down from 15, and a separate, three-story building that involves no demolition to the historic house. The HPC approved the new plan on December 1, and the project goes next before the Zoning Board to request eight needed variances.

The Vision Zero initiative was made official by the town in June, three years after passing a resolution to make Princeton part of the global movement. The concept aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on local roadways through improved street design, public education, enforcement, and post-crash response — in short, prioritizing people over cars. The plan began to take shape in the fall. In November, Council took a first step when it approved advisory bike lanes and related signage along Armour Road.

After repeated pleas from several residents and members of the immigrant support group Resistencia en Accion NJ, Council passed a resolution in mid-August supporting the Immigrant Trust Act, urging the state legislature to pass it into law. The vote came three weeks after 15 Princeton residents were detained by ICE officers.

Council’s vote to pass a resolution implementing a Racial Equity Toolkit came five years after it was first presented by the former Civil Rights Commission (now the Committee on Affordable Housing, Racial, Economic, Social Equity and Services, or CARES), spearheaded by Tommy Parker. The toolkit directs municipal departments and the town’s boards, committees, and commissions to follow guidelines when considering policies and initiatives.

An ordinance regulating the operation of short-term rental properties such as Vrbo and Airbnb was unanimously approved by Council on December 8. Among other things, the new rules stipulate that, starting in 2028, the owners of properties being rented must use them as a primary residence, and will be subject to the same 3 percent tax that is collected in hotels.

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR: Princeton Public Library hosted a Chinese New Year Celebration on February 15 featuring music, crafts, and other hands-on activities presented by students from the Mandarin classes and Chinese Club at Princeton High School and the Princeton Chinese Language School. (Photo by Thomas Hedges)

Princeton Public Schools

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) moved forward this year with the approval of a facilities referendum and the appointment of a new superintendent.

In a January 28 special election, Princeton residents voted in favor of all three parts of a plan that will provide $89.1 million for renovation and expansion in the schools. PPS Board of Education (BOE) President Dafna Kendal wrote that the passage of the three referendum questions will allow the board to address “capacity issues at several of the schools, ensure the HVAC systems at PHS (Princeton High School) are functioning safely and efficiently, and plan for future student enrollment growth,” including the addition of 23 classrooms and expansion of common areas. An expected $19.9 million in state debt service aid will help pay for these improvements.

Question 1 called for expansion and renovation at Community Park Elementary and the installation of new HVAC systems at PHS at a cost of $37.9M. That measure carried by 61.7 percent “Yes” votes.

Question 2 proposed expansion and renovation at Princeton Middle School and the creation of more classroom space at PHS at a cost of $38.3M and passed with 58.32 percent “Yes” votes.

Question 3 asked voters to approve expansion and renovation at Littlebrook Elementary at a cost of $12.9M and was approved by 55.90 percent “Yes” votes.

The tax impact of the facilities bond on an average assessed home value of $853,136 is estimated at $532 annually. The goal is to have the additions ready by fall 2028, with some renovations being completed after that.

In March, the BOE unanimously appointed Michael LaSusa as the next PPS superintendent. Out of 16 candidates interviewed, “one candidate rose to the top” with “a proven record of success in many administrative roles in the Chathams district,” said Kendal. The hiring process, conducted in collaboration with a consulting firm, included numerous forums and a community survey; resulting in 37 applications received, including 17 from current school superintendents.

LaSusa was hired as a Spanish and social studies teacher in the Chathams district more than 20 years ago and has been superintendent there for the past 13 years. Longtime Chathams School Board member and past president Jill Weber described LaSusa as “transformative — he is going to light your world on fire.” She continued, “You’ve made an exceptional choice, one that will have a monumental impact on your district for years to come.”

LaSusa follows Kathie Foster, who was serving as acting/interim superintendent since November 2023, after former Superintendent Carole Kelley departed following two years on the job. LaSusa officially took over on July 1.

One emphasis in the PPS continues to be sustainability. This past fall, all Princeton schools achieved Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification, “recognized as leaders in sustainability” and “providing exceptional learning opportunities for their students, while modeling best practices for districts statewide,” according to PPS.

All four elementary schools, Princeton Middle School (PMS), and PHS have implemented a wide range of green initiatives and continue to pursue innovative environmentally conscious programs for energy use, waste reduction, climate education, and digital learning. Among their numerous achievements, all the schools, under the leadership of green teams, have enacted sustainability and Safe Routes to Schools policies, organized professional development for sustainability education, prioritized energy-efficient equipment, tracked and managed energy use, prioritized green energy supplies, planned Earth Day activities, organized pedestrian and bike safety activities, promoted locally grown foods in the cafeteria, worked with Share My Meals to distribute uneaten food to those who need it, and sorted cafeteria food scraps for recycling through organic diversion.

ALL ABOUT WATER: Youngsters participated in an “enviroscape” demonstration, one of many activities at the World Water Day event on March 22 at The Watershed Institute in Titusville. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Also related to the emphasis on sustainability, PPS was awarded a $92,125 grant in August for planting and monitoring trees to “foster positive connections” between students and the trees in their community,” noted the state organization Trees for Schools. The grant will result in a leafy landscape of 85 new trees across the district’s six campuses and allows for the purchase and planting of the trees, including planning, site preparation, watering, monitoring, and maintenance over a three-year period. Sustainable Princeton partnered with PPS for the grant.

Other priorities were the arts, with a spring musical, the PHS Choir operetta Die Fledermaus, PHS and PMS theater performances, and a series of band, orchestra, and choir events from both schools.

And PPS emphasized guiding students for their next steps after graduation, offering support to students with a wide range of options. Eighty-five percent of the Class of 2025 will be attending a four-year college, and 7 percent are attending a two-year college, with 8 percent attending trade school, serving in the military, or taking a gap year, according to the Matriculation Report.

In November, Princeton High School held its most significant and expansive Instant Decision Week yet, welcoming admissions representatives from 11 colleges and universities for on-site application reviews, interviews, and same-day admission decisions. The event offered real-time access to college admissions professionals who could meet with them, hear their stories, and offer immediate decisions or next steps.

GRAND OPENING: The Princeton University Art Museum hosted about 22,000 guests on October 31 and November 1 at a 24-hour Open House with many activities celebrating the opening of its new 146,000-square-foot building. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Princeton University

Among the most momentous events of the year on the Princeton University campus was the Halloween reopening of the Princeton University Art Museum — on time and on budget. The 24-hour party, which was open to all, drew thousands eager to see the expansive galleries and community spaces of the new building, which was built on the footprint of the old but nearly doubles its space.
The building designed by David Adjaye Associates is considered a kind of town square for the arts and humanities, and includes educational spaces, art-making labs, a café, and outdoor spaces. Between planning, construction, and COVID-19, the museum had been closed for nearly six years. The grand reopening was the subject of several stories in major newspapers and magazines, both in print and online.

QUIET ON CAMPUS: Princeton University’s Nassau Hall got a light dusting of snow on January 11. Spring Term classes began on January 27. (Photo by Thomas Hedges)

Also making major news was the opening in late March of the NJ AI Hub, a state-of-the-art space on Alexander Road in West Windsor, designed to foster innovation in artificial intelligence. State leaders and University representatives worked closely together to bring the Hub to fruition.

Plans for the initiative, which includes research and development, commercialization, and accelerating innovation, were first announced in December 2023. In the intervening 16 months, the Hub held a summit for more than 500 leaders from academia, government, and industry; as well as several smaller gatherings. Microsoft and CoreWeave joined as founding partners in January.

In April, the Trump administration cut off money for climate research at the University, terminating nearly $4 million in funding. Responding to that and other limitations, University President Christopher L. Eisgruber pushed back with an article in The Atlantic defending higher education and the importance of academic freedom. While the story, titled “The Cost of the Government’s Attack on Columbia,” didn’t mention Princeton University directly, it was clearly relevant to many of the issues the University faces.

In May, the University announced that it was joining 12 other universities and three academic associations in a lawsuit against National Science Foundation cuts to critical research. This was the latest of many initiatives Princeton took in response to threats of federal funding curtailment and encroachments on academic freedom.

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Members of the Princeton University Class of 2000 and their families and friends were among the participants in the 2025 P-rade on May 24. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Despite the research funding cuts and the threat of a federal tax on its endowment, the University announced in August that it was increasing financial aid for eligible students in its ongoing efforts toward economic diversity in the student body. The Class of 2029 includes approximately 25 percent lower-income students eligible for federal Pell Grants, the largest contingent of Pell-eligible students in its history and an increase from 21.7 percent the previous year.

In June, defiant trespass charges against 13 pro-Palestinian protestors — five undergraduates, six graduate students, one postdoctoral researcher, and a Princeton Theological Seminary student — who had been arrested in April 2024 during a sit-in at Clio Hall, were dismissed with the stipulation that the defendants submit a letter of apology.

After 903 days of captivity, graduate student Elizabeth Tsurkov was freed by the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah, which had held her hostage. The release was announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on X and President Trump of Truth Social. Tsurkov, a dual citizen of Israel and Russia, is a doctoral candidate in political science. She was captured in March 2023 while on a research trip to Baghdad doing field work for her dissertation.

Rider University

After a term of nearly a decade, controversial Rider President Gregory Dell Omo retired on July 31. His successor John Loyack inherited a dire financial situation — $130 million in debt, threats to provisional certification and heightened cash management status with the U.S. Department of Education, a $34 million balloon bond payment due in 2031 unless Rider can restructure the bonds, and more.

Loyack immediately got to work trying to right the sinking ship with a new plan and a pledge to keep the university community — those left after a quarter of the full-time faculty were to be let go and several senior positions eliminated — informed on a regular basis. Transparency, Loyack said, is “the recipe for success,” and he is committed to the survival of the institution.

Elections

New Jersey was in the spotlight this year, as only the Garden State and Virginia held gubernatorial elections, which were viewed by some as an early indication of trends leading to the 2026 congressional midterm elections.

In Princeton and throughout the state, Democratic and Republican parties threw their support behind candidates in the June 10 primary election to see who would take over for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who is not eligible for another term.

In the Democratic primary Mikie Sherrill, representing New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, won New Jersey Democrats’ votes, fending off five competitors including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was second, and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

In the Republican primary, Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman in his third race for governor, easily defeated his four opponents, including second-place finisher Bill Spadea, a radio host and Princeton resident.

In the November 5 general election, Sherrill was the clear winner for New Jersey governor. As of late that evening, according to the Associated Press, Sherrill had more than 57 percent of the vote over Ciattarelli. According to information from Mercer County, voters in the county had favored Sherrill by more than 70 percent.

Also on the ballot for Princeton voters were unopposed candidates for two seats on Council and three seats on the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education (BOE). Council President Mia Sacks and Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros secured their third terms, while Erica Snyder will join Dafna Kendal and Susan Kanter on the BOE. Snyder is new to the BOE, while Kendal is entering her fourth term and Kanter her third as of January 1.

Incumbent Democrats Roy Freiman and Michelle Drulis won two seats in the General Assembly over Republican challengers Scott Sipos and Catherine Payne.

Incumbent County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello, a Democrat, won over Republican opponent Shaolin Brown.

In the race for two seats on the Board of County Commissioners, incumbent Democrats Nina D. Melker and Cathleen L. Lewis won over Republican challengers Daniel J. Hanley Jr. and Alexander DiFalco.

CELEBRATING AN ICON: This 1949 photo of Fannie Conte and Louis Lucullo was taken before Conte’s Bar became Conte’s Pizzeria. Lucullo took over the business, which celebrated its 75th anniversary this year, from its founder, Fannie’s father Sebastiano Conte. The building pictured is now the offices of KSS Architects; Conte and some friends built the restaurant on top of a bocce court, at left in the photo. (Photo courtesy of Conte’s Pizzeria)

Milestones

Conte’s, a Princeton culinary institution with a family history, marked its 75th anniversary with a big party for the community on a steamy Saturday in August. The event was also a fundraiser for Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP).

Founder Sebastiano Conte had emigrated from Italy in 1920 and worked for Matthews Construction Company in Princeton before opening a grocery store on Birch Avenue, which became the Black Eagle Bar and was later renamed Conte’s Café. The business landed at 339 Witherspoon Street and was named the Witherspoon Bar before finally becoming the Conte’s Pizza and Bar it is today. It has barely changed, and lines out the door continue to be a regular occurrence — especially after an election or school sports events.

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY: Terhune Orchards co-owner Tannwen Mount, left, cuts a cake at the farm’s 50th Anniversary Community Celebration on August 16. The event featured wagon rides, live music, children’s games, face painting, wine tasting, a photo exhibit, and more. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Also celebrating a big anniversary this year was Terhune Orchards, the bustling farm opened by Gary and Pam Mount 50 years ago. The original 55 acres they purchased in 1975 has ballooned over the years to 250 across five properties, attracting more than 700,000 visitors each year. A series of special events were held throughout the year, culminating in an exhibit of customers’ photographs of the farm. Members of the Mount family continue to run the enterprise.

Farewells

Among those who passed this year was Paul Joseph Solomon Benacerraf, a philosopher and the Chair of Philosophy at Princeton University for many years. Benacerraf, who spent his entire academic career at Princeton, died at age 93 on January 13.

Poet and teacher Betty Bonham Lies died March 10 at the age of 89. Known for her love of Shakespeare, Lies she taught at Stuart Country Day School for over two decades. After retiring, she became one of the “Cool Women” poets.

Dorothea von Moltke, co-founder of Labyrinth Books, died on March 23. The tributes voiced by numerous members of the community testified to von Moltke’s importance not only as the operator of a key business in town, but as a proponent of social justice, and a devoted friend. She was 57.

William Kennedy Wakefield, a member of the Site Plan Review Board, Regional Planning Board, the Latin American Legal Defense Fund, and several other local causes including the Paul Robeson House of Princeton and the YMCA, died on May 5 at the age of 85.

Carol P. Herring, who raised funds for such institutions as Rutgers University, Princeton University, Barnard College, and the Asia Society, died June 9 at age 85. She was a speechwriter for Princeton University president Bill Bowen, and was active in the Princeton Area Community Foundation, among other local organizations.

Longtime Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes died on June 10 at the age of 69. The son of former New Jersey Governor and Supreme Court Justice Richard J. Hughes, he served in public office for over 25 years, carrying forward his family’s legacy of service. Hughes was a lifelong champion of expanding education access in Mercer County.

Allen Rosenbaum, former director of the Princeton University Art Museum, died August 3 in New York City. During his time as director from 1980 to 1999, he oversaw the museum’s expansion, made it more professional, and broadened its collection.

Architect Jeremiah Ford III died October 1 at the age of 93. The founding partner of three architectural firms in Princeton, the last of which was Ford3 Architects, his projects included residences, preservation work, churches, libraries, educational institutions, and commercial works. Ford graduated from Princeton University in 1954.

Pianist and educator Galina Prilutskaya, a master faculty member at Westminster Conservatory of Music, died on October 11 at the age of 70. The classically trained musician and her family had moved to Princeton in 1992, fleeing institutional antisemitism in Russia.

The October 13 death of Elric Endersby was mourned by local proponents of historic preservation, in which he played a major role for several decades. Endersby, who was 79, was a longtime member of Princeton’s Historic Preservation Commission, the founder of The Princeton Recollector newsletter, and the co-founder of the New Jersey Barn Company.

Artist Mel Leipzig, a prominent realist painter who lived in Trenton and taught at Mercer County Community College for 45 years, died on November 1 at the age of 90. Just a week earlier, he had attended the opening of an exhibit at Ellarsie, Trenton’s City Museum, honoring him for the milestone. Leipzig’s paintings are in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the National Academy Museum, New Jersey State Museum, Noyes Museum of Art, and several other institutions.

Peter Lindenfeld, a retired Rutgers University physics professor and longtime Princeton resident, died at the age of 100 on November 21. He was active in many social justice causes and was a founding member of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization, serving as its secretary for decades.

Updated January 2.