Princeton Area Question (Trenton: crime rate, hotel, middle school)

[mikieguns]

crime and bad schools? jesus one would think you are talking about the slums of philly! somerset has ONE rough area! what city doesn't?

sure the high school in Somerset is still a little rough, but is the process of a very positive change with the growth of the housing. With the "new" construction over the past 15 years, the influx of Asians in the area has had a very positive effect on the education. I have heard that the grade schools in Somerset are unsurpassed in education, which means those younger children moving up to the high school, will influence the higher grades in the very near future.

As far as the crime is concerned, I haven't heard of anything detrimental in the majority of somerset complexes.

[Dr.]

Buy in Princeton. You may get a little less for your money, but the location is unbeatable.

[Ourdreamhouse]

Originally Posted by Sunil's Dad

Gangs are an emerging but real problem in Princeton schools and in the borough/township in general.

I've heard, informally from off-duty policemen, that there are gangs in West Windsor-Plainsboro High School as well.

[Ourdreamhouse]

Originally Posted by princetonbound

Can someone give me a quick rundown on the major differences in these towns? Culture, personality, pros/cons, etc and which area would be the best investment for resale....which is the more desirable area?....We are interested in being in a good school district.

Also, is the Princeton boro school district heads and shoulders over these others? Would it be better to buy a tiny house in the "boro" than a newer, larger house in one of these suburbs, if school is the main consideration? (Although we also like the idea of being able to walk somewhere via sidewalks.) We are moving from a mainstreet New England town where we can even walk our child to school. 700k is our limit.

I grew up in a small New England (Connecticut) town, lived for 5 years in West Windsor in the early '90s, later for three years on the Princeton-Lawrenceville border, now for two years on the Princeton-Plainsboro border. I know the area pretty well, the schools somewhat well.

If I were you, my preference list would be:
Princeton Boro
Princeton Township
Hopewell
Rocky Hill
Cranbury.

I'd stay away from West Windsor (there's no town center, and the populace is full of people that i'd describe as rude, pushy "arrivistes." The South High School was built in the "open classroom" style, which doesn't work for many students. When we lived there, we often found ourselves coming over to Princeton for things to do. When we lived on the Princeton side, we NEVER went over to West Windsor.
Plainsboro is like West Windsor, but worse.
I don't know much about South Brunswick. What i've seen and heard doesn't make me want to learn more.
Cranbury is very pretty; that's all i know about it.
Hopewell is charming, was described in the NY Times as a small piece of Vermont in New Jersey.
Princeton is very sophisticated, can be a bit self-important, is very wealthy, but has so much going for it culturally that IMO it's the best town in New Jersey. So, yes i'd take a smaller house in Princeton over a sterile McMansion in West Windsor or Plainsboro.
If shopping is important to you, West Windsor and Princeton have the most and best options. But the other towns are pretty close by, so not a big issue.

As for schools, you have to adjust your standards: schools in New Jersey are not quite as good as the schools i knew in New England (Connecticut). People say that West Windsor's schools are excellent, but they may not have a strong point of comparison. When we lived in West Windsor, we sent our son to Princeton Day School.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by Ourdreamhouse

I've heard, informally from off-duty policemen, that there are gangs in West Windsor-Plainsboro High School as well.

N or S? And how does he define "gang?" I know that often cops call gangs groups that are not really gangs.........

[rtt]

Ourdreamhouse, two questions for you: (since you know these areas so well!) 1) How far is Hopewell from downtown Princeton and 2) Would you compare Lawrenceville to, say, South Orange, where the town as a whole may not be that great, but there are some great houses and neighborhoods?

[Ourdreamhouse]

rtt:
(1) Mapquest shows that, from the center of Hopewell to the center of Princeton, is just under 8 miles, and takes about 15 minutes to drive. It's a very pleasant drive, and although i haven't driven it at rush hour, i doubt there would be much traffic. Hopewell has a quaint downtown, a couple of very good restaurants, a small playhouse (live theater) and plenty of history.

(2) When we lived near the Lawrence-Princeton border, we actually lived in Lawrence. (Lawrence is the name of the township, Lawrenceville is the small village at its center, where the famous school is.) I'm not familiar with South Orange, but yes, Lawrence has some wonderful houses and neighborhoods, one of which we lived in (Bainbridge Estates/Buckingham Drive). Most of these neighborhoods are in the extreme north end of Lawrence, above I95 and in the area of Province Line Road, Carter Road, and Cold Soil Road. Route #206 provides access to all of these. This area is midway between Lawrenceville and downtown Princeton, each about 2-3 miles away. Pretty country, large lots and some beautiful houses.

However, when we bought our house in Lawrence, our kids were already in college, so schools didn't matter to us. I've heard that Lawrence public schools are ranked below Montgomery, Princeton, and West Windsor-Plainsboro. (I think that Hopewell schools rank with Montgomery and Princeton.)

At the south end of Lawrence, near the border with Trenton, there are some much less attractive neighborhoods. By the same token, Princeton has one or two less attractive neighborhoods as well, mostly in an out-of-the-way corner of downtown. The prettiest (and most expensive) neighborhoods in Princeton are west and northwest of downtown.

[SweepTheLeg]

gangs in suburban NJ are not "gangs". Gangs are the Bloods and Crips. I don't see folks crip-walking down 533. By "gangs" they mean cliques that may be prone to bullying or violence, but they aren't going to pull an AK and lay waste to person's house.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by SweepTheLeg

gangs in suburban NJ are not "gangs". Gangs are the Bloods and Crips. I don't see folks crip-walking down 533. By "gangs" they mean cliques that may be prone to bullying or violence, but they aren't going to pull an AK and lay waste to person's house.

My point exactly.

[Ourdreamhouse]

Originally Posted by SweepTheLeg

gangs in suburban NJ are not "gangs". Gangs are the Bloods and Crips. I don't see folks crip-walking down 533. By "gangs" they mean cliques that may be prone to bullying or violence, but they aren't going to pull an AK and lay waste to person's house.

Originally Posted by Sunil's Dad

My point exactly.

OK, so what did you mean when you started this issue?

Originally Posted by Sunil's Dad

Gangs are an emerging but real problem in Princeton schools and in the borough/township in general.

Gangs are "Gangs" in Princeton -- but not "Gangs" in West Windsor?

??