Princeton (West Windsor) area

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Author Message   SingsCooks Citizen Username: Singscooks Post Number: 51 Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 12:58 pm:        We are considering a move to the Princeton area next year. Would love to hear from anyone who has ever lived/worked there about their experiences both positive and negative. Thanks.   peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 2012 Registered: 8-2002 Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 1:15 pm:        I went to graduate school there, lived in the area (West Windsor) about 5 years, then moved north of Princeton. Still back frequently, and have several clients in Princeton. In general a very nice area. School systems are being challenged by growth and development -- look closely at individual school districts, but by and large very good. Many top notch private schools. Princeton is the draw of course, along with the work opportunities, shopping, etc. Its also a reasonable commute to NYC or Phila. Many houses in West Windsor have a Princeton PO -- expect to pay more for that exclusive sounding address ;-) . Also, in Princeton itself, housing prices are rather like Short Hills. Depending on your needs (especially if schools are not an issue) -- look at Trenton -- some magnificent sections, not unlike Maplewood. Or Ewing -- more suburban feel. I'd base your home choice based on where work may be. If toward the north of Princeton -- look in Montgomery, Rocky Hill, Hillsborough, Belle Mead, etc. If in town -- then Hopewell and that area. If to the south or on Route 1 -- Trenton, Hamilton, Mercer, West Windsor. Biggest drawbacks -- incredible growth, massive highway improvements that are still not enough. (for instance, if you live in West Windsor, which is adjacent to Princeton, but your office is on the northern side of Princeton, you would easily have a 45 minute drive during rush hour). Pete   joy Citizen Username: Joy Post Number: 471 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 1:38 pm:        I work down there. All I can comment on is the traffic - lots of it & sprawl - lots of that too.   flugermongers Citizen Username: Flugermongers Post Number: 610 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 9:37 pm:        My uncle lives there. Bought a hideous McMansion with his princess wife. Don't listen to "House", the medical care there sucks!!   JonSel Citizen Username: Jonsel Post Number: 69 Registered: 2-2005 Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 2:36 pm:        I grew up in East Windsor, which, naturally, borders West Windsor, and my parents still live there. At the risk of sounding too nostalgic, I remember when all the McMansion developments in West Windsor were just sod farms. It's one giant suburb now. Route 1 traffic is miserable at rush hour. On the positives, Princeton itself is lovely with a bunch of decent restaurants. All the big-box shopping you could want is on Route 1, including an awesome Wegman's. The majority of housing in West Windsor and East Windsor are probably from the 60s and newer because they were mostly farming communities before. Princeton has more older homes. Hopewell has nice old victorians, I believe, and is on the Delaware, which is nice. I would definitely look for a wooded neighborhood. The newer developments on old farmland provide bigger houses but have many more years to go before their trees (if any were planted) are mature. Some politicians in the mid 80's floated the brilliant idea to rename East Windsor to East Princeton, thinking it would leech onto Princeton's cachet. Glad that one never got very far.   Former Cowgirl Citizen Username: Formercowgirl Post Number: 124 Registered: 3-2006 Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 3:32 pm:        We considered the Princeton and East Windsor area before settling here. We were originally considering it for two reasons: to be close to both sides of the family (North and South Jersey) and because WE THOUGHT housing would be cheaper in that area than here. (This was a year ago.) HA HA! We realized very quickly that we were going to spend as much there as we would here, and hubby works in the NYC, so an easier commute was more appealing to him. Taxes are not much less either (depending on what you're paying right now, I suppose.) All that being said, I think the Princeton area is lovely. I would not choose it as a commuter town to NYC, personally.   greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8025 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:02 pm:        There are times when I have morning meetings in that area and have to deal with Route 1. Driving hot knitting needles under my toe nails as an excuse to call out sick is always a consideration on those days. Many of my cow-orkers live in that area. The whole area up from 202, 206, etc. is a mess during rush hour. But it is incredibly beautiful.