Clinton Township Newsletter

3 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8 Jewelry | Gifts | Womens & Infants Clothing Cottage Furnishings & Accessories Personal Care Products | Vintage Treasures Baby Accessories & Gifts Carol Beder's When an Architect's Digest e-mailed newsletter popped up in my inbox with this familiar sight, I did a double-take. The headline read: 21 of the Best Small T owns in America – Get out of the big city and head for these charming locales". Proximity to downtown Clinton, along with excellent schools, low crime and easy access to 78, was one of our top reasons for moving to Clinton Township twenty years ago. Indeed, we have one of the best small towns in America right here at our doorstep, however, there are a couple of things I'd like to see happen. I've discussed them with Janice Kovacs, Mayor of Clinton, and we agree that I just need to win the lottery to get these started. Anyway, here they are: 1) Turn the A&P building into a farmers' market, with several booths of specialty food items, crafts, etc. around the perimeter. In the center, put in a beautiful carousel for the kids, surrounded by tables where friends can share a meal or coffee and dessert. A glass, tiered roof would be above the carousel featuring beautiful lighting at night. Add a small stage at one end for musical acts, poetry readings and performance art. It could be great. 2) Allow extra parking for the TransBridge bus service into NYC in the front of that A&P lot and/or in the lot across the street from the middle school on Grayrock Road. Include shuttle service, food carts with breakfast foods, coffee and also pre-made dinner meals. Add a wine or liquor truck and now you have a party! Those NYC commuters – God bless 'em – deserve a bright spot in their mornings and evenings. Better yet, provide a shuttle for them to the restaurants and stores in downtown Clinton! Speaking of which, on that side of Clinton Town – 3) Light up the Halstead Street Bridge at night, along the sides. 4) Create a River Walk – a brick path along the river, behind the buildings along the river side of Lower Center Street, from the bridge to the Hunterdon Art Museum. Turn some of those buildings into restaurants, or perhaps one big restaurant, with tables along the River Walk, and a guitar musician or two playing softly here and there. Floating (anchored) lights along the river would make it even more magical. Perhaps floating, lit Christmas Trees in December? I would love to see restaurants on the other side of the river (near the parking lot on Halstead Street) someday, as well. 5) Speaking of parking, build a small, multi-level, historic looking parking garage in the empty lot next to Krauser's on West Main/Old Hwy 22. If Princeton, NJ and Charleston, SC can tastefully include parking garages, than we can too. A cross-walk would need to be created to allow visitors to safely make their way over to Main Street. We so need this, I think. 6) Build a theater on West Main Street, at the same site where the old theater burned down. Turn it into a non-profit, allowing various theater groups and music schools to hold performances. This quote resonated with me: "Balanchine used to talk about children's ballets all the time," says Peter Martins, N.Y.C.B. ballet master in chief since 1989). "Each child brings four people: mom, dad, sister, and aunt. Multiply this by all the children in the (Nutcracker) ballet and you have an audience. How brilliant and how pragmatic." Naturally, many of those theatergoers will want to eat and maybe shop before or after performances. And downtown Clinton is the perfect place for that. So, I figure we need maybe $50 million to bring these ideas to fruition? Once that's accomplished I have more ideas. All we need is a dollar and a dream (or several of them), right? In the meantime, I hope you all have a lovely and loving Valentine's Day! – Julie Fl�nn * Posted October 10, 2016, www.architecturaldigest.com * * "Balanchine's Christmas Miracle" by Laura Jacobs, 12/9/14, Vanity Fair Magazine. You're not alone when you list with me. I'm with you 24/7. And I live in Clinton Township! www.VickiTuschak.com • vtuschak@yahoo.com office: 908.735.8080 • cell: 908.334.2164 This Is Our Clinton Township! Vicki Tuschak S a le s As s o c i ate THINK SPRING Call Me!

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