A panel of judges has chosen the winners of a contest to rename Princeton’s municipal buildings now that the communities have been unified.
The former Princeton Borough Hall at 1 Monument Drive is set to be called Monument Hall and Princeton Township Building at 400 Witherspoon Street is set to be named Witherspoon Hall.
Thirty-eight contestants suggested 44 names for Borough Hall and 34 names for the Township Building.
A panel of four judges including, author Landon Y. Jones, Princeton High School teacher Jeff Lucker, Nancy H. Becker Associates founder Nancy H. Becker and Princeton Public Library executive director Leslie Burger, chose the names.
The judges were not given names of the contestants until after their decision-making discussions. In reviewing suggestions, judges were asked to be mindful that the names are not confusing, reinforce old borough and township distinctions, replicated elsewhere in the town or require further explanation.
Additionally judges looked for names that are unique, intuitively usable, comprehensible to Princeton newcomers, have built-in longevity and allow for parallelism between the two buildings.
Carol Calamoneri won for her Monument Hall submission, while five contestants, including Calamoneri, suggested naming the former township building Witherspoon Hall.
Witherspoon Hall submitters, Calamoneri, Stephanie Chorney, Diana Crane, Mimi Omiecinski and Roger Shatzkin were entered into a random drawing to choose a winner. The judges pulled Shatzkin’s name and he will receive the allotted prizes.
The winning names are set be presented to the Princeton Council at its April 8 meeting. Winners will be recognized at that meeting and receive prizes including a certificate commemorating their role in the naming of the buildings.
As the Witherspoon Hall winner, Calamoneri is set to receive a $250 gift certificate to McCaffrey’s, season tickets to Princeton University football or basketball for next season, a free family membership to the Princeton Community Pool and free borrowing privileges for DVDs at Princeton Public Library for one year.
The five winners of naming Monument Hall are set to each receive $50 gift certificate to McCaffery’s. In addition, Shatzkin is set to receive season tickets to Princeton University football or basketball for next season, a free family membership in Community Pool, and free borrowing privileges for DVDs at the Princeton Public Library for one year.
This contest was sponsored by Princeton and Princeton Public Library.
