Friends for the Abbott Marshlands Earns Nonprofit Status
The Friends for the Abbott Marshlands has announced that it has obtained federal recognition as an independent 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit. The group will now be eligible to apply for grants and other resources that enhance its ability to develop community support for the appreciation and stewardship of the marshlands.
The Abbott Marshlands are situated in Lenapehoking, the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Lenape. They include more than 3,000 acres of open space along the Delaware River in Central New Jersey.
Although a satellite view of the area quickly reveals its ecological unity, the lands here are divided among two counties, four municipalities, and numerous landowners. Crisscrossed by a canal, a railroad, and a major highway interchange, the essential nature of the northernmost tidal freshwater marsh on the Delaware River remains, providing rich habitat for a wide variety of birds, fish, mammals, plants, and others.
The Friends for the Abbott Marshlands is the only organization whose sole focus is the promotion and stewardship of the entire marshlands. Their efforts include a volunteer trail stewardship program, an active calendar of programs on marshlands ecology and history, and other community outreach activities including a juried photography exhibition.
They coordinate their work with the Tulpehaking Nature Center, the Mercer County Park Commission, and the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. As a member of the Abbott Marshlands Council, the Friends work closely with D&R Greenway Land Trust and other stakeholders on cooperative stewardship efforts.
D&R Greenway Land Trust played an active role in the preservation of the marshlands for more than 25 years and actively supported the Friends volunteers since their inception in 2002. The nonprofit land trust continues its mission to preserve land and steward the marsh’s resources.
Most recently, D&R Greenway joined with the State and City of Bordentown to preserve the historic Bonaparte property, Point Breeze, at the southern end of the Abbott Marshlands.
“From the spark of an idea for a ‘friends’ group to today’s celebration of independence, D&R Greenway shepherded this committed group of volunteers whose mission is important to the future of this vast area. When we open our new museum at Point Breeze overlooking the Delaware River and Abbott Marshlands, we will display materials to teach about this special place in partnership with the Friends,” said Linda Mead, Greenway president and CEO, in a statement.
The www.abbottmarshlands.org website provides complete information regarding ecology, cultural history, archeology, recreation, education and stewardship.
Commercial Properties Sold
Marlton-based commercial real estate firm WCRE announced the sale of a Robbinsville commercial property.
Faropoint, an Israel-based commercial real estate investment firm, purchased the building at 108 North Gold Drive from Thabic and Company.
WCRE’s Kevin Coleman and Victor DeJesus represented both parties in the transaction, the financial terms of which were not disclosed.
Also finalized was the sale of 100 and 101 Thanet Drive, two former office buildings in Princeton that are set to be transformed into rental housing communities with both market rate and age-restricted affordable units. The buildings total more than 110,000 square feet on 15 acres on a cul-de-sac within walking distance of Princeton Shopping Center.
CBRE represented the seller, KABR Group, which acquired the two buildings in 2018. The buyer, AvalonBay Communities, will be adding to its Princeton presence. It is already the owner of the Avalon Princeton complex on the site of the former Princeton Hospital on Witherspoon Street.
Traffic Alert
The exit ramp from I-295 to Route 33 in Hamilton will be closed overnight for approximately the next two weeks as the New Jersey Department of Transportation undertake a bridge deck rehabilitation project including repairs to the bridge deck, joints, headers, and curbs.
The closure is in effect from 8 p.m. through 6 a.m., Monday through Friday. NJDOT’s contractor, Mount Construction, is scheduled to close the I-295 northbound connection ramp to Exit 63B and the Hamilton Avenue eastbound ramp to Route I-295 northbound.
The following detours will be in place:
Motorists wishing to take I-295 northbound Exit 63B to Route 33 westbound will be directed to take Exit 63A to Route 33 eastbound, which is before Exit 63B. Merge onto Hamilton Avenue. At the traffic signal, bear right onto Route 33 eastbound/Nottingham Way. At the next traffic signal keep right to stay on Route 33 eastbound
Turn left onto White Horse Avenue. Turn left onto Nottingham Way, which becomes Route 33 westbound.
Motorists wishing to take the ramp onto I-295 northbound will be directed to continue on Hamilton Avenue. At the traffic signal bear right onto Route 33 eastbound/Nottingham Way. Turn left onto East State Street, then take the ramp onto I-295 northbound.
Deaths
Beverly D. Railsback, 79, on October 26. She worked for the New Jersey State Library for more than 30 years.
Donna Maria Schlapfer, 75, on October 29. The longtime Plainsboro resident was retired from Dow Jones.
Claire B. Merrill, 87, on October 30. The lifelong Hamilton resident worked for 12 years as a bookkeeper at Thiokol Chemical Corporation and did accounting for her husband Donald’s autobody shop, Merrill’s Auto Body, for 40 years.
Alberta Howley Mune, 91, on November 1. With her sister she founded the Howley Sisters School of Dance in 1955 and taught there for 53 years. Today it is known as the Howley School and offers preschool services for South Trenton residents. Mune also taught elementary school for 40 years.
Sheryl Anne Tucker, 77, on November 2. She worked as a social worker for WomanSpace for 25 years.
Gillian Wendy Slater-Godfrey, 92, on October 8. The London-born occupational therapist first made her mark in Princeton with her work for Alexander Road-based AAMH, where she created the boarding home outreach program. She cemented her legacy as the creator and first director of the Suzanne Patterson Center and Princeton Senior Resource Center, from which she retired in 1994.
A celebration in her honor will take place Saturday, December 11, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the Nassau Inn in Princeton. RSVP to celebrationofwendy@gmail.com.
