# LambPage > For people who love, and live, in Lambertville, NJ. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About URL: https://www.lambpage.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-09-06T00:02:48.000Z **LambPage is for people who love and live in Lambertville, NJ.** We are a hyper-local, micro media company focused on community. We are also new, and still figuring things out. **Here’s what we know so far:** - We believe local is powerful. - We are real people who take pride in our work. - We care about Lambertville residents and Lambertville culture. ### Mission & Goals We are committed to bringing you: - **The Truth:** accuracy is important, especially now! - **Fun Events**: stay in the loop with a curated list of things to do. - **Local Stories**: meet the people who make Lambertville special. - **Civic Coverage**: stay informed about committees and meetings. - **Practical Tips**: read informative how-to, where-to, and when-to guides. - **Arts & Culture**: discover the abundant creativity in our area. - **Business**: know what’s coming or going, and who is making waves. - **Real Estate**: discover how the town is growing and changing. ### Corrections Policy If we make a big mistake, we will address and correct it. Sometimes we spot small mistakes (spelling, grammar, typos) and make tiny corrections without fanfare. *If you believe we've made a factual error, please contact us. We review all correction requests and update stories when warranted.* ### Advertise or Sponsor More information to come. ### Owner & Staff LambPage is run by Lambertville resident, David Vanadia, and local contributors. ### Contribute LambPage can’t pay (yet), but contributors get a complimentary subscription. Pitch or send: - News tips - Opinion pieces - Essays - Photography - Art - Comics - Event listings - Etc. ### Contact Email: [hello @ LambPage](mailto:hello@lambpage.com) ### Events URL: https://www.lambpage.com/events/ Last updated: 2026-09-06T11:37:27.000Z We expanded our events coverage! See the [**new events section**](https://www.lambpage.com/tag/events/). Subscribe to know what’s happening in Lambertville, NJ. ## Posts ### Lambertville, NJ Real Estate Roundup: October 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-real-estate-october-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-07T02:00:04.000Z As house buying busy season slowly comes to a close, interest rates have gone up and Lambertville properties are selling fast. Let’s have a look at what’s moving. ### 201 South Hancock Street : $278,000 (sold) This house was a short sale, which means it sat on the market for a while. It’lll likely become a new home, hopefully with a significant water filtration system. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/201-Hancock-St-08530/home/36589007?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 40 South Union Street : $299,999 (for sale) In the heart of the flood zone, next to the creek, is this brick house. It was purchased for $200,000 in May 2025\. The owners boarded up the windows and let the house sit vacant for a year. Now they’re selling it (with renovation plans) for $299,999\. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/40-S-Union-St-08530/home/36558678?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 167 & 169 George Street : $430,000 & $420,000 (for sale) The townhouses at #167 and #169 George Street have already had a price reduction. In August, #167 listed for $475,000 and #169 was ten grand less. The difference is due to #167 including an off-street parking spot. The backyard is shared and the backdoors mirror the front doors. See the listings: [#167 George](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/167-George-St-08530/home/36558336?ref=lambpage.com) and [#169 George](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/169-George-St-08530/home/36558337?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 56 Church Street : $444,900 (for sale) This small house is perfectly livable, but not particularly luxurious on the inside, or on the outside. For the right price, it’ll likely be rented out by a new landlord. As a primary residence, 167 George Street (above) is a better deal since it has parking. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/56-Church-St-08530/home/36559879?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 28 Brunswick Avenue : $465,000 (for sale) With a manicured back yard and historic charm, this 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 840 square foot house faces busy Brunswick Avenue. In back is Quarry Street, which a local real estate agent calls, “The best kept secret in Lambertville,” because it’s so close to downtown. The house is also on a flood-prone creek. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/28-Brunswick-Ave-08530/home/36559923?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 26 South Franklin Street : $525,000 (for sale) This modern 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom home is located right on Route 29\. You can walk to get pizza without crossing four lanes of traffic, but if you want to go into town you’ll want to use the crosswalk at the light. Yes, it’s on a major road, but you get a driveway where you can park your car, which is a huge plus. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/26-S-Franklin-St-08530/home/36559907?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 151 North Union Street : $535,000 (sold) This 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo was listed at $657,000 in June of 2025 and [sold](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/151-N-Union-St-08530/home/36558427?ref=lambpage.com) in September 2026\. The interior is bright with a spiral staircase and modern kitchen. --- ### 266 North Union Street : $565,000 (for sale) Conveniently close to ice cream, health food, Barre, pizza, coffee, and a pharmacy, this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, house has 1,284 square feet of living space. It has a huge back deck, a private yard, a brick exterior, and it’s in the flood zone. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/266-N-Union-St-08530/home/36558183?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 56 South Union Street : $599,000 (for sale) Priced at $750,000 in August, this 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom 1,007 square foot home has had its price lowered twice. With its street-to-street lot, this property is becoming more attractive to developers with each price reduction. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/56-S-Union-St-08530/home/36559109?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 13 Rock Creek Woods : $645,000 (for sale) This modern townhouse has 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 2,092 square feet of living space. You also get two garages and driveway, but you’re not downtown. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/13-Rock-Creek-Woods-Dr-08530/home/36558939?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 51 Perry Street : $685,000 (for sale) With its super-cozy interior and lovely location, this house has 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, and 1,556 square feet of living space. It has a wood burning fireplace! See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/51-Perry-St-08530/home/36558662?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 187 North Union Street : $725,000 (for sale) Originally offered at $850,000, this cozy brick row house has had several price reductions. It has a huge front porch, nice back yard, and room for personalization. It’s close to everything Lambertville and downtown New Hope has to offer. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/187-N-Union-St-08530/home/36558353?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 46 Delevan Street : $785,000 (sold) This 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2,390 square foot house—with virtually no yard—is why flippers love Lambertville. It went for $420,000 in November of 2025 with the interior already gutted, then got renovated and sold for $785,000 in August 2026\. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/46-Delevan-St-08530/home/36558451?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 81 South Main Street : $799,000 (for sale) This 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,800 square feet townhouse is not a very wide, but it’s meticulously maintained with impeccable interior design. If you’re looking for baked-in Lambertville style, this house is turnkey. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/81-S-Main-St-08530/home/36559081?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 65 Church Street : $819,000 (for sale) In this center unit 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, 1,860 square foot (fairly new) townhouse you get parking for one car, a skylight, and a Juliette balcony. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/65-Church-St-08530/home/171417641?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 169 North Main Street : $825,000 (for sale) If you need an extra space for a personal training business or therapy office, this house has that space along with parking, a fire pit, and a visible Main Street location. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/169-N-Main-St-08530/home/36558494?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 55 Elm Street : $828,800 (sold) Listed for $760,000 in June of 2026, this 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom house with 1,256 square feet of living space sold for more than asking price. It’s easy to see why with its skylight, shaded yard, central in-town location, and up-to-date fixtures. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/55-Elm-St-08530/home/36558265?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 63 Church Street : $839,000 (sold) This townhouse appears to have [sold](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/63-Church-St-08530/home/113065049?ref=lambpage.com) above ask, which was $825,000\. What makes it so attractive to buyers is that it’s a fairly new construction (lower maintenance) end unit (more light, less interior noise) and it has a parking pad for one car. If you’re sad you missed it, see above for 65 Church or below for 61 Church. --- ### 35 Perry Street : $850,000 (sold) What a deal. Originally listed for $899,000, the price dropped to $875,000\. It sold in September for $850,000 after sitting vacant for a while. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/35-Perry-St-08530/home/36558450?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 301 Holcombe Way : $874,000 (for sale) Need a luxurious townhome that includes an $18,000 sound system and a massive recreation room on the ground level with a wet bar and a wine tasting room? See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/301-Holcombe-Way-08530/home/36529847?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 27 Music Mountain Boulevard : $980,000 This car-dependent, stately home is near Dollar General and Music Mountain Theater. It has a huge play/exercise room and a pool. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/27-Music-Mountain-Blvd-08530/home/36594754?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 30 North Franklin Street : $1,160,000 (for sale) You may remember this flip from the [August Real Estate Roundup](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-real-estate-august-2026/). It was listed for $1,295,000 and has already had its first price reduction. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/30-N-Franklin-St-08530/home/36559900?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 61 Church Street : $1,175,000 (for sale) This classic brick home sold for $335,000 in 2015\. It gives you 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a gravel-covered side yard for parking. The price may drop a bit. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/61-Church-St-08530/home/36559890?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 45 North Union Street : **$1,399,900 (pending sale)** A mixed use building that houses Union Coffee, offices, and apartments. See [the listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/45-N-Union-St-08530/home/202764178?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 26 York Street : $2,100,000 (for sale) The John Coryell House is a 6 bedroom, 5 bathroom apartment building with 5,423 square feet of living space. It’s got a back patio, a yard, and income potential. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/26-York-St-08530/home/36558620?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### 315 Goat Hill Road : $2,600,000 (for sale) The Wave House by Jules Gregory is technically in West Amwell, but it has a Lambertville address. The current owners put a bunch of work into it and now the 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,700 square foot architectural wonder is making waves due to its lofty price tag, unique roof, and funky 60s vibes. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/315-Goat-Hill-Rd-08530/home/36588807?ref=lambpage.com). ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: October 1, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-city-council-october-1-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-03T04:00:14.000Z The Lambertville City Council met at 7pm on October 1, 2025\. Karen Kominsky was away and Steve Stegman joined the meeting remotely via Zoom. After the Pledge of Allegiance, folks remained standing for a moment of silence to honor the life of Bob Heath, who passed away in September 2026. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Heritage Village Landlord Promises to Fix Problematic Apartment Building URL: https://www.lambpage.com/heritage-village-landlord-promises-fix/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T22:24:11.000Z In 2025, LambPage reported about the [poor living conditions at Heritage Village Apartments](https://www.lambpage.com/heritage-village-apartments/). Residents were dealing with rodents, mold, and an unresponsive management company. The building’s fire inspection certificate appeared to be out of date, the hallways in the building had no flooring, and an abandoned car was rotting in the accessible parking space that was closest to the front entrance. In 2026, LambPage published a [follow-up story](https://www.lambpage.com/heritage-village-at-lambertville/). Unfortunately, the subjects from the previous year’s reporting had to move out of the building and conditions did not improve for current tenants. The floors hadn’t been fixed, walls were still damaged, and residents complained about trash, rodents, broken heating systems, poor communication with management, and non-existent building maintenance. --- **On Tuesday, September 15, 2026**, a group of residents met in the community room of Heritage Village apartments in Lambertville, NJ to hear a presentation by Community Investment Strategies (CIS), which owns and operates the affordable apartment building. Mark Issa, Tom Flacco, and Chris Foglio (owner and CEO) were there to talk about how the building’s planned $15,000,000 renovation would impact current tenants. Residents sat in rows in the center of the room while onsite staff stood near the side walls or sat on chairs in the back row. Andrew Nowick, Mayor of Lambertville, was present and sitting in the front row. Mark Issa told residents about the building’s future mechanical and electrical systems, then Tom Flacco spoke for the bulk of the presentation. Chris Foglio stood up to jump in whenever she felt the need to interject, which was quite often. The presentation focused on what the building might be like in 2028—after the renovation. Tom Flacco said new windows and blinds should help residents “see better energy efficiency.” He described new kitchen cabinets and stainless steel energy star appliances. “Hopefully you can get excited about it,” he told the group of senior citizens. “The roof leaks,” one resident interjected. “Water runs down the walls on the inside of the building when it rains outside.” “We appreciate that information,” Chris Foglio replied. “Because we're not talking about what is happening in your unit in the presentation, that does not mean that we are not doing new siding, new roofing, dealing with what was found, and so we appreciate the information.” “If you just had the gutters cleaned out, that would rectify it enough until you got to that,” said the resident, a retired plumber. “That’s all I’m saying.” “Okay, got it. We are going to be replacing it too, but that’s a good point. Thank you for that point,” said Chris Foglio. ### Carpeting is 20 Years Old Tom Flacco asked residents to hold their questions until the end of the presentation. He went on to describe bathroom renovations: rejuvenated showers, replaced shower heads, and new vanities, sinks, toilets, and flooring. “My carpeting is 20 years old,” a resident stated. “You’re getting all new flooring,” Chris Foglio quickly replied. The resident asked if she could choose to have flooring instead of carpet. Chris Foglio replied “yes” and Tom Flacco echoed with another “yes.” “I actually have COPD from the carpeting,” the resident added. Tom Flacco explained that the living room and kitchen floors will be LVT (luxury vinyl tile), but that the bedrooms will be carpeted. “On the other side \[of the building\], where we’re on the slab, that’s gonna be ice cold,” said the retired plumber. Chris Foglio asked Mark Issa to address that, and Mark said that the LVT will have a rubber insulating layer below it. “I’m just stating that from living here for six, seven years now, that the floor—even with carpeting—is very cold on a slab," said the retired plumber. ### Great Notifications Tenants of Heritage Village have been living in sub-standard conditions for years. They’ve made phone calls, written letters, and pressed send on countless emails—all in an attempt to inform or inspire the management company to take positive action. Yet, very little—if anything—was done. With top-level management in the room, tenants seized the opportunity to have their voices heard. A resident named Marjorie asked how they plan to address the sediment that’s in the water. Tom Flacco responded by saying they will put in new toilets. “The problem is in the water,” Marjorie clarified. The retired plumber said the water problem is due to the building having an antiquated filtering system that hasn’t been serviced since 2017. Tom Flacco promised he would address questions at the end, and continued his presentation. He said they will use the side parking lot for construction staging and storage. He warned that sometimes the front door will be blocked, so residents will have to enter through the side door. He didn’t mention if residents will have to walk from the front lot to the back parking lot during the renovation, nor did he address where residents would load or unload their cars. “But you guys are going to get great notifications. You’re going to know what’s going on,” he assured, adding that there will be a new onsite resident relations coordinator who will act as “a way for residents to pretty much correspond with” upper management. “They’re gonna be the person that that you guys go to, to explain things, and they’re gonna be your best friend, especially going through this,” he said. ### Why Should We Believe You? “I don’t mean to be rude,” interjected Marjorie, “but why should we believe you now when all the other times you never paid attention to us?” Chris Foglio jumped up. “Because it’s not somebody that’s in my office,” Foglio answered. “She’s actually going to be working here.” “And who does she answer to?” Marjorie asked. “To you?” “Yes,” replied Foglio. A resident pointed out that, even if the employee answers to Chris Foglio, so did the previous onsite managers who refused to do anything to help tenants. “I’m not happy that staff has not been as responsive as they should be,” Chris Foglio said. “They haven’t been any responsive,” Marjorie countered. “And all I can do is step in and try to fix it,” Chris Foglio offered. “I'm hiring someone who will be here and you will see me at least once a week and she will be here every day.” Chris Foglio said that her company has not lived up to her own expectations, nor have they matched the expectations that residents had when they moved in. She said she was trying to be as transparent as possible and take responsibility. The meeting was tense at times. Some residents were angry as they voiced their frustrations. Chris Foglio spoke quite a bit, stepping in where Tom Flacco had no answers. She gave an overview of how tax credits and structured funding financed the upcoming renovation. She said New Jersey wouldn’t let her raise the rents on the affordable apartments, so times were tough. She said she was going to just sell the building, but Mayor Nowick encouraged her to find funding. “You have to just, you know, kind of keep limping along, because there is no ability to have cash except for what comes into the building and so it really hit a very difficult time. It was, we have not earned—and if anybody wants to look at my books—we have not taken a dime out of this building in over twelve years,” Foglio said. CIS Management owns approximately 4,000 affordable apartment units in New Jersey. ### **Shouldn’t Be Too Much of a Burden** Tom Flacco went back to the presentation. He spoke about new lighting, paint, flooring, and boilers. Then he explained the apartment relocation process. “The easiest thing for you guys, and the easiest thing for us, is going to be a one-time onsite transfer,” he told residents. “We’re going to have movers in there doing it for you, and so it really shouldn’t be too much of a burden.” Renovations are planned to happen in vacant units first. At some point the building will be half renovated, at which time the management company will relocate tenants from their current apartment into a newly renovated unit. “Then you have to change your address on everything that you own,” said a resident. “Your credit cards, the bank, social security, everything, ” added another. Some tenants don’t want to leave their current unit. One person, who has trouble walking, said he is close to the front door and he can see his car in the parking lot. Another tenant said she likes her unit because it gets all-season direct sunlight. For tenants who don’t want to permanently switch units, the process is quite complicated. All of their possessions need to be moved out of their apartment and placed in storage. They’ll have to go to a hotel for approximately three days while the construction team does major work in their unit. Once that work is done, the resident can return to their apartment to sleep in at night. However, they will have to vacate their home during the day so that construction can continue. “You’re gonna have to go to a hotel for three nights approximately. That’s not guaranteed,” Tom Flacco told residents, “and when you come back it’s not a finished unit that you’re gonna come back to.” Will residents trust the landlord—who hasn’t been responsive to tenants for years—to safely and securely move and store tenants’ personal belongings? How about tenants with pets? If they really want to keep their current unit, they’ve got quite a journey ahead. “You’re gonna have to deal with work being done in your unit, which means you’re gonna have to come to either the community room, a hospitality suite, whatever we have provided for you as the work is getting done. But you can see where this kind of gets a little bit tough,” Tom Flacco said. “You’re not going to be able to be in your unit while this work is getting done.” ### **This is Going to Be Upsetting** The renovation is scheduled to start in October, 2026 and continue until April, 2028\. Tenants, who have been paying full rent to live in a mismanaged building, will continue to pay full rent to live in a construction zone for 18 months—assuming the project stays on schedule and contractors work within the 8am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday work hours. “This is going to be upsetting,” a resident said out loud. “Listen, I hear you. Listen, I want you guys to know this has been a—,” Tom Flacco paused to think about what he was about to say. “Awww, never mind.” Flacco seemed as if he was a coach giving a pep talk to a team that had already lost. “Like, we understand what you’ve been through. No one understand more than Chris,” he said, referring to Chris Foglio. “She’s been hearing it, and she’s been trying to deal with you guys—not deal with—but she’s been trying to accompany—uh—to accommodate everything that you’ve been asking for.” Tom Flacco resumed the presentation by showing conceptual renderings of what the building’s facade and community room might look like after the renovation. “We’re going to try to make it as easy as possible for you guys. We really mean that, but it’s going to take some work—there’s just no doubt about it—from you. And it’s going to be work,” Flacco said. “We’re really looking forward to what April of 2028 is for you guys.” At that point, Mayor Nowick got up and ducked across the front row to say a quiet goodbye to Chris Foglio, and to a resident before he left for another engagement. ### **We’ll Look Into It** “I spend over $60 dollars a month on \[bottled\] water, because the water here is not drinkable,” said a resident. ”It’s not clean.” “We’re going to have a water station at the community room,” said Chris Flacco. “You have to address that filtration system before you do any of that or else you’re going to be sending that polluted water in,” said the retired plumber. “I’m not drinking any of that. This is serious,” said the resident who spends $60 per month on bottled water. “You have the PFAS in the area," a resident added. “It needs to be tested. It needs to be vigilant,” said another. “We did have—so part of the capital needs assessment was we ran a video through the plumbing and everything showed up. We cleaned the storm water drainage, we cleaned that,” Tom Flacco said. “We’re addressing the potable water,” said the retired plumber, reiterating that the building’s filtering system needs to be serviced. Mark Issa stepped forward and suggested iron, calcium, and possibly the water company was to blame for the dirty water. A lively discussion followed. “The water is polluted. My toilet turns black. Everyone here will agree,” said a retired construction professional who lives in the building. “We'll look into it,” Mark Issa said. “Can you test the water?” asked a resident. “What we’re saying is people are concerned about the water, and we have PFAS in the water in the area too,” another resident summarized. Chris Foglio said they will have a meeting with the water company and then hold another community meeting. “We’ll have Mark there. We’ll go through what our plans are. We’ll make sure that there’s representatives of the water company and we’ll be really clear after that whose responsibilities are what, and what improvements we can get done,” Foglio said. Mark Issa agreed with that plan, and added that they, too, are frustrated. “We don’t want to do all this renovation and you guys have black water,” Chris Foglio said. “That’s not moving us in the direction that we’re going in, so obviously there are a variety of issues that we have to address, and I hear that water is one and we’re gonna call for representative of the water company to come and we’ll have a meeting specifically just for water.” ### **I’m Going to Fix It** “That's everything that we have unless there are more questions,” Tom Flacco said concluding the presentation. “We have pizza and water, unless there are more questions. I’m gonna hang out, and I’ll eat some pizza.” ![senior citizens sit and stand as CIS employees answer questions in the community room](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/AfterMeeting.webp) residents ask questions and chat at the end of the presentation Marjorie asked if they would leave a person’s name and telephone number before they left that day so residents could ask questions in the meantime. “Sending letters via certified mail doesn't get us anywhere,” Marjorie added. “I will start to come here every Friday for at least an hour. I will sit in the community room. If anybody wants to speak with me directly, it will probably be around 10 o’clock on Friday mornings and I will be here every Friday starting the first week in October,” Chris Flacco said. “And maybe, you know, maybe I'll bring some sweets, because I’m Italian and I like food, you know.” Marjorie looked skeptical. “But the process is going to be a lot of work if we work together and I’m willing to spend the time and be here, and be here personally, but I’m going to be accountable, because you have not had that and I heard you loud and clear.” “All right, everybody heard it,” Marjorie announced. “This nice lady is going to be accountable to our problems.” Residents applauded. “I want to fix it. This is not the condition that we want to find ourselves in with the building and I’m going to fix it,” Chris Foglio promised. “We’ve got the money now and I’ve just got to get it done.” ### Your Guide to Halloween in Lambertville, NJ: 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-29T00:07:06.000Z Calling all ghosts, ghouls, and goblins! This page will tell you everything you need to know about how to experience Halloween 2026 in Lambertville, NJ. Also visit the [Lambertville Event Calendar](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-events-october-2026/) for October, 2026. --- ### On This Page: - When is the best time to see the Halloween decorations? - When is the Family Halloween Parade? - Lambertville Halloween Trick-or-Treating: when, where, and how? --- ## When Is the Best Time to See Lambertville Halloween Decorations? Yards and businesses have decorations on display starting October 1st. However, the best time to really see everything is from mid-October through Halloween. You’ll find giant Jack-o’-lanterns, front-lawn grave yards, haunted pets, fog machines, bubbling cauldrons, and sci-fi horror scenes. We’ve got a pirate house, an undersea house, and a themed house that changes every year. Look for blinking eyes in the darkness, glowing faces, haunted sounds, and lots and lots of skeletons. The density and elaborateness of the Lambertville Halloween decorations increases as you get closer to October 31st, and decorations get added all month long. Many homes have spooky lighting, unexpected surprises, and some even have terrifying animatronics. The darker it is outside, the more freaky and fun it can be. If you arrive later in the month there will be more visitors viewing the scary scenes at the same time as you, so arrive early to find parking. ### If You Have Very Young Children Come during the afternoon or early evening—anytime it’s still light out—and follow the audio tour for [the Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic](https://www.trailofmagic.org/?ref=lambpage.com). You’ll stay mainly in the business district and the glowing figures are more magical than terrifying. ### If Your Kids Enjoy Being Scared Arrive in the late afternoon and hang around past dusk. That way you’ll discover two (light and dark) layers of creepy fun before you go out and erase the fear with some pizza. ### Children of All Ages (teens & adults) Walk around after sunset. The lights and sound effects really pop in the dark! ### Where to Park? Park wherever you can. Weekends are always more crowded than weeknights so arrive early to find parking. The closer it is to Halloween, the more crowded it gets. ### How Late Does It Go? Residents are used to visitors walking around to look at the Halloween decorations. Things stay lit up as late as 10pm, sometimes later. Just remember it’s a residential area, so scream in fear quietly and you probably won’t bother anyone. --- ## Lambertville Family Halloween Parade The annual Lambertville Family Halloween Parade will happen at **2:45pm on Sunday, October 26, 2026**, at Mary E. Sheridan Park. The parade will depart at 3pm, so be there by at least 2:45pm to mingle and see the costumes before the crowd marches to Ely Park. Kids of all ages are welcome to wear fun and creative costumes. No registration is required, and the parade happens rain or shine. Refreshments include cider, donuts, and some gluten free treats. There are no prizes—this is just a grand, old-fashioned parade with fun, family, and friends. For more details, visit the [Lambertville Family Halloween Parade](https://www.facebook.com/events/s/lambertville-family-halloween-/2105017126762316/) Facebook page. --- ## Halloween in Lambertville: October 31, 2026 ![crowds of people in Halloween costumes walking on the street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/HalloweenCrowd-2.webp) Halloween night in Lambertville People come from all over the world (literally) to trick-or-treat, eat candy, see the costumes, and experience Halloween in Lambertville, New Jersey. Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026, so it’s going to be extra busy this year. Families often do all of their trick-or-treating in town while older trick-or-treaters tend to parade up and down North Union Street before walking across the bridge to find a dance or party in New Hope, PA. ### North Union Street Closure: 5pm-9pm On Halloween night, North Union Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 5-9pm, leaving pedestrian access only. There are many decorated houses within the designated walking area, which makes it safe for families to go trick-or-treating. ### Official Trick-or-Treat Hours: 6-8pm The residents who participate in the Halloween activities on North Union Street tend to sit outside if they are distributing candy—that way trick-or-treaters don’t have to compete with thirty other kids on the narrow front porch steps. You don’t have to stay on North Union Street. Perry Street, Clinton Street, and other parts of town also get busy with trick-or-treaters. Some of the best-decorated homes are a short walk off of North Union Street. See [this post](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-decorations/) to find the most elaborate decorations. People with very young children often bring a decorated wagon or stroller to transport their little trick-or-treaters with ease. ### Adults Dress Up Too Lambertville is a place where you can participate and enjoy Halloween however you want, so don’t be lame. Get into the spirit and show off your fun costume. ### Five Apartments for Rent in Lambertville: September, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-for-rent-september-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-21T04:00:43.000Z There’s not a lot of apartment units available to choose from this month. Below are the offerings, listed from most to least expensive. ### [**15 Ferry Street**](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/Lambertville-NJ-08530/38849140%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) **$12,158 / Month : 2 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms** ![a large couch fills the room. paintings hang on the wall and an acoustic guitar leans against the wall. large windows fill the room with light](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/15ferry.webp) the living room This house is right in the center of town. It’s a residentially zoned property, but it has a business operating inside of it. Customers can rent it for around $550 per night, like a hotel. ### [9 Arnett Avenue](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9-Arnett-Ave-FLOOR-1-ID1380124P-Lambertville-NJ-08530/459603843%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) **$10,768 / Month** : 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathrooms ![a modern living room with new furniture and new floors](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/9arnett.webp) the living room This house is also a residentially zoned property located in town. It, too, has a business operating inside of it. Customers can pay to stay nightly, as if it was a hotel. ### [**225 Holcombe Way**](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/225-Holcombe-Way-Lambertville-NJ-08530/71830957%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) **$7,630 / Month : 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bathrooms** ![a large living and dining area with lots of windows and very little furniture on wood floors](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/225holcombe.webp) the living room This spacious townhouse is a residential rental that’s located within walking distance to the center of town. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to pay for luxury Lambertville living without having to buy a luxury property. Rent includes a monthly deep cleaning of the home as well as HOA fees, which covers yard maintenance and snow and garbage removal. The tenant will be responsible for the gas, electric, internet, and water bills. ### [**41 Bridge Street**](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/41-Bridge-St-D-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2053077104%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) **$2,200 / Month : 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom** ![a small room with a window and an air conditioning unit mounted on the wall](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/41bridge-1.webp) the bedroom This apartment is in a building that was one of the first in town to start charging $2,400 per month for its tiny, renovated apartments. Other landlords followed suite by (sometimes renovating and) raising rents and now prospective tenants can find more square footage and equal amenities elsewhere for the same rent. This unit has a $50 application fee, a $100 administration fee, a required credit score of 650+, and a required annual salary of $81k. Parking is on the street, and there is a stacked washer/dryer in the unit. ### Lambertville Police Blotter: August, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-police-blotter-august-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T04:00:16.000Z Lambertville Police were active in August. They dealt with online scams, fires, suspicious individuals, harassment, theft, forgery, fraud, outstanding warrants, bias incidents, trespassing, and more. ### **Case #2026-008096** On Monday, August 3rd, 2026 at 1235 hours, patrol investigated a report of fraud that occurred via Facebook in which the victim suffered a monetary loss of over $6,000.00\. Detective Sergeant Bast is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008075** On Monday, August 3rd, 2026 at 0037 hours, patrol investigated an incident involving a suspicious male frequenting the area of North Main Street. Officer Berry and Officer Hughes investigated. ### **Case #2026-008230** On Thursday, August 6th, 2026 at 1139 hours, patrol investigated a report of harassment. Detective Sergeant Bast investigated. ### **Case #2026-008245** On Thursday, August 6th, 2026 at 1905 hours, patrol was dispatched with the Lambertville Fire Department to Buttonwood Street for the report of an active fire. The residence sustained significant damage which was investigated by Officer Ticona and Detective Sergeant Bast. ### **Case #2026-008347** On Sunday, August 9th, 2026 at 1053 hours, patrol was dispatched to a business on North Union Street regarding a theft. Officer Berry investigated. ### **Case #2026-008391** On Monday, August 10th, 2026 at 1140 hours, patrol investigated a report of forgery and theft which occurred at a residence on South Main Street. Officer Caponpon is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008470** On Wednesday, August 12th, 2026 at 1201 hours, patrol investigated a report of harassment at a residence on South Main Street. Officer Caponpon is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008459** On Wednesday, August 12th, 2026 at 0738 hours, patrol investigated a report of fraud at a business on Elm Street. Officer Caponpon is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008480** On Wednesday, August 10th, 2026 at 1805 hours, patrol investigated a report of theft by deception at a residence on York Street. Officer Zilliox is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008551** On Friday, August 14th, 2026 at 2244 hours, Sergeant Gramlich arrested Matao Walker subsequent to a motor vehicle stop after he was found to have two outstanding warrants. Walker was released on his own recognizance with future pending court dates. ### **Case #2026-008569** On Saturday, August 15th, 2026 at 1417 hours, Chief Brown took a report regarding suspicious activity on North Union Street. A further investigation revealed the incident was considered a bias incident. The investigation is continuing. ### **Case #2026-008607** On Sunday, August 16th, 2026 at 1456 hours, patrol was dispatched to a residence on North Union Street for a report of suspicious activity. A further investigation revealed the incident was considered a bias incident. The investigation is continuing. ### **Case #2026-008574** On Sunday, August 16th, 2026 at 1830 hours, Chief Brown was dispatched to a residence on Swan Street for the report of a lost license plate. ### **Case #2026-008681** On Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 at 0738 hours, patrol investigated a report of fraud from a business on Bridge Street. Officer Caponpon is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008745** On Thursday, August 20th, 2026 at 0713 hours, patrol investigated a report of theft from a business on South Franklin Street. Officer Hughes is investigating. ### **Case #2026-008840** On Saturday, August 22nd, 2026 at 1747 hours, Chief Brown responded to the area of South Union Street for the report of trespassing which is being further investigated. ***ALL SUSPECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY*** ALL residents are reminded to be cognizant of any suspicious persons requesting any monies or personal information by way of, but not limited to, telephone calls, emails or regular mail correspondence. Please contact the Lambertville Police Department prior to responding to any of these potential scams. ALL residents are reminded to LOCK the doors to their vehicles and not leave anything of value inside the vehicle. ### Lambertville’s Response to Climate Change Demands Our Leadership URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-climate-change-response-demands-leadership/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T04:00:06.000Z ***It is the five-year anniversary of Ida, which was a devastating, landmark event for our community. We have repeatedly discussed different measures to address the issues it raised, and it's time for a solid plan. I wrote much of the following proposal over a year ago and wanted to share it again with you all today. Simple steps for a plan that evaluates our stormwater system, identifies our needs, and develops projects with budgets and timelines to make it work best.*** Over the past two decades, Lambertville has faced more than its fair share of flooding. From the devastation of Storms Ida and Henri to the increasingly intense rainfall events driven by climate change, it's clear: our city is under pressure—and that pressure is mounting. Flooding in Lambertville isn’t just a nuisance. It threatens our homes, businesses, infrastructure, and public safety. This is a challenge that demands action. ### **Adopt Comprehensive Solutions** There are a range of viable options on the table: upgrading and maintaining hard infrastructure, creating and enhancing green spaces and streams, implementing smarter zoning, and participating in programs like Blue Acres buyouts for flood-prone properties, to name a few. All of these approaches share two core goals: 1. **Expand and modernize our stormwater management systems** to move water efficiently and prevent backups and overflow. 2. **Create and protect green space** to hold and absorb stormwater, reducing the speed and volume of runoff that leads to flooding. Our current stormwater infrastructure was not designed for the pressures of decades of development and worsening weather. We must re-engineer it—and deter development practices that increase impervious surfaces and runoff. ### **Ten Practical Steps for Lambertville** Here’s a clear path forward—within the authority of our existing city government: 1. **Immediate maintenance funding.** Add a line item in the city budget for routine inspection and maintenance of storm drains, culverts, and known trouble spots. 2. **Assess internal capacity.** Evaluate our city’s structure for stormwater oversight. Determine if additional public works personnel are needed and estimate the costs. 3. **Explore shared services.** Explore a maintenance partnership with the Lambertville MUA to see if we can benefit from shared services. 4. **Continue mapping infrastructure.** Public Works staff and the mayor have started mapping our stormwater system using the City’s new camera equipment. This work begins to assess the weaknesses and possible upgrades. 5. **Hire experts to analyze the system.** Using our mapping capabilities, bring in engineering consultants to recommend system improvements and cost estimates. 6. **Prioritize projects and funding.** Itemize projects, rank them by urgency, and develop a 5–10 year implementation plan. Identify funding sources and explore bond financing through an improvement authority. 7. **Coordinate regionally.** Begin discussions with West Amwell and Hunterdon County to promote regional stormwater and zoning reforms. Our flooding problem is regional—it demands a regional response. 8. **Enhance tree protections.** Review and improve our tree removal and replacement regulations and pursue tree planting grants to support natural stormwater absorption. 9. **Adopt a five-year plan.** The Mayor and City Council should formally adopt a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy and commit to supporting it through budgeting and policy. 10. **Review our master plan and zoning ordinances.** It is time to take a look at our master plan and zoning and what we envision for our city. By reviewing our plan with an eye toward flood awareness and resiliency we can create the right balance as we plan for our future. ### **Plan First, Pay Second** Lambertville has already taken some important steps and initiated infrastructure examination and mapping. That’s the right move. But we must finish the assessment and develop a plan of infrastructure projects and talk about how to fund the work. Plan first. Pay second. Set priorities and a timetable, and clearly articulate and share the planning with the community. Lambertville’s municipal government has the authority to manage infrastructure projects. Our city budget is developed, debated, and approved and the content is directly accountable to our citizens. That’s the kind of transparency we need. ### **A Smarter Path Forward** We need a smart, transparent, and coordinated plan—led by those we elect. With thoughtful planning, funding, and partnerships, with governmental agencies, we can continue to build a flood-resilient Lambertville. Let’s fix the problem at its source. And let’s keep planning, accountability—and responsibility—where it belongs: right here, with us. Let’s move forward now. *Karen Kominsky is a Councilwoman in the City of Lambertville. She is a former NJDEP Deputy Commissioner and Licensed professional planner. Karen has worked in State Government affairs for her entire career, having served two Governors and the Judiciary as special master in Superior Court.* ### Lambertville Events Calendar: October, 2026 🎃 Halloween! URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-events-october-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-09T21:28:55.000Z Lambertville comes alive in October and there are many fun things to do. Choose from a pet costume parade, live music, networking, movies, open mics, a film festival, or grab dinner and go [Fright-Seeing](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-decorations/) to take in all of the amazingly creepy, home-made horror scenes that you will find everywhere around town. **Lambertville Halloween Decorations:** The glowing statues now known as the [Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-house/) (formerly “The Lambertville Halloween House”) will start to appear in storefronts and businesses around town beginning on October 1st. They will be on display all month through to Halloween, and this year they will feature an audio tour. See [Halloween 2026 details and times](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-2026/), then go have fun, and tell ’em LambPage sent you! ### October 1, 2026 : Thursday - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play, family friendly. Prizes and discounts for players. @ Invertase Tap Room, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- Hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 2, 2026 : Friday - [**NoFi-NJ Avant Mic**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=534&ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A lively welcoming environment for outside-the-box thinkers, musicians, performance artists, poets, filmmakers, and artists whose work might be a bit unusual, or even challenging. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Tarot Meetup**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/tarot-meet-up-with-kristine-gorman?ref=lambpage.com) **5pm** \- Bring a Tarot Deck, read and get read. Hosted by Kristine Gorman. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 3, 2026 : Saturday - [**Lambertville Porchfest**](https://www.lambertvilleporchfest.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **12-6pm** \- A do-it-yourself music and arts festival featuring free shows on porches all over town. @ Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Porchfest Afterparty**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=595&ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Celebrate Lambertville’s live music event. Soupçon Salon, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**The Path to Pride**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/the-path-to-pride-wellness-walk/?ref=lambpage.com) **11am** \- Take in the scenic views, enjoy some fresh air, and connect with the community during this relaxed, all-levels wellness walk. @ Goat Hill Overlook, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 4, 2026 : Sunday - [**Carte Blanche**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-carte-blanche?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Live music at the coffeehouse. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Acoustic Jam Circle**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/377318?ref=lambpage.com) **1pm** \- Bring your acoustic instrument(s) and/or voice. Anyone can join the jam. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Walking Tour of Lambertville**](https://lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/events-2/guided-walking-tours-of-lambertville?ref=lambpage.com) **2pm** \- Guided historic tours of Lambertville depart from the Marshall House Museum and are about an hour in duration. @ Marshall House, 60 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 ### October 5, 2026 : Monday - [**Jordan Tice**](https://www.showpass.com/jordantice/?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Equally virtuosic as a flatpicker and fingerstylist, and with a casual vocal style, Tice conjures ingredients from far-flung worlds with ease. @ Birdhouse Center for the Arts, 7 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 6, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Women’s Networking Event**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/382166?ref=lambpage.com) **6:30pm** \- An evening of inspiration, connection, and conversation. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Library Literati Book Club**](https://lambertvillelibrary.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Free and open to all adults, this book club meets in the gallery on the second floor of the library. Book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 7, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Mic Night**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night in an intimate setting. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 8, 2026 : Thursday - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play, family friendly. Prizes and discounts for players. @ Invertase Tap Room, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- Hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 9, 2026 : Friday - [**Clover Stieve Album Release Party**](http://www.newhopearts.org/default.aspx?pg=1793&ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Born and raised in Lambertville, Clover wrote *Born to Live* as a reflection on navigating profound loss. @ New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Avenue, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Chris Zelenka**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the tap room. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 10, 2026 : Saturday - [**Antique Train Show**](https://gnflea.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **6am-4pm** \- Browse antique and vintage model trains. Shop rare parts and accessories. Get repairs or advice from pros. @ Golden Nugget Flea Market, 1850 River Road / Route 29, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Second Saturday Open Mic**](https://www.elks.org/lodges/home.cfm?lodge=1070&ref=lambpage.com) **6:30-9:30pm** \- Cash bar and food for sale, proceeds benefit Elks charities. @ Lambertville Elks, 66 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**American Doctor plus talk with Alexis Berends**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/american-doctor-wlkgs?ref=lambpage.com) **5pm** \- The film follows three American physicians—Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian—united by a single oath to save lives. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Coyote vs. Acme**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/coyote-vs-acme-xzkhw-fjswd-5z3br-n5lmk?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Wile E. Coyote (Genius) finally fights back. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 11, 2026 : Sunday - [**Liam Ritter**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-liam-ritter?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- A guitarist based in Philadelphia with a deep passion for learning, writing, and performing music. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Mischief on the River 5K**](https://www.riverratsrc.com/motr5k?ref=lambpage.com) **7:30am** \- Hosted by River Rats Athletics, the run is designed by runners, for runners and features a flat and fast, out-and-back course perfectly suited for participants of all abilities. @ Frenchtown Elementary School, 902 Harrison Street, Frenchtown, NJ 08825 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Psychedelic Community of New Hope**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/380390?ref=lambpage.com) **3pm** \- A casual social gathering that brings together a diverse, heart-centered group of individuals. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Drag Queen Story Hour**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/drag-queen-story-hour-5/?ref=lambpage.com) **11am** \- Celebrate creativity and the joy of being exactly who you are while bringing the magic of reading to life. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/knife-the-attempted-murder-of-salman-rushdie?ref=lambpage.com) **3pm** \- The film explores Rushdie’s recovery in the broadest sense. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 12, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 13, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Business After Business**](https://mtap.io/event/ExploreLambertvilleBusinessafterBusiness?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- An evening of great conversation and new connections with fellow Chamber members. @ The Distillery, 5-7 S Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 14, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Comedy Open Mic**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/381156?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Brave jokes, big feelings, and slightly unhinged observations are always welcome. Come try new material, cheer on your pals, or just soak it all in. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic Night**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night in an intimate setting. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 15, 2026 : Thursday - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play, family friendly. Prizes and discounts for players. @ Invertase Tap Room, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**NHC & OddBird OUT**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/nhc-oddbird-out-in-october-happy-hour/?ref=lambpage.com) **4pm** \- Grab a drink, connect with old and new friends, and enjoy a fun evening at October Happy Hour. @ Odd Bird Brewing, 10 Risler Street, Stockton, NJ - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- Hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 16, 2026 : Friday - [**Lambertville Halloween Film Festival**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/lhff?ref=lambpage.com) \- A weekend full of parties, horror guest speakers, special events, and cult classic film screenings. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**2026 LHFF Opening Party**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/monster-bash-lhff-2026?ref=lambpage.com) **7-11pm** \- A party fit for the silver screen’s most legendary ghouls. @ ACME Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 17, 2026 : Saturday - [**Delaware River Loop Series #1**](https://runsignup.com/DelawareRiverLoopSeries?ref=lambpage.com) **8:35am** \- A non-competitive, no time limit, winter running series. @ Yardley Park and Ride, 1140 Woodside Road, Yardley, PA 19067. - [**Annual Pet Parade (Halloween Howl)**](https://lambertvillenj.org/holidays-events-calendar/halloween-howl-pet-parade?ref=lambpage.com) **11:30am** \- Pet costume parade to benefit animal rescue. @ Mary E. Sheridan Park, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Edly O’Dowd**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=540&ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Record release show. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**FSHS 14th Annual Car Show**](https://www.facebook.com/events/2171152387017363/) **9am-3pm** \- Flea market, swap meet, DJs, vendors, crafters, and more. Ford Mustangs are the featured car this year. @ Roger K. Everitt Fairgrounds (South County Park), 1207 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Halloween Film Festival**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/lhff?ref=lambpage.com) \- A weekend full of parties, horror guest speakers, special events, and cult classic film screenings. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Halloween Drag Brunch**](https://underthemooncafe.com/events/hrp3JEjdPaNM?ref=lambpage.com) **12:30pm** \- Hosted by the fabulous Diva Divine Monroe and featuring performances by crowd-favorite queens from throughout the area. @ Under the Moon, 23 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Vincent Price: What Keeps Us Alive**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/vincent-price-what-keeps-us-alive?ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- The fully authorized Vincent Price documentary reveals far more than the man behind Hollywood’s master of the macabre. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Tour & Taste**](https://lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/lambertville-tour-taste?ref=lambpage.com) **10:30-2pm** \- A special one-day-only experience of historic home interiors, Lambertville’s oldest church, artistic masterpieces, and fine food. Tours start at various times. @ 60 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Singer/Songwriter Showcase Open**](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2287929318665730&set=gm.2112338292700878&idorvanity=1218141448787238) **Mic 6:30pm** \- An intimate, acoustic evening of original music. @ Elks Lodge, 66 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Kurt Cobain: Forever in Bloom**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/kurt-cobain-forever-in-bloom?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- A celebration of the book with author Kelly Catlin and live music by Dave Robins. The event will also include a community food drive, bringing neighbors together to support those in need. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Revenge**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/2026-lhff-spotlight-on-cinema-revenge-with-introduction-by-dylan-mayer?ref=lambpage.com) **8:15pm** \- A wealthy (married) man brings his young mistress to an exotic isolated location for a romantic getaway, but things are disrupted by the arrival of the man’s sleazy hunting friends. Introduction by Dylan Mayer. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 18, 2026 : Sunday - [**Gabe Parsons**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-gabe-parsons?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \-A folk/rock singer-songwriter whose music is steeped in the spirit of the road, home, and the places in between. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Halloween Film Festival**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/lhff?ref=lambpage.com) \- A weekend full of parties, horror guest speakers, special events, and cult classic film screenings. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Alfred Hitchcock's The Lodger**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/alfred-hitchcocks-the-lodger-with-film-scholar-matthew-sorrento?ref=lambpage.com) **3pm** \- A killer called "The Avenger" is stalking fog-bound London, and every victim has golden hair. Film scholar Matthew Sorrento, PhD joins us for a post screening discussion. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 19, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 21, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Dharma Bums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/385266?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Open mic, free in the cellar bar. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic Night**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night in an intimate setting. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 22, 2026 : Thursday - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play, family friendly. Prizes and discounts for players. @ Invertase Tap Room, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- Hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Howlin’ Book Club**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/howlin-book-club-22?ref=lambpage.com) **7-9pm** \- *Land* by Maggie O’Farrell is a soaring historical novel set in Ireland in the years before and after the Great Hunger. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 23, 2026 : Friday - [**Langan Frost & Wane + Na’Bodach**](https://www.showpass.com/langanfrostwane/?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Medieval hippy music comprised of seasoned songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. @ Birdhouse Center for the Arts, 7 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Crafts, Brews, & Books**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/crafts-brews-books?ref=lambpage.com) **11am-1pm** \- A new craft-focused book club that meets every six weeks and features a book-inspired art activity. @ Odd Bird Brewing, 10 Risler Street, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### October 24, 2026 : Saturday - [**Joy On Fire**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=422&ref=lambpage.com): **7pm** \- Performing a set as a trio and a set as a quintet to celebrate the release of their 7th album. Also playing: The Extensions and Those Looks. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Tim Farrell Acoustic Artistry**](https://www.dancingelephantfineart.com/event-details/tim-farrell-acoustic-artistry?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A highly accomplished musician who has infused craft, technique, and melodic substance to create his own style. @ The Dancing Elephant, 17 West Mechanic Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Divine Intervention Cabaret**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/divine-intervention-cabaret/?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- A high-energy drag cabaret with live singing, fierce dancing, fabulous group numbers, and enough drama to deserve a Tony. @ New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Avenue, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Lambertville Democratic Committee Spaghetti Dinner**](https://www.facebook.com/lambertvilledemocraticcommittee/posts/pfbid0qjsLwmbqkR6Jqoz7HFUpEvCXqGetERv1FCWP6E4zgQJeSVER5Hn1U8zDEqwvKeVml) **6-8pm** \- Space is limited, so register ahead via the link. @ Lambertville Elks, 66 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 25, 2026 : Sunday - [**Halloween Harvest Market**](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122127240519361562&set=a.122097454929361562) **at** [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- The last farmer’s market for the season with kids’ crafts and trick-or-treating! @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**High Heel Drag Race**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/2026-high-heel-drag-race/?ref=lambpage.com) **2pm** \- All-inclusive event. Everyone in the race wears high heels as they each carry a pumpkin up the hill where they decorate it and then return to the finish line. @ Mechanic Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**High Heel Drag Race Afterparty**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/high-heel-drag-race-after-party-3/?ref=lambpage.com) **4pm** \- Enjoy live performances from fabulous drag queens, drinks, music, and plenty of post-race fun. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Lambertville Family Halloween Parade**](https://www.facebook.com/events/s/lambertville-family-halloween-/2105017126762316/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=7CxiiNqzX4VYq7ge&share%5Furl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1D9kMhivAZ%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr) **2:45pm** \- Wear your costume and march to Ely Park for cider, donuts, and music by the Lambertville Brass. @ Mary E. Sheridan Park, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 26, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 28, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Dharma Bums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/385266?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Open mic, free in the cellar bar. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic Night**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night in an intimate setting. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 29, 2026 : Thursday - [**A Night of Mischief**](https://lambertvillestation.com/files/LSI%5FPoeStories.pdf?ref=lambpage.com) **6:30pm** \- With Edgar Allan Poe. All acts and stories performed by Helen McKenna. @ The Wine Cellar at Lambertville Station, 11 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play, family friendly. Prizes and discounts for players. @ Invertase Tap Room, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- Hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### October 30, 2026 : Friday - [**Double Bill: Frankenstein + He Who Gets Slapped**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/spotlight-on-cinema-frankenstein-1910-he-who-gets-slapped-1924-with-live-music-accompaniment?ref=lambpage.com) **\- 7pm** \- Watch these early 1900s movies with a live music accompaniment. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Halloween Party**](https://www.elks.org/lodges/home.cfm?lodge=1070&ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- Adults only party: light food buffet, cash bar, costume contest, and music by The Shackers with special guest J.B. Kline. @ Lambertville Elks, 66 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Trunk-or-Treat**](https://www.meditationinnewjersey.org/events?ref=lambpage.com) **4:30-6pm** \- A free, friendly Halloween event for local families, with decorated trunks and candy. Costumes are encouraged, and no registration is required. @ Menlha Kadampa Meditation Center, 11 Music Mountain Boulevard, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### October 31, 2026 : Saturday 🎃 - **Lambertville Halloween** **6-8pm** \- North Union Street becomes pedestrian-only for Trick-or-Treating. @ North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Halloween Costume Dance Party**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9:30pm** \- No cover if you’re in costume. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### Historic Preservation Commission Meeting: September 8, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/hpc-september-8-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T04:42:11.000Z The Lambertville Historic Preservation Commission met at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, September 8, 2026\. The commission approved the previous minutes with an amendment for the rearranged order. Then they heard applications and addressed public correspondence. The first application was for a sign at a new art gallery. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: September 3, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-september-3-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T15:27:05.000Z The Lambertville City Council met at 7pm on Thursday, September 3, 2026\. All council members were in attendance. ### K Hov The mayor announced that K. Hovnanian filed a motion with the court and that the information had been posted to the city website. He said the city will respond. ### Cavallo Park The mayor said Cavallo Park LSRP met with the DEP, and they are moving into last stage of remediation. It is expected to be done in the next two to three months. ### Public Comments 🗣 Peter H. asked why a fence was installed around the inlet structure in Ely Field. The mayor said it protects kids. Peter said it’s a three-sided fence so he hoped it was there temporarily while they fixed the drain there, which he said isn’t working. Peter had concerns, and he requested to meet with the mayor. He also talked about the mayor’s writing in the latest Lambertville Matters newsletter. He wasn’t satisfied with the mayor’s suggested stormwater remediation action items, and asked what people could do. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Lambertville Real Estate Roundup: August, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-real-estate-august-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-05T15:02:40.000Z Here’s some of what’s happening with real estate sales and listings in Lambertville, NJ. The shop where Lambert and Hope used to be located is going to be Wild Fern Tap House. They are [building it out](https://www.instagram.com/wildfernlambertville/p/DZhySbSjrBD/?img%5Findex=1&ref=lambpage.com) right now. ### Wells Fargo(ne) The building that was Wells Fargo sold in June of 2025 for $1,250,000 to NJ Expo LLC, whose business address is the same as The Tavern at New Hope Winery in New Hope, PA. Will the parking lot in the center of town become a giant beer garden? Only time will tell. ### Going, Going, Gone on Swan After being auctioned off by the city and receiving zero bids, 150 Swan Street was sold for $8,500 to the neighboring property owner. ### Little House by the Library 13 South Main Street sold for $300,000 to M&T Investment Group LLC. ### Memories of Marhaba 77 South Union Street sold in June for $750,000 to Lambertville Suites LLC. It is currently for lease. ### At the Intersection of Supply and Demand [1 Quarry Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/1-Quarry-St-08530/home/168625862?ref=lambpage.com) is a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom 1,082 square foot house that is surrounded on three sides by a busy road and is also across from a gas station. It sold for $450,000\. ### Future Townhomes [56 South Union Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/56-S-Union-St-08530/home/36559109?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1,000 square foot, 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, in-the-flood-zone house that is for sale—asking $750,000\. This pricing of the property may be targeted at developers, because it is block-to-block lot and could potentially be subdivided into two lots where two million-dollar houses could be built. Otherwise, it’s a steep price for a tiny house with a yard. ### Flipping Out ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/Rt29.webp) [30 North Franklin Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/30-N-Franklin-St-08530/home/36559900?ref=lambpage.com) was dilapidated and it sat on the market for quite a while before selling for $235,000\. The house was renovated into a residential property and is now for sale at the asking price of $1,295,000\. The buyer will have to like the sound of cars and be comfortable crossing four lanes of serious traffic whenever they walk into town. A price reduction seems likely. ### Off the Market [58 Grants Aly](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/58-Grants-Aly-08530/home/36559782?ref=lambpage.com) was reduced to $515,000 (originally listed at $599,000) and then it went off the market. It’ll likely be re-listed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/58GrantAly.webp) 58 Grant Aly Someone might be willing to pay $500,000 dollars for a 1,044 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom flipped house on a street where you can’t park your car. ### $700k Fixer Upper [102 S Franklin Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/102-S-Franklin-St-08530/home/36559972?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1,620 square foot house with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It is listed at $698,000\. The pool and the rest of the house appears to need maintenance and updating. ### For the Car Enthusiast Who Likes to Walk [116 North Main Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/116-N-Main-St-08530/home/36559863?ref=lambpage.com) is a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house that needs updating, but if you are a car collector who wants to live in walkable downtown Lambertville, this could be your $950,000 dream project. ### Stairway to Home [151 North Union #6](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/151-N-Union-St-08530/unit-6/home/36558425?ref=lambpage.com) is an upper floor, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with street parking only. Enjoy a home that’s like a house, but isn’t a stand alone house, for $599,900\. The HOA is $423/month. You and your visitors must like stairs. ### Boarded Up [40 South Union Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/40-S-Union-St-08530/home/36558678?ref=lambpage.com) is an attached brick home (squarely in the flood zone) that was purchased for $200,000 in 2025\. The house sat for a year with wooden boards as windows. Now it’s for sale. They’re asking $299,000, but it comes with approved plans that you can take or leave. ### Best Deal in Town [35 Perry Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/35-Perry-St-08530/home/36558450?ref=lambpage.com) is a 2,159 square foot, 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom home. For $875,000 you get a stand alone home that’s filled with Lambertville character, plus a side yard, and a garage. Sale is pending. ### Coffee House, Office, and Apartments [45 North Union Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/45-N-Union-St-08530/home/202764178?ref=lambpage.com) is an iconic, old, mixed use brick building in the center of town. It was originally listed several hundred thousand higher, but the price was changed to $1,399,000 and now a sale is pending. ### Say Hello to Lambertville [187 North Union Street](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/187-N-Union-St-08530/home/36558353?ref=lambpage.com) is a 2,018 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, brick house. This home has lots of character with its large front porch, and silver ceilings. Street parking only, but there’s a back yard that’s just waiting for your finishing touches. ### Lambertville Says Goodbye to Bucks on Bridge Coffee Shop URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-bucks-on-bridge-closed/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T17:05:24.000Z Bucks on Bridge, the beloved coffee shop located on Bridge Street in the center of Lambertville, has closed. The owner, Babs Simon, has retired. “It’s bittersweet,” Babs said. “There are tears in my eyes.” With its wooden countertops, cozy atmosphere, and arguably some of the best window seats in town for people-watching, Bucks on Bridge earned a reputation over its 17 years in business as a cultural coffee destination for residents, visitors, and tourists alike. ### Bean There, Done That Babs had worked as a teacher for nearly a decade when she began to consider other career paths. In 2009, her son Matthew informed her that a coffee shop business was for sale in Lambertville, NJ. “You can do this,” he told her. “I never dreamed of having a coffee shop,” Babs said. She thought it would be temporary, but she ended up loving it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/BucksCounter-2.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/Depresso-1.webp) “life without coffee is depresso” Babs’ mother had lent her some money to get the business off the ground. Her father, however, wouldn’t loan her anything. Her mother was from Morristown and her father was from Perth Amboy. Over the years, Babs has had many customers from Morristown, but no customers have ever told her they came from Perth Amboy. “Sometimes I believe in angels,” Babs said. When she started, she knew nothing about business—let alone running a coffee shop. There were even a few times, when things were quiet in the middle of winter, that she questioned whether or not having her own place was the right choice. Still, she just kept going. ### Come for the Coffee, Stay for the Company Babs’ customers varied from local regulars to tourists from Europe and New York. Dogs were always allowed in, because the health inspector never said they weren’t. “As long as they didn’t bite anybody or pee on the floor, they were welcome here. The same with people,” Babs joked. In the earlier days, she sold locally sourced coffee until her NJ-based supplier retired. For the past ten years she has served Booskerdoo Coffee from Asbury Park, after connecting with them at a Coffee Fest event in New York City. All of the baking she did herself. “I was my own boss here. I had to learn how to become decisive and make decisions,” Babs said, gazing towards the cappuccino maker. “This is the happiest I’ve ever been. Lambertville is such a diverse community. Everybody is welcome here.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/WelcomeSign.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/BucksBaked.webp) inside Bucks on Bridge During her last few days in business, customers would notice and read the small sign displayed by the register that announced Babs’ retirement. Each person had a reaction. “You will be missed,” said one customer. “I’ve been coming here a long time,” said another. We all intersect with each others’ lives. When your favorite coffee shop closes, your preferred space to relax, draw, write, read, and socialize also disappears. The loss changes and impacts your life. You won’t be able to buy your favorite familiar coffee or hand-baked pastry that always made you feel a little better, even if just for the moment. When you no longer get to say hello to the proprietor—who has always been there playing their role in the movie that is your life—suddenly everything is different. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/BucksIceCream-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/BucksBridgeSign-1.webp) Bucks on Bridge coffee shop ### Grounds for Celebration People from far and wide gathered at the coffee shop on Sunday, August 23, 2026, to be present at the Grande Closure party on Babs’ last day in business. Paula Miller drove up from Aston, PA to attend. “I came here off and on before COVID,” Paula explained. “After COVID I came here often. It became very important in my life to be able to sit in Babs’ shop to enjoy the atmosphere. I’ll miss it because I made new friends here—Babs and others. I can’t sit and do my artwork just anyplace. I have to feel at peace, and at home. It was a nice creative space for me.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/CloseParty-1.webp) people at the Grande Closure party “Bucks on Bridge was where I could go and get unconditional love,” said local resident Bella Rattan at the Grande Closure party. “I met new friends here, and I could catch up with people I know. Lambertville won’t be the same without it.” Spencer Blevins said he had been getting several lattes per day in the week leading up to the close of the business, because he knew that he won’t be able to go there in the future. “Besides music, my other major passion is coffee,” Spencer said. “It’s definitely sad to see it going through a change, but it feels more like a transition.” Rumor has it that the building owner’s family is going to open a cafe in the same location. ### Goodbye Daily Grind Now that she’s retired, Babs looks forward to not working 10 hours each day. She plans to spend time with her children and grandchildren. She also wants to re-learn how to ride a bike, continue dog and cat sitting, and get her first tattoo. “It’s going to be a coffee cup with steam coming out of it,” she said. “To remember.” Some things she’s not looking forward to in retirement include having to make her own coffee and missing the people, their dogs, and the friends she’s made. “All the friends I have I’ve met through the shop: Anne Marie, Sheila, Maureen, Brenda, Suzie, and others. It’s been 17 great years,” Babs said. “I’m going to cry, and usually only two things make me cry: taxes and the dentist.” She rubbed her eyes. “My life became more meaningful and purposeful since having the coffee shop. I thank the customers and regulars for being part of my life, and for making it so joyous.” ### Parents & Students Attend Backpack Distribution Day URL: https://www.lambpage.com/backpack-distribuition-fishermans-mark/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T04:13:53.000Z On Monday, August 16, 2026, nearly 250 people visited [Fisherman’s Mark](https://fishermansmark.org/?ref=lambpage.com) on North Main Street in Lambertville to celebrate the start of the school year. Attendees, who were mostly parents with their children, enjoyed complimentary ice cream and pizza while listening to live music. It was a festival atmosphere, but the main reason they were there was to get school supplies so they could be ready for the academic year. ![a table displaying folders, notebooks, rulers, and other school supplies](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/Supplies.webp) supplies for school students The annual backpack event was created to help remove barriers and pressure (financial and otherwise) from parents and children so that kids can return to school prepared. Fisherman’s Mark received all new backpacks this year, because they partnered with local businesses to organize the collection of the supplies. The backpacks were arranged by grade level, and students could choose whichever one they liked. Participants also got a bag filled with provisions: electronics, rulers, folders, pens, pencils, erasers, and more. ### Banding Together Kids enjoyed the festivities as talented teen musicians from the [Princeton School of Rock](https://www.schoolofrock.com/locations/princeton?ref=lambpage.com) performed new and classic rock songs. Meanwhile, parents could visit Fisherman’s Mark partner organizations to learn about the different types of assistance they were offering. [Hunterdon County Public Health Nursing](https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/366/Public-Health-Nursing?ref=lambpage.com) was on site to answer questions, check blood pressure, and test biometrics (via finger prick) for free. Mike, a representative from [Indivisible Lambertville/New Hope](https://indivisiblelnh.com/?ref=lambpage.com), was connecting people who need rides with folks who can give rides. “Ride-sharing is a form of mutual aid that can help home-bound people get to the doctor, the grocery store, or wherever they need to be,” Mike explained. [Lock it up Hunterdon](https://www.lockituphunterdon.com/?ref=lambpage.com) works to help people avoid substance abuse. They offered pens, coloring books, frisbees, and calming jars, which are small, clear containers filled with glitter in thick liquid. Combined with deep breathing, the jar can be shaken and observed to help a person de-stress. Kimberly from [Safe in Hunterdon](https://safeinhunterdon.org/?ref=lambpage.com) was available to help anyone experiencing domestic violence/sexual assault access a variety of support systems. ### Homework Done Fisherman’s Mark coordinated with local schools to make sure they were providing students with the appropriate supplies per grade level. The result was that K-12 students can now celebrate returning to school rather than stress about it. “A lot of people come in for groceries, but we provide wrap around services,” said Claire, from Fisherman’s Mark. “We offer case management, and city, county, and state help. [Lambertville Academy](https://lambertvilleacademy.org/?ref=lambpage.com) is under our umbrella. We offer summer camp scholarships. We have our FLY (feed local youth) lunch program, and a mobile market that delivers food to homebound seniors.” There were around 20 Fisherman’s Mark volunteers at the backpack event. They were happily greeting visitors at the registration desk, distributing school supplies, and handing out slices of pizza. When the community helps our community, it nourishes everyone. ### Mold, Mice, & Millions: What’s Happening at Heritage Village? URL: https://www.lambpage.com/heritage-village-at-lambertville/ Last updated: 2026-08-16T15:29:15.000Z In July of 2025, [LambPage reported about Heritage Village](https://www.lambpage.com/heritage-village-apartments/), which is an affordable apartment building located at 258 Brunswick Avenue in Lambertville, New Jersey. Residents were upset about mismanagement and poor living conditions after many apartments had been flooded when the fire suppression system opened up in the middle of the night in a top-floor apartment. Remediation happened, but the work was not complete. Floors in the hallways were torn up, leaving nothing but plywood pathways, and drywall was cut away at the bottom of the walls, which exposed apartments to the common areas. Linda lived in the apartment where the sprinklers went off. Almost all of her possessions were destroyed by water and firefighting foam. Months after the incident, her old apartment was thick with mold. Linda had been moved to a temporary apartment where she was to be housed until her previous unit got renovated. There, mice entered the kitchen through the cutaway wall and rodent feces could be seen from the hallways. Linda was also waking up with insect bites on her skin. At the same time, CIS Management claimed they hadn’t received Linda’s rent checks. After she cancelled the missing checks, management returned them to her unopened, in the original envelopes. Renata, another resident, was also living in a temporary unit, because her apartment was damaged by cascading sprinkler system water. Although she got moved to a completely different apartment, CIS Management wouldn’t let her change the apartment number on her lease to match the unit to which she had been relocated. As a result, Renata lived with the daily stress of losing her housing voucher and becoming homeless, because her subsidy provider required her mailing address to match her lease address. CIS Management repeatedly denied or ignored Renata’s requests, so she appealed to the city, the state, the police, the mayor, lawyers, social workers, and local clergy. None could help. She also reached out multiple times to Christiana Foglio, the owner of CIS Management, but Renata never got a response from Foglio. ### One Year Later: What Has Changed? Linda discovered that the mice coming into her kitchen were actually baby rats, so she found a new apartment and relocated to Ringoes, NJ. Renata had to move out of Heritage Village, because CIS Management wouldn’t update her apartment number. Ultimately, she had to choose between losing her housing voucher and finding a new home. When she did find an alternative, it took two months to move all of her belongings, because she did it alone. Renata had a one-bedroom apartment in Heritage Village at Lambertville, but now she’s in an efficiency—basically a kitchen and a bedroom with no closet. Some of the outlets don't work in her new place. The front door leaks and there are no knobs on the kitchen cabinets. Renata’s possessions—many family heirlooms and religious artifacts—couldn’t all fit in her new apartment, so she had to rent a storage unit. As a result, her expenses have gone up $350 per month. She feels every dollar of that increase. “CIS basically imposed a self-help eviction on us,” Renata said. She described the company’s inaction as “willful neglect and malice.” Renata recently graduated from Columbia University with a Master’s Degree in social work. She now has a job counselor, and she’s looking for employment. Her goal is to work towards ending violence against women and children. “I want to help people,” she said. Although Renata no longer lives in Heritage Village, she remains concerned about the residents who still reside in her former apartment building. “They \[CIS Management\] own like 30 properties for low-income, disabled, and elderly people. How many people are they doing this to?” Renata said. “And how do they get away with it? Because good people don’t do anything about it.” ### Current Conditions Heritage Village residents describe getting letters from CIS Management saying that they owed hundreds of dollars in accumulated late fees. “They don’t cash your check on time and then they blame you for being late,” said Pat, an 89-year-old resident and retired nurse. Pat was told by a management representative that she had to send her rent by check, because there was no way to pay online. Pat kept asking until a different employee gave her a website address where she could pay her rent via the internet. She has been paying online and avoiding late fees ever since. ‘Getting the runaround’ is a common theme in stories told by residents of Heritage Village. For example, the lights in the lobby haven’t worked “since the flood of 2023.” Only one of six ceiling lamps lights up and the entryway is dark inside as a result. The common area chairs are stained and torn, the front door is broken, and the doorframe is worn and in need of a cleaning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/LobbyChair.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/FrontDoor-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/LobbyLight.webp) the lobby in Heritage Village at Lambertville Outside also has issues. “Sometimes we have strobe lights,” Pat said about the lamps in the parking lot. “Someone in a wheelchair ended up falling in the drain,” said Marjorie, another resident. “They couldn’t see where they were going, because of the poor lighting.” The hole in the asphalt hasn’t changed since last year. ![a hole in the asphalt that spans two parking spaces](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/LotHole.webp) a hole in the parking lot Inside, the hallways have no floor coverings. Instead, they are lined with exposed plywood. Yellow plastic caution signs and a water bucket sit under an open ceiling tile, and the floor all around is dark and discolored. When you exit the elevator onto the bottom floor, you can smell moisture and mildew—as if you’re walking into the basement of an old house after heavy rainfall. Al, a retired truck driver, lives on the bottom level. The floors there have been stripped down to nothing but rough concrete. “The building needs to be maintained,” Al said. He pointed to the utility room and told a story about the boiler breaking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/UnitDoor.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/WetFloor.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/AptDoor.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/HallCone.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/HallFloor.webp) inside of Heritage Village Apartments The water-damaged apartments look the same as they did a year ago. No obvious work has been done, and the units haven’t been made livable. ![interior of an apartment stripped to studs and painted white](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/EmptyApt.webp) empty apartment “The TV in the community room doesn’t work anymore,” Marjorie said. “It stopped working during COVID and hasn’t worked since.” The COVID lockdowns happened six years ago. “Also, the security cameras aren’t hooked up,” Marjorie added. “They don’t work.” Residents easily pointed out problems; all they had to do was look around. The building has gone through numerous property managers in the past year. Bonnie, the employee that residents say actually cared about residents, left in tears after just a short time on the job. That was in October of 2025\. Following her departure, the building was without a manager until December. “Since I’ve been here there must’ve been 10-12 managers,” said Stan, another resident. “I’ve been here since 2024 and it’s gone downhill.” There were several deaths in the building. Residents asked management to check on a woman who hadn’t been seen in a while. It turned out she was dead in her unit for three weeks. Another woman passed recently. She was 98\. Residents said she was moved to an apartment with “no wallboards on one side,” because that unit was damaged in the flood. Her car is still parked in the lot. ![a car parked in front of the apartment building](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/OldCar.webp) a deceased resident’s car Tenants only pay gas and electric. In September of 2025, residents found a water shutoff notice on the building’s front door. The reason: “Non-payment of bill.” ![a 10-day shut off notice from the water company citing non-payment as the reason](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/WaterShutOff.webp) a notice found by residents on the front door “The lease says no smoking, but people still smoke,” said Stan. “And if they do any repairs, they take parts from one unit and use them in another.” Stan has taken to sleeping in his living room, because a faulty compressor in the neighboring apartment makes too much noise at night. He asked CIS Management to replace the broken unit, but they haven’t yet done so. “They just completely ignore us. You go talk to them—nothing,” he said. “They think they walk on water. It’s senior abuse.” ### Tax Break In September of 2025, CIS Management [announced](https://www.communityinvestmentstrategies.com/post/community-investment-strategies-preserves-affordable-senior-housing-in-lambertville?ref=lambpage.com) that they had “secured over $15 million to preserve and renovate *Heritage Village at Lambertville*, ensuring 86 affordable senior apartments remain accessible for the next 30 years.” In spring 0f 2025, Lambertville City Council granted an extension of the 2003 PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) program to Heritage Village at Lambertville, which enables them to pay a fixed tax rate rather than paying conventional taxes. In return, Lambertville gets 86 affordable housing units—or so it looks on paper. “There are thirty-two apartments on this floor,” Stan said, pointing to the doors in the hallway near his apartment. “Twenty of them are empty.” Lambertville’s City Council was aware of the living conditions at Heritage Village when they approved the PILOT extension in 2025\. Here’s an [excerpt](https://lambertvillenj.org/agenda-library/mayor-council-meeting/2025-mayor-council-meeting-documents/2025-agendas-mayor-council/2030-04-17-2025-mayor-council-meeting-agenda/file?ref=lambpage.com) from the meeting agenda: > “...the Sponsor intends to renovate the 87 units, community room, office space, and common areas for the Project in order to restore the viability of the units of affordable senior housing for residency and preserve the existing rental subsidy.” The PILOT extension was granted a year ago, and renovations were expected to begin in August, which is now. Residents have been repeatedly promised action next month, or the month after that. As they wait, tenants and taxpayers are paying for substandard housing while CIS Management gets a tax break. ### Living in Limbo Many of Heritage Village’s residents are retired, disabled, or on a fixed income. They can’t easily up and move. Instead of enjoying quiet retirement, they have to choose between ignoring poor living conditions or fighting for their rights—the latter of which can easily become an all-encompassing, full-time, non-paying job. If renovation work does begin soon, current tenants will have to reside in a noisy construction zone for the duration—all while paying full rent. Meanwhile, there are several pending lawsuits against CIS Management related to Heritage Village at Lambertville. A judge recently ordered an investigation, and the NJ State Attorney General is “looking into the situation.” ### Lambertville Things to Do: September, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-events-september-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T11:48:17.000Z Lambertville is lovely in September. The weather is comfortable, and there are so many things to do. Choose from festivals, live music, art openings, musical jams, open mics, poetry readings, karaoke, and more. Always double check before you trek, and tell ’em LambPage sent you! ### September 2, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/375717?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 3, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 4, 2026 : Friday - [**NoFi-NJ Avant Mic**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=534&ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A lively welcoming environment for outside-the-box thinkers, musicians, performance artists, poets, filmmakers, and artists whose work might be a bit unusual, or even challenging. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Allan Rosenburg**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**New Comic Night**](https://comedycabaret.com/bucks-county-doylestown/?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Fifteen new comedians perform. @ Comedy Cabaret Club, 2nd floor of Poco’s Restaurant, 625 North Main Street, Doylestown PA 18901 - [**Tipsy Terrariums**](https://planthausmarket.square.site/product/september-4-tipsy-terrariums-at-nomad-distilling-co-with-plant-haus-market-friday-at-6-30-pm-/5NC7UKALS53AKWIHJ6PLN7HA?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category%5Fid=4&ref=lambpage.com) **6:30pm** \- Create open terrariums in Nomad’s signature Litty cocktail cans, complete with live succulents, soil, stones, and decor. @ Nomad Distilling Company, 20 South Main Street, New Hope, 18938 ### September 5, 2026 : Saturday - [**Uncle Shake, Prize Winning Jim Dandy, Ken Mujo**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=512&ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Live music. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Mirage Opening Reception**](https://www.crosspollinationgallery.com/upcoming-exhibits?ref=lambpage.com) **5-8pm** \- Celebrate the gallery’s 8th year anniversary with new art by Julia Hess @ Cross Pollination Gallery, 3 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 6, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Forrester Connor**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-forrester-connor?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Bucks County singer-songwriter whose sound blends alt-country and indie rock. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Lambertville Walking Tour**](https://lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/events-2/guided-walking-tours-of-lambertville?ref=lambpage.com) **2pm** \- Take an educational stroll through town. @ Marshall House Museum, 60 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 7, 2026 : Monday - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 9, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Comedy Open Mic**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/375753?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Brave jokes, big feelings, and slightly unhinged observations are always welcome. Try new material, cheer on your pals, or just soak it all in. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Bouncy Book Time**](https://lambertvillelibrary.libcal.com/event/17564908?ref=lambpage.com) **10:30am** \- Songs, rhymes, stories. Best for ages up to 4\. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 10, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Jess Converse: Works on Paper**](https://lambertvillelibrary.libcal.com/event/17566541?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Opening reception for art that transforms discarded cardboard shipping materials into text-based wall reliefs. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Howlin’ Book Club**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/howlin-book-club-21?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Discussing *The Things We Never Say* by Elizabeth Strout. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Men Without Shoes**](http://www.newhopearts.org/default.aspx?pg=1791&ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- A powerful student-driven project honoring fourteen Black Revolutionary War soldiers who fought in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. @ New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Avenue, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 11, 2026 : Friday - [**Bunny Barnes**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**My 9/11**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/my-9/11-reflecting-on-the-25th-anniversary?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- An hour-long documentary depicting what it was like to be on the streets of Manhattan during the 2001 World Trade Center attack. Filmmaker Q&A. @ ACME Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 12, 2026 : Saturday - [**Doylestown Arts Festival**](https://www.dtownartsfestival.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am** \- Free 2-day festival held rain or shine featuring over 170 juried artists, live music on 5 stages, live art, and interactive demonstrations. @ Downtown Doylestown, PA. - [**Oneness World Autumn Light Concert**](https://www.dancingelephantfineart.com/event-details/oneness-world-autumn-light-concert?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, Premik will perform an array of mellifluous, joyful, atmospheric tunes & melodies and Margee performs eloquent spoken word poetry. @ The Dancing Elephant, 17 W. Mechanic St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Vibrant News Opening Reception**](https://www.lambertvillearts.com/events/2026/09?ref=lambpage.com) **5-7pm** \- Featuring the art of TingTing Hsu and Michael Schweigart. @ Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Pride Polo**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-polo-where-pride-meets-the-polo-field-tickets-1993580508968?ref=lambpage.com) **12-4pm** \- Welcomes the Gay Polo League (GPL Polo Club, Inc.) for an exciting day of world-class polo, bringing together top players, passionate supporters, and the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. @ Tinicum Park Polo Club, 961 River Rd, Erwinna, PA 18920 - [**Lambertville Insect Festival**](https://www.facebook.com/events/1777460756579367/) **10am-2pm** \- Books, activities, native plant vendors and landscapers, costume contest (come dressed as your favorite insect). Rain or shine. @ 180 North Main Street, Lambertville NJ 08530 - [**Second Saturday Open Mic**](https://www.elks.org/lodges/home.cfm?lodge=1070&ref=lambpage.com) **6:30-9:30pm** \- Cash bar and food for sale, proceeds benefit Elks charities. @ Lambertville Elks, 66 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Fall Fest**](https://www.lambertvillestation.com/events.php?ref=lambpage.com) **11am-4:30pm** \- Vendors, food, live music, and a beer garden. @ Lambertville Station, 11 Bridge Street, Lambertville NJ, 08530 ### September 13, 2026 : Sunday - [**Doylestown Arts Festival**](https://www.dtownartsfestival.com/?ref=lambpage.com): **10am** \- Free 2-day festival held rain or shine featuring over 170 juried artists, live music on 5 stages, live art, and interactive demonstrations. @ Downtown Doylestown, PA. - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Dan Pell**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-dan-pell?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- A singer-songwriter and finger-style guitarist from Chester County, PA who makes meditative Folk music celebrating unity of spirit. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Reading Between The Lines a queer book club**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/reading-between-the-lines-a-queer-book-club-9?ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- Discussing *Hijab Butch Blues A Memoir* by Lamya H. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Fall Fest**](https://www.lambertvillestation.com/events.php?ref=lambpage.com) **11am-4:30pm** \- Vendors, food, live music, and a beer garden. @ Lambertville Station, 11 Bridge Street, Lambertville NJ, 08530 ### September 14, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 15, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Business After Business**](https://mtap.io/event/ExploreLambertvillesBusinessafterBusiness-1893?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- An evening of great conversation, new connections, networking, and a behind-the-scenes look at one of Lambertville's creative businesses. @ Nicolas Baptista Photography, 1483 NJ-179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Power of the Page**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/power-of-the-page-tuesday-writing-workshop-series?ref=lambpage.com) **6:30pm** \- Dive into your writing life with guidance and encouragement. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 16, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/375719?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Cheers, Beers, and Gears Cruise Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **4-8pm** \- Register car for entry into “People’s Choice” Competition (prize awarded). @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 17, 2026 : Thursday - [**Flappers & Fine Art**](http://www.newhopearts.org/default.aspx?pg=1786&ref=lambpage.com) **6-10pm** \- An unforgettable speakeasy experience in support of the arts. @ New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Ave., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 18, 2026 : Friday - [**Family Open Mic Night**](https://www.birdhousecenter.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **4:30pm** \- First come first served. In-person sign ups start no sooner than 4:15pm. 10 minute time slots. Family friendly material is welcomed: music, poetry, skits, magic tricks, comedy, and more. @ Birdhouse Center for the Arts, 7 North Main St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Rachel Hill**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the tap room. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Foreign Fridays: Naked**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/foreign-fridays-naked?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A drifter, sleazy yet charming, returns to his hometown of London to seek shelter and his intellectual match, all while fantasizing about the end of the world. @ ACME Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08503 ### September 19, 2026 : Saturday - [**Antique Train Show**](https://gnflea.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **6am-4pm** \- Browse antique and vintage model trains. Shop rare parts and accessories. Get repairs or advice from pros. @ Golden Nugget Flea Market, 1850 River Road / Route 29, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Run the Vineyards 5K & 10K**](https://gooddayforarun.com/event/run-the-vineyards-federal-twist-5k-10k/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am** \- Every participant receives an event shirt, a complimentary glass of wine, a souvenir wine glass, and more. @ Federal Twist Vineyard, 8 Federal Twist Road, Stockton, NJ 08559 - [**Rebel Crawl**](https://allevents.in/lambertville/lambertville-newhope-rebel-crawl-september-19/100001992136116752?ref=lambpage.com) **12:30pm** \- Riveting performances that bring history to life. Party with professional reenactors. @ Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**The Rainbow Reset Pride Yoga**](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/events/nhc-penn-medicine-yoga-session/?ref=lambpage.com) **11am** \- A one-hour yoga session designed to help you move, stretch, breathe, and reset. @ Lambertville Hall, 57 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 20, 2026 : Sunday - [**Simple Sound**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-simple-sound?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Indie folk band blending elements of folk, blues, and Americana. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Morning Succulent Pumpkin Arrangement Workshop**](https://planthausmarket.square.site/product/september-20-morning-succulent-pumpkin-arrangement-workshop-sunday-at-11-am/WNADOVOOBQE6IVRHIJYJNZVM?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category%5Fid=4&ref=lambpage.com) **11am** \- Learn how to craft a stunning succulent pumpkin arrangement. @ Plant Haus Market, 99 South Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Hunterdon County 4-H Antiques Fair**](https://www.facebook.com/events/hunterdon-county-4-h-fairgrounds-south-county-park/hunterdon-county-4-h-antiques-fair/1717811986089909/) **10am-4pm** \- A portion of the proceeds will benefit Hunterdon County 4-H Leaders Association. @ Hunterdon County 4-H Fairgrounds, South County Park, 1181 Old York Road, Ringoes, NJ 08551 ### September 21, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 23, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/375720?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Hope in Dark Times Book Club**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/hope-in-dark-times-book-club-5?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Discussing *A Protest History of the United States (Revisioning History)* by Gloria J. Browne-Marshall. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 24, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 25, 2026 : Friday - [**Mike Viscel**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### September 26, 2026 : Saturday - [**LHT Full Moon Ride and Walk**](https://lhtrail.org/annual-fullmoonride/?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A once-a-year opportunity to ride through the park under the light of the moon while enjoying music, lighting, and festivities along the way. @ The Lawrence Hopewell Trail, The Historic Hunt House, 197 Blackwell Road, Pennington, NJ 08534 - [**New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival**](https://www.visitnewhope.com/new-hope-arts-crafts/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-5pm** \- Over 160 juried fine Artists and Craftsmen will exhibit using media such as oil paintings, pastels, sculpture, fine and fun jewelry, ceramics, works in wood, fiber, watercolors, furniture, wearable art, glass art, photography, outsider art, and more. @ New Hope-Solebury High School, 182 West Bridge Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Bioactive Terrarium Workshop**](https://planthausmarket.square.site/product/september-26-bioactive-terrarium-workshop-with-detritus-decay-at-plant-haus-market-saturday-at-12-pm-/3N63LAJWYO6M7FQANAT5IGUX?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category%5Fid=4&ref=lambpage.com) **12pm** \- Learn how to choose an appropriate terrarium vessel, soil layering techniques, terrarium plant selection, and terrarium aftercare. @ Plant Haus Market, 99 South Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**The Silent Majority: The Moths of New Jersey**](https://lambertvillelibrary.libcal.com/event/17277940?ref=lambpage.com) **11am** \- Blaine Rothauser, an ecological restoration ecologist and passionate lepidopterist (moth expert) will share his vast knowledge. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Pollock, Plus Q&A**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/pollock-with-carol-cruickshanks?ref=lambpage.com) **5pm** \- Ed Harris directs and stars as Jackson Pollock, the American painter whose radical drip technique redefined modern art. @ ACME Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08503 ### September 27, 2026 : Sunday - [**Accidental Brothers**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/uq7id1mc5dixi783yu264w6bz63wf9?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- An acoustic group that plays an upbeat & fun combination of Country, Acoustic Rock, Standards & Americana covering some of the greatest singer-songwriters ever. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival**](https://www.visitnewhope.com/new-hope-arts-crafts/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-4pm** \- Over 160 juried fine Artists and Craftsmen will exhibit using media such as oil paintings, pastels, sculpture, fine and fun jewelry, ceramics, works in wood, fiber, watercolors, furniture, wearable art, glass art, photography, outsider art, and more. @ New Hope-Solebury High School, 182 West Bridge Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Fall Clothing Swap**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/383271?ref=lambpage.com) **12pm** \- All-ages, all-genders clothing swap. Bring clean, unstained clothing you no longer need and swap it for something new-to-you. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 28, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your heart out with DJ Steve. @ Havana, 105 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### September 30, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/375721?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Doors open at 4pm, sign up at the bar to reserve your slot. Play one or two songs and get a free pour. @ Invertase Tap Room, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08503 ### Lambertville, NJ Police Blotter: July, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/police-blotter-july-2026/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T18:10:19.000Z Below is a list of Lambertville police activity from July 1 - August 1, 2026. ### **Case #2026-006822** On Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 at 1615 hours, patrol responded to Church Street for the report of a located stolen bicycle. The bicycle was returned to its owner. ### **Case #2026-006911** On Friday, July 3rd, 2026 at 1652 hours, patrol responded to the Lambertville Station Restaurant for the report of a female acting out. After further investigation, Sally Elkholy was arrested and charged with Defiant Trespass 2C:18-3b(1) and Disorderly Conduct 2C:33-2a(1). Elkholy was released on her own recognizance. ### **Case #2026-006953** On Friday, July 3rd, 2026 at 2211 hours, patrol was dispatched to the parking lot located at 1 Cherry Street for the report of a hit and run motor vehicle crash. Through further investigation, Sergeant Gramlich also determined the incident to involve an assault and terrorist threats. Eric Yudin was arrested and charged with two counts of Simple Assault 2C:12-1a(1), two counts of Terroristic Threats 2C:12-3a, and Criminal Mischief 2C:17-3a(1). ### **Case #2026-006924** On Friday, July 3rd , 2026 at 2240 hours, patrol was dispatched to Station Court for a report of a female who was assaulted in the area. Officer Caponpon and D/Sgt. Bast are investigating. ### **Case #2026-006953** On Saturday, July 4th, 2026 at 2015 hours, patrol was dispatched to a residence on Bridge Street for an attempted burglary. Sergeant Gramlich and Officer Bradley are investigating. ### **Case #2026-007024** On Monday, July 6th, 2026 at 1257 hours, patrol was dispatched to a business on Bridge Street for the report of a female throwing items. Officer Caponpon and Officer Zilliox investigated. ### **Case #2026-007109** On Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 at 2023 hours, Detective Sergeant Bast investigated a suspicious telephone call believed to be a scam. ### **Case #2026-007101** On Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 at 1512 hours, patrol was dispatched to the American Legion for a fight involving several individuals. Detective Sergeant Bast is investigating. ### **Case #2026-007289** On Sunday, July 12th, 2026 at 1815 hours, patrol was dispatched to the area of North Union Street between Coryell Street and Church Street for the report of criminal mischief to municipal property. Officer Berry is investigating. ### **Case #2026-007607** On Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 at 0212 hours, patrol was dispatched to The Lambertville Station Inn for the report of a trespasser on location. Officer Berry is investigating. ### **Case #2026-007690** On Thursday, July 23rd, 2026 at 1407 hours, patrol responded to a business on Bridge Street for patron who did not pay for their meal. Officer Caponpon investigated. ***ALL SUSPECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY*** *ALL residents are reminded to be cognizant of any suspicious persons requesting any monies or personal information by way of, but not limited to, telephone calls, emails or regular mail correspondence. Please contact the Lambertville Police Department prior to responding to any of these potential scams.* ### Seven Apartments For Rent in Lambertville, NJ: August, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-apartments-august-2026/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T04:00:10.000Z Searching for an apartment in Lambertville, NJ? Below are seven available apartments in town with rents ranging from $1,900-$3,000 per month. ### For Rent: $1,900/month [35 Coryell St Unit 1A, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/HCSzWWZ5jmoPaCiY9?ref=lambpage.com) 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom listed as being 900 square feet in size **Tenant Thoughts:** Right in the center of town and very walkable. The living room windows face directly onto the sidewalk, and the apartment’s front door is near the building’s entrance, which could be good for loading groceries, but might be bad for noise. Laundry is free, shared, and in the basement. Water is an extra $25/month. The apartment includes parking, which makes this a reasonable deal for the location if you like the unit. ### For Rent: $2,100/month [343 S Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/UrrhErCjV1pdz9188?ref=lambpage.com) 2 bedroom, 1 bath listed as being 1,343 square feet in size **Tenant Thoughts:** Decent-sized apartment. Parking! You can walk into town. Heat, water, sewer, and trash included—tenant only pays for electric and cable/internet. Possibly hot in the summer with sun exposure on the second floor and only window-unit air conditioning. Washer/dryer on site. Who lives downstairs, the landlord? ### For Rent: $2,275/month [41 Bridge St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/cfSTickbCi9CcqCL7?ref=lambpage.com) 1 Bedroom 1 Bath, listed as 675 square feet in size **Tenant Thoughts:** Small unit has been on the market since April. If you don’t have a car or many possessions, and you want to be in town, it’s worth a look. ### For Rent: $2,450/month [56 Coryell St Unit 1, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/kxgM3XBFfiU2kyBM7?ref=lambpage.com) 1 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom listed without square foot measurements **Tenant Thoughts:** Fairly large apartment in the center of town. Very walkable. Parking! Can the fireplace heat the unit? No windows in the kitchen and no laundry on site. It’s been on the market for a while. Why? ### For Rent: $2,600/month [47 Bridge St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/TjdhJy4eZQ99YUcc8?ref=lambpage.com) 2 bedroom, 1 bath listed as being between 750-900 square feet in size **Tenant Thoughts:** Very walkable in the center of town. New fixtures look nice, but the kitchen layout offers very little usable counter space. In-unit washer/dryer! Small pet fee: $300\. Are utilities extra? Parking not included. Originally listed in July for $2,800/month. [Zillow says](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/47-Bridge-St-4-Lambertville-NJ-08530/463827101%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) it’s 750 square feet. [Redfin says](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/47-Bridge-St-08530/apartment/196281774?ref=lambpage.com) it’s 900 square feet. ### For Rent: $2,750/month [74 S Main St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/bP2WK8Af2rUYQXuUA?ref=lambpage.com) 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom listed as being 750 square feet in size **Tenant Thoughts:** Second floor of a stand-alone house. Very walkable. No laundry. Owner pays water & sewer, which include trash collection. Garage parking spot! Window unit air conditioning. Cats allowed. Who lives downstairs? ### For Rent: $3,000/month [17 Coryell St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YZjfcpRpDLFpAYbh8?ref=lambpage.com) 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms listed as being 1,375 square feet in size **Tenant Thoughts:** Washer/dryer. Charming character finishes. Baseboard heat. Pets considered. Landlord pays water, sewer, and trash. Tenant pays gas, electric and internet/cable. No designated parking. Across from a potential redevelopment project. ### Digging In: Community Garden Nourishes the Neighborhood URL: https://www.lambpage.com/community-garden/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T13:31:40.000Z When Pamela Barnett Halladay moved to Lambertville from Philadelphia, she found herself missing the community garden from her old neighborhood. One day she saw her neighbors, Kim Aspden and Aldo Maggiari, composting in their back yard. Conversations followed, and they discovered they all had a shared interest in community gardening. Pamela’s partner, Nick Halladay, is the Program Coordinator at Fisherman’s Mark, which is a Lambertville-based non-profit that provides food support to local residents. There was an abandoned greenhouse next to the Fisherman’s Mark headquarters, left behind from when the building was a farmer’s market. With a location in place and a mission in mind, the gardeners began making their idea a reality. ### **Planting Seeds** Aldo cleared trash (and a few dead wild animals) from the old greenhouse, then he and Kim built wooden garden plots and repurposed abandoned materials to create decorative flower beds. Aldo is fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish, so he named the growing place “*Jardín,*” and painted a sign to make it official. ![a fenced garden with a sign that reads “JARDIN”](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/jardin-after-1.webp) Jardín community garden Kim crafted whimsical name plaques to adorn the walls of each members’ plot. You can feel the care that the volunteers put into creating a welcoming atmosphere. As the community garden developed, several items were serendipitously dropped off in the middle of the night by unidentified donors. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jargin-plot.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jardin-face-2.webp) garden decorations “Those faces just showed up one day,” Aldo said about the terracotta sculptures that hang on the the garden’s wire-and-wood-framed perimeter. The recycled fence, which is made from repurposed materials that were found on site, keeps the deer out, but it is not permanently fixed in place. Nothing in the garden is permanent, because its future in that location is uncertain. Currently in its second season, Jardín features ten 4x4' plots, six of which are farmed by Fisherman’s Mark community members. So far, the entire budget for the project has come in under $1,000—minus volunteer sweat equity. Jardín has received institutional support from Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey, and has received donations from local farms such as Hungry Work Organic Farm, Mad Lavendar Farm, and Rolling Harvest Farm. Niece Lumber has offered discounted wood, and local residents regularly drop off plants, which volunteers are happy to revive and recycle whenever they can. ### Growing Volunteers The area around the garden has become adorned with benches, tables, chairs, and a sandbox where kids can play while adults tend to their plot. If the kids are interested, they can get involved too. Children have helped to refinish donated wooden benches, plant shelves, and work tables. Volunteers put together a compost and a small rainwater container. Wildflowers and mint grow in abundance nearby. The serene environment naturally attracts rabbits, ducks, and other birds. “Gardening is great for mental health,” Aldo said, “One person comes here before they go to work so they can relax and start their day off on a positive note.” ![three tomatoes on a vine](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jardin-tomato.webp) tomatoes in the garden Fresh food autonomy helps to feed individuals and families, so plots are offered first to people who are low income, experiencing food scarcity, or who lost a farm or downsized. Many participants feel a sense of ownership, and they happily share responsibility in caring for the space. Since everyone gardens at different times of the day, Jardín began to host social events so members could meet each other to share knowledge, laughs, and some vegetables. Jardín’s only rules: no chemicals, and don’t abandon your plot after you sign up. ### **Room to Bloom** Fisherman’s Mark is working to acquire the Main Street property where it now operates. If the organization secures a future there, Jardín hopes to put down roots and grow with it. “We want to offer more plots next year,” Kim said. “We’re shooting for between 20 to 30 total.” Kim described her vision for a future with raised plots, permanent fences, and accessible pathways that can accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. Aldo talked about plans for an educational program where new gardeners could partner with experienced ones so they can learn how to grow their own food. Nick, Fisherman’s Mark Program Coordinator, pointed to the industrial kitchen on site and talked about offering food lessons for young people so they can learn how to make their own meals. “It’s all about community,” he said, outlining Jardín’s role at the non-profit. “Fisherman’s Mark is like a wheel with many spokes. The community garden is one spoke that helps make the wheel roll. Good things are happening in Lambertville.” ### Get 10 Minutes of Fame at Birdhouse’s Family Open Mic URL: https://www.lambpage.com/birdhouse-family-open-mic/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T16:54:42.000Z The [Birdhouse Center for the Arts](https://www.birdhousecenter.org/?ref=lambpage.com), run by Bronwyn Bird and Justin Nawn, is located just off Main and Bridge Streets in Lambertville, NJ. Birdhouse is home to live concerts, music lessons, and fun and interesting events. Family Open Mic Night is a free, monthly, open-stage variety show where entertainers can perform in front of a live audience. On July 24, 2026, the open mic had over 20 audience members in the air conditioned venue, and approximately 11 of them had written their names on the sign-up sheet. Anyone who wants to entertain a family audience can participate—kids and adults alike. Birdhouse is equipped with a drum set, full-sized keyboard, microphones, amplifiers, hand drums, upright bass, and music stands. Stage lights hang above, and two large PA speakers flank each side of the performance space. July 24th’s show was very musical, but Bronwyn said the stage is open to poets, storytellers, magicians, comedians, and anyone who has something to share. Toddlers and teens—each accompanied by at least one adult—sat in a semicircle on cushioned folding chairs. It’s a small room, so every seat is a good one. Anticipation was in the air, but without the dreaded peer pressure of a school assembly. Nobody *has to* perform, even if they signed up to do so. As the show began, host Justin found himself competing with cooing infants. “At the family open mic night,” he joked, “the first song will be *Dueling Babies*.” Adults (who knew the song *Dueling Banjos*) laughed. To start the event, Justin and Bronwyn played and sang a song together. After that, Justin was joined by another adult, Jake, and they played two traditional folks songs. Family Open Mic is a friendly place where kids can be kids: several young girls colored with markers on large sheets of paper as they listened to the musicians, and a two-year-old toddler improvised a tap dance during one of the songs. Jake and Justin played acoustic guitars as Bronwyn joined in on her [Nyckelharpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyckelharpa?ref=lambpage.com), which is a keyed fiddle that looks like a complex violin. Their short opening set established a professional tone for the event. In between acts, Justin encouraged audience participation in the form of applause. ![names on a sign up sheet resting on a music stand](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/FamilyOpenMicSignUp.webp) open mic sign up sheet Up next was Nico, who has been learning drums for the past year. He sat down behind the kit and explained that he and Justin would be performing *End of Beginning,* by Djo, which is a song from *Stranger Things*. “If you know the words you can sing along,” Nico said. The two musicians sang into microphones as they played. An audience member tapped her foot and videoed the entire song with her camera zoomed in on the young drummer as he experienced his first ever live performance playing on a full drum set. Next was Joy, who sang a song while accompanying herself on ukulele as her daughters Charlie and Aubrey, ages 7 and 2, did a choreographed dance. Willow then played two traditional folk songs on violin, accompanied by her mother. Zack sang and rapped a hip hop song, which he wrote himself. Sonaya sang *Dancing Queen* by Abba. Then she joined Zack and they did an original song together. After that, Willow returned to the stage with Violet to sing a duet. Nico, who was ready for another chance, got up and played a second song on drums. Justin, always the welcoming host, accompanied whomever needed or wanted accompaniment. He also handled the soundboard, arranged microphones, encouraged participants, and created a supportive, easy-going environment. “Does anyone else want to perform?” Justin asked the audience. Even if someone signed up, they didn’t have to go in the order of the sign-up list, because it can take a while to build enough courage to get on stage in front of a live audience. When Jordan was ready, he sang along with Stevie Nicks on a Fleetwood Mac song while it played over the PA from a smart phone. “Fleetwood Mac,” an older kid said to Jordan, “you have good taste.” The participants know how difficult it can be to put themselves out there, so they were equally good audience members as they were presenters. However, credit goes to the adults in the room for modeling that sense of camaraderie. To complete the show, Finley debuted his original composition, *Steps,* on piano. Aurelia played piano and sang *Heart and Soul*, and then Jordan and Finley presented an original. Some of the listeners had left by the end, which was disappointing, but a shrinking audience is typical for any open mic night, so it made for a real-world experience. The next [Family Open Mic Night](https://www.birdhousecenter.org/events-1/family-open-mic-nights-5?ref=lambpage.com) is Friday, September 18, 2026 at 4:30 pm. Arrive early to sign up, or just be part of the audience to check out the next generation of entertainers. ### Lambertville Police Activity: June, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-police-activity-june-2026/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T16:52:44.000Z Here is the Lambertville Police blotter for June, 2026. ### **Case #2026-005470** On Monday, June 1st, 2026 at 2004 hours, patrol received a telephone call to police headquarters regarding a male acting suspiciously in the area of Bridge Street and Lambert Lane. Officer Berry investigated. ### **Case #2026-005622** On Thursday, June 4th, 2026 at 1641 hours, patrol was dispatched to a residence on Brunswick Avenue for a report of a dispute involving illegal dumping. Officer Hughes investigated. ### **Case #2026-005653** On Friday, June 5th, 2026 at 0941 hours, patrol was dispatched to a business on South Main Street regarding harassment involving employees. Corporal Wurpel investigated. ### **Case #2026-005684** On Friday, June 5th, 2026 at 1912 hours, patrol responded to the Boat Launch (3 Station Court) for a rescue of (3) individuals after their jetski overturned. All parties were recovered with no injuries. Officer Berry investigated. ### **Case #2026-005744** On Sunday, June 7th, 2026 at 0026 hours, Officer Berry and Officer Zilliox completed an investigation into a verbal dispute between a female and two males in the area of Ely Field. ### **Case #2026-005760** On Sunday, June 7th, 2026 at 1521 hours, patrol responded to the area of the canal path for the report of a possible assault and bike theft. Through further investigation, it was determined that the possible assault occurred in West Amwell and the bicycle was recovered in Lambertville. Corporal Wurpel handled this investigation. ### **Case #2026-005765** On Sunday, June 7th, 2026 at 1845 hours, patrol was dispatched to the area of the canal path for a female being harassed by an unknown male. Officer Berry and Officer Zilliox investigated. ### **Case #2026-005841** On Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 at 1631 hours, Officer Caponpon completed an investigation regarding harassment involving employees of a business on South Main Street. ### **Case #2026-005866** On Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 at 1210 hours, Sergeant Gramlich conducted an investigation into theft of merchandise from 1 Cherry Street (CVS). ### **Case #2026-006255** On Saturday, June 13th, 2026 at 2354 hours, Officer Zilliox investigated a false reporting of kidnapping and murder from a residence on Buttonwood Street. Subsequent investigation led to charging Maurice Monk of Trenton NJ with causing false public alarm (3rd Degree crime) and filing a false police report (4th degree crime). ### **Case #2026-005120** On Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, Sergeant Bast charged Rajeshkumar Patel (Frenchtown NJ) with 2C:17-2C (Third Degree Crime) after Patel created a risk of widespread injury or damage by storing portable generators and gas canisters inside of 1 Route 165\. While the items were being stored, one began to leak gasoline inside the structure, causing explosive gasses to accumulate inside the business and adjoining apartments. ### *ALL SUSPECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY* All residents are reminded to be cognizant of any suspicious persons requesting any monies or personal information by way of, but not limited to, telephone calls, emails or regular mail correspondence. Please contact the Lambertville Police Department prior to responding to any of these potential scams. ALL residents are reminded to LOCK the doors to their vehicles and not leave anything of value inside the vehicle. ### Enjoy Lambertville Fireworks at the New Hope-Lambertville America Celebrates 250 Festival URL: https://www.lambpage.com/america-250-july-4th-lambertville-new-hope/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:51:55.000Z Washington really slept in Lambertville, and the town has receipts to prove it. So don your red, white, and blue outfit, grab a history book, and head to town this weekend. America 250 is a three-day festival that features food, drink, singing, marching, educational presentations, historic character actors, dance performances, live music, a pub crawl, a massive drone show, and a fireworks display planned for Friday night. For official festival details, check the [Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce website](https://www.visitnewhope.com/fireworks-2026-250th-celebration/?ref=lambpage.com) or visit the [America Celebrates website](https://americacelebrates.org/our-events?ref=lambpage.com) to download a printable itinerary, which contains the same information as below. --- ### July 3, 2026 - Friday **1:00pm to 3:00pm:** Abigale Readlinger, author of *The Young Federalists,* will speak about the founding of the Federalist Papers at the New Hope River Promenade. Free copies of the book will be available to the public. **2:00pm to 3:15pm:** Tour guides from New Hope Historical Society will lead educational discussions about the changing history of both Lambertville and New Hope from revolutionary days to the 20th century. Located at the New Hope river promenade platform stage. **2:00pm to 3:30pm:** Sponsored by Revolutionary Crawls and Events, George Washington & Ben Franklin will separately discuss the struggles in obtaining independence with a public question & answer segment about their roles and the country’s founding. Located at the Lambertville Station high platform stage. **3:30pm to 4:30pm** and **6:30pm to 7:30pm**: Sponsored by Revolutionary Crawls and Events, an educational discussion / portrayal with actors (Admiral DeGrasse & General Knox) separately discussing their role in the revolution and the country’s founding at the New Hope river promenade platform stage. **1st Show 3:45pm & 2nd Show 8:30pm:** Roxey Ballet performing two (2) shows “NJ Ballad,” a 30-minute re-enactment of Washington’s Crossing and the struggles leading up to the victory of Trenton. This takes place at the Lambertville Station platform stage. **4:30pm to 5:45pm:** Music Mountain Theater will perform “Stars & Stripes” patriotic songs at the Lambertville Statin platform stage in between the Roxey Ballet performances. **4:45pm to 6:15pm:** “Experience George Washington” portrayed by Curt Radabaugh along with MarthaWashington on the struggles of the revolution, the Constitutional Convention and life with George Washington. This takes place at the New Hope river promenade platform stage. **6:15pm to 7:45pm:** Live music will be performed by local HopeWell Band at the Lambertville Station platform stage. **9:00pm:** 20-minute evening show over the river after the Playhouse show finishes (or at intermission) and this will include: - Fireworks. Two launch boats on the river will provide a spectacular fireworks display complimenting a drone show. - 200 drones with patriotic images. Music will be coordinated with the drones and fireworks, and will be broadcast through stadium speakers on both sides of the river. --- ### July 4, 2026 - Saturday Live music & events will be staged at the New Hope American Legion parking lot. There will be a revolutionary-themed, tavern environment cash bar under a tent. **3:00 pm** DJ **5:15 pm** Sam Ryan Band **6:45 pm** Donna Summer Tribute (Rainere Martin) **7:45 pm** ABBA Tribute Band **2:00pm to last 2+ hours** Pub Crawl: Sponsored by Revolutionary Crawls and Events. Actors from Friday’s events plus fife and drum will begin a pub crawl starting at Lambertville Station. It will cross into New Hope with a stop at the Promenade stage next to Stella’s, and then it will end at the American Legion parking lot revolutionary-themed tavern. The actors will be George Washington, Anna Strong, Samuel Adams, and a Continental Army soldier. During the crawl, Washington will be delivering commanding interpretations of leadership, strategy, and the fight for independence. Anna Strong will be sharing compelling stories of intelligence gathering and secrecy. Samuel Adams will be discussing protest culture and the history of revolutionary tavern life. Get [pub crawl tickets](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/america-250-pub-crawl-lambertville-to-new-hope-tickets-1986319635500?ref=lambpage.com). --- ### July 5, 2026 - Sunday (Freedom Parade) **10:00 - 11:00 am** Freedom Parade begins at the New Hope American Legion lot and crosses into Lambertville, ending at the Lambertville Station lot. Actors will lead the parade with fife and drum performers (General Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Anna Strong, General Henry Knox and Continental Army Soldiers). Both New Hope and Lambertville American Legion posts will have veteran members carrying American flags and banners. There will also be: - Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts - Marching bands: Tri-County Band, Karen Reavy The parade closing will feature the several fire departments. **11:15 am** The Relentless Dragon Boat Race will start and end under the bridge. The race will be between two boats, one representing America and one representing Great Britain. Color guard ceremonies will be performed on platform stages in both New Hope and Lambertville, and dramatic readings of the Declaration of Independence will take place on both sides of the river with Mayors & other dignitaries reading different parts. **12:00 pm** The conclusion of the weekend will be marked with simultaneous bell ringing on both sides of the river. Singers from Playhouse and Music Mountain Theatre will sing “God Bless America” from both sides of the river using stadium speakers to close out America’s 250th Birthday Bash. ### Lambertville Event Calendar: August, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-events-august-2026/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T12:29:04.000Z There are a lot of events happening in and around Lambertville in August. Go on a historic walking tour, buy food at the Lambertville Farmer’s Market, bring your kids to perform at the family open mic, enjoy a potato harvest, and much more. Always check before you trek, and tell ’em LambPage sent you! ### August 1, 2026 : Saturday - [**Comedy for a Cause**](https://caryav.com/event/anita-wise-cares-comedy-for-a-cause/?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A comedy show featuring Julia Scotti, Paul Lyons, and more. @ Cary’s Music Room, 6426 Lower York Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Stanley Plays the Dead**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/369459?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Stanley Jordan plays cosmic vibal variations on the music of the Grateful Dead. We're adding more jazz elements, while keeping the original musical feel and the trippy vibe. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**The Invite**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/the-invite?ref=lambpage.com) **7:30pm** \- Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - **Vintage Baseball 11am** \- Neshanock Club vs Logan Club. @ Ely Field, North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 2, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) 9am-12pm - Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Walking Tour of Lambertville**](https://lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/events-2/guided-walking-tours-of-lambertville?ref=lambpage.com) **2pm** \- Guided historic tours of Lambertville depart from the Marshall House Museum and are about an hour in duration. @ Marshall House, 60 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Acoustic Jam Circle**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/377317?ref=lambpage.com) **1pm** \- Bring your acoustic instrument(s) and/or voice Anyone can join the jam. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Nature's Best Hope**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/natures-best-hope-by-dr-doug-tallamy?ref=lambpage.com) **3pm** \- Doug Tallamy, PhD, explains the simple steps each of us can take to reverse the loss of the wildlife that is essential to a healthy environment. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**The Darla Rich Duo**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/the-darla-rich-duo?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- New Jersey musicians perform jazz standards, pop nostalgia, and original compositions. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Abigail Killion**](https://prallsvillemills.org/speaker-series/?ref=lambpage.com) **1pm** \- This presentation will add exciting new perspectives to Prallsville Mills’ history. @ Prallsville Mills, 33 Risler Street, Stockton 08559 - [**Bob Egan**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/bob-egan-m4yxr-h7jl4-ef7kb-af5z5-gcdjt-b2s4d-3pnwz-6hs5r-b3jx2-6633k-l3857?ref=lambpage.com) **5pm** \- Bob play piano at many venues in the area. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 West Bridge Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### August 4, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Street Gang**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/street-gang?ref=lambpage.com) 6pm - John Thompson, Erwin Bieber & Glenn Masters are three old friends from Upper Bucks County who play songs of the Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, and more. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### August 5, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Summer Blood Drive**](https://kalmiaclub.org/events/blood-drive-aug-26?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-2pm**, Help maintain the Red Cross blood supply in partnership with the American Red Cross at the Elks Lodge #1070\. @ The Elks Lodge, 66 Wilson St., Lambertville, NJ 08530. - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/140233?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 ### August 6, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Lambertville Drum Circle**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/LambertvilleDrumCircle/) **6pm** \- Bring a drum or borrow a drum. @ Corner of Union & Bridge Streets, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play and family friendly. Prizes for the winners. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 7, 2026 : Friday - [**Jenny Bray**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing Company, 80 Lambert Ln., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Wildwood, NJ**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/spotlight-on-cinema-wildwood-nj?ref=lambpage.com) **7-9:45pm** \- Filmed during a summer in the early 1990s, Wildwood, NJ (at its start) purports to be about the ‘joys’ of the town of Wildwood, but reveals itself to be about something even more interesting. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 S Union St Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**No-fi NJ Avant Open Mic**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=532&ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Dedicated to providing a lively, welcoming environment for artists whose work might be a bit unusual, or even challenging. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Gabe Parson’s First Fridays with Friends**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/gabe-parsons-first-fridays-with-friends-2026-08-07-18-00?ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- A folk rock singer-songwriter from Hopewell Valley, NJ, whose music traces the long roads between home, heart, and change. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 - [**Tarot Meetup with Kristine Gorman**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/tarot-meet-up-with-kristine-gorman-cc93d?ref=lambpage.com) **5pm** \- Bring a Tarot deck to read, and get read. All levels welcome. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Liz Dufour**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/liz-dufour-jsl5p-mk539-ny2jh-5ycz9-xh2sp-836hd-w5pzc-x6lys-6jzca-zw2tb-x3y45-dnljl-yfhah-s39lw-fad8b-l3z4c-g763m-slkjf?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Mesmerizing audiences with her piano bar performances. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 West Bridge Street, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**SoupSTOCK**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=498&ref=lambpage.com) **12pm** \- All day music festival/fundraiser featuring over 15 shows. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 8, 2026 : Saturday - [**Cadence: Paintings by Mitnick and Werth**](https://www.lambertvillearts.com/events/2026/08?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Opening reception for Cadence, an exhibition of new colorful abstract paintings by Larry Mitnick and Andrew Werth, exploring rhythm and movement. Show runs from Aug 6 through Sep 7, 2026\. @ Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Mourning Papers Vol.2**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/mourning-papers-vol-2?ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- *Mourning Papers* is a literary magazine exploring grief, joy, resistance, and New Jersey. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 9, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**No Notes (Actually…)**](https://www.showpass.com/no-notes-actually/?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A night of music, laughter and meshugas. @ Music Mountain Theatre, 1483 NJ-179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Carlotta Schmidt**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/carlotta-schmidt?ref=lambpage.com) **12pm** \- Soaring vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and vibrant guitar playing. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 - [**Gianna Marini**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-gianna-marini?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Music that is best enjoyed with an open mind, heart, and warm cup of chai. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Sew-cial!**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=572&ref=lambpage.com) **4pm** \- Work on a project or fix old clothes. All fiber arts are encouraged. Everyone is welcome. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 11, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Business After Business**](https://mtap.io/event/ExploreLambertvillesBusinessafterBusiness-3626?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Connect with fellow business owners, professionals, and community leaders while enjoying an evening of networking. @ Music Mountain Theater, 1483 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 12, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### August 13, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play and family friendly. Prizes for the winners. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 14, 2026 : Friday - [**Philadelphia Folk Festival**](https://folkfest.org/?ref=lambpage.com) \- A magical experience of music, camping, crafts, food, family fun, and cultural activities for all ages. @ Old Pool Farm, 1323 Salford Station Road Harleysville, PA 19438 - [**Ben Selkow**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Live music in the taproom featuring Ellen Ruck. @ Invertase Brewery, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Julia Hess Art Opening**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=576&ref=lambpage.com) **5pm** \- Dreamlike landscapes which reflect the sense of wonder we experience within nature. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 15, 2026 : Saturday - [**Canning Day & Pickling**](https://www.howellfarm.org/canning-storytelling-day?ref=lambpage.com) **10a-4pm** \- Learn the ins and outs of canning & help us prepare & “put up” summer produce for use in the fall and winter months. @ Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln., Hopewell Twp., NJ 08530 - [**The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/the-airwaves-belonged-to-the-people-wbcn-and-the-american-revolution?ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- tells the story of how a fledgling underground Boston radio station became one of the most influential cultural and political voices of its era. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 South Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**River Dance Festival**](https://www.roxeyballet.org/riverdancefestival?ref=lambpage.com) **2pm & 7pm** \- Dancers, choreographers, and creators come together in this two-day event hosted by Roxey Ballet. @ Mill Ballet School, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope PA 18938 - [**Philadelphia Folk Festival**](https://folkfest.org/?ref=lambpage.com) \- A magical experience of music, camping, crafts, food, family fun, and cultural activities for all ages. @ Old Pool Farm, 1323 Salford Station Road Harleysville, PA 19438 - [**Regina Sayles**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/singersongwriter-regina-sayles-tickets-1982970045787?ref=lambpage.com) **8pm** \- Acoustic-driven melodies that connect you to the everyday human condition. @ Cary's Music Room, New Hope Inn & Suites, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**The Beatles Candlelight Experience**](https://www.fatsoma.com/e/2avmrcbw/the-beatles-candlelight-experience-in-lambertville-nj-saturday-august-15th?ref=lambpage.com) **5, 7, & 9pm** \- An enchanting concert experience paying homage to world famous artists. @ First Presbyterian Church of Lambertville, 31 N Union St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Street Sweep**](https://www.facebook.com/CityGovernmentofLambertville/posts/join-us-this-saturday-morning-at-10-am-at-the-entrance-to-cavallo-park-bring-glo/1516722600499378/) **10am** \- Bring gloves. Trash bags will be provided. @ The entrance to Cavallo Park, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 16, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Annual Game Night**](https://www.showpass.com/game-night-7/?no-cache=1&ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Music Mountain Theatre tantalizingly reveals their season one title at a time in an all-out, audience participation encouraged, evening full of cheeky, entertaining gameshow-style skits. @ Music Mountain Theatre, 1483 NJ-179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Jade Skylar**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/sunday-music-series-jade-skylar?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- A singer/songwriter who won Best of Bucks 2026\. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**River Dance Festival**](https://www.roxeyballet.org/riverdancefestival?ref=lambpage.com) **2pm** \- Dancers, choreographers, and creators come together in this two-day event hosted by Roxey Ballet. @ Mill Ballet School, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope PA 18938 - [**Philadelphia Folk Festival**](https://folkfest.org/?ref=lambpage.com) \- A magical experience of music, camping, crafts, food, family fun, and cultural activities for all ages. @ Old Pool Farm, 1323 Salford Station Road Harleysville, PA 19438 ### August 17, 2026 : Monday - [**Backpack Distribution**](https://fishermansmark.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **2-5pm** \- Ice cream, pizza, free backpacks and school supplies, and live music by School of Rock. @ Fisherman’s Mark, 262 North Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 19, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Hunterdon County Fair**](https://hunterdoncountyfair.com/plan-your-visit/fair-schedule/?ref=lambpage.com) **12-10pm** \- Music, contests, food, race cars, livestock, pony rides, robotics, antiques, rides, and more. @ South County Park Fairgrounds, 1207 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) **8pm** \- Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/140233?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 ### August 20, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Hunterdon County Fair**](https://hunterdoncountyfair.com/plan-your-visit/fair-schedule/?ref=lambpage.com) **12-10pm** \- Music, contests, food, race cars, livestock, pony rides, robotics, antiques, rides, and more. @ South County Park Fairgrounds, 1207 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Drum Circle**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/LambertvilleDrumCircle/) **6pm** \- Bring a drum or borrow a drum. @ Corner of Union & Bridge Streets, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play and family friendly. Prizes for the winners. @ Invertse Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Community Potluck**](https://lambertvillenatureexplorers.org/events/community-potluck?ref=lambpage.com) **5-7pm** \- Bring a dish of your choice to share — appetizer, side, main, or dessert, all welcome. @ Cavallo Park, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 21, 2026 : Friday - [**Big Blitz**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/379897?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Combines dance, jazz, rock, and electronic musical influences to create their own dynamic sound. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 189380 - [**Hunterdon County Fair**](https://hunterdoncountyfair.com/plan-your-visit/fair-schedule/?ref=lambpage.com) **12-10pm** \- Music, contests, food, race cars, livestock, pony rides, robotics, antiques, rides, and more. @ South County Park Fairgrounds, 1207 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 22, 2026 : Saturday - [**Potato Harvest**](https://www.howellfarm.org/potato-harvest/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-4pm** \- Visitors of all ages can help collect, clean, & sort the crop, which will be delivered to local soup kitchens & food pantries. @ Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln., Hopewell Twp., NJ 08530 - [**Paul Ilechko & Jane Edna Mohler**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/paul-ilechko-jane-edna-mohler?ref=lambpage.com) **6pm** \- An evening of poetry readings.@ Howling Bassett Books, 45 N. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Wilson Street Community Gathering**](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1490896469746538&set=a.558059856363542) **3-7pm** \- Get to know the Elks and your neighbors. Live music, hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks. @ Lambertville Elks Lodge #1070, 66 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Hunterdon County Fair**](https://hunterdoncountyfair.com/plan-your-visit/fair-schedule/?ref=lambpage.com) **12-10pm** \- Music, contests, food, race cars, livestock, pony rides, robotics, antiques, rides, and more. @ South County Park Fairgrounds, 1207 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Meet the Author: Linda J. Barth**](https://lambertvillelibrary.libcal.com/event/17305509?ref=lambpage.com) **1pm** \- Linda J. Barth will read from her new book, Bridgetender’s Boy: The Adventure Continues on the Morris Canal. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 23, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Soul Warriors**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-soul-warriors-1?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Playing songs you forgot you love. @ Union Coffee, 49 N. Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) 10am-6pm - Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Hunterdon County Fair**](https://hunterdoncountyfair.com/plan-your-visit/fair-schedule/?ref=lambpage.com) **12am-5pm** \- Music, contests, food, race cars, livestock, pony rides, robotics, antiques, rides, and more. @ South County Park Fairgrounds, 1207 Route 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 26, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/140233?ref=lambpage.com) **7pm** \- Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **4-8pm** \- Show starts at 6pm. Perform two songs, get a free pour. @ Invertase Brewing Company, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 27, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **8-11pm** \- A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Trivia Night**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) **6-8pm** \- Free to play and family friendly. Prizes for the winners. @ Invertse Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Free Women’s Self Defense Seminar**](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story%5Ffbid=pfbid021i7RfFpemoqcpXvYmaUUZ6ipoy5Cqt2vUGE4MsKYAVQUFYE7UdjxK2wzPQSLmi3Tl&id=61577641996289) **6pm** \- Learn simple, effective techniques. No experience needed. @ Slow & Steady Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 28, 2026 : Friday - [**Family Open Mic Night**](https://www.birdhousecenter.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **4:30-6pm** \- First come first served, sign ups start no sooner than 4:15pm. Performers get 10 minutes. Family friendly material: music, poetry, skids, magic, comedy, etc. @ Birdhouse, 7 N. Main St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**John McDonald**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 6-8pm - Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing Company, 80 Lambert Ln., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Meditate | Chill | Repeat**](https://www.meditationinnewjersey.org/events?ref=lambpage.com) **7-9pm** \- Begin with a 20-minute guided meditation, then relax with tea, music, conversation and games. @ Menlha Kadampa Meditation Center, 11 Music Mountain Boulevard, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Tipsy Terrariums**](https://planthausmarket.square.site/product/august-28-tipsy-terrariums-at-invertase-brewing-company-with-plant-haus-market-friday-at-6-30-pm-/NXX5U7OXTTQXG3Q6DGPSI3PP?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category%5Fid=4&ref=lambpage.com) **6:30pm** \- Create open terrariums with Invertase's signature beer cans and pint glasses, complete with live succulents, soil, stones, and decor. @ Invertase Brewing, 80 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 29, 2026 : Saturday - [**Fiddlin’ on the Farm**](https://www.howellfarm.org/fiddlin-day?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-4pm** \- Some of the area’s best musicians bring their talents to the farm during the annual contest sponsored by the Hunterdon Folk Exchange. Now in its 36th year. @ Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln., Hopewell Twp., NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 30, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) **9am-12pm** \- Supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Lambertville Sunflower Festival**](https://bellemontfarmnj.com/lambertville-sunflower-festival/?ref=lambpage.com) **10am-6pm** \- Live music, crafts, food trucks, beer garden, cut your own flowers, play area, photography, cornhole, venders, pony rides and petting zoo. @ Bellemont Farm, 22 Valley Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**John Patrick Starling**](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/events/live-music-john-patrick-starling?ref=lambpage.com) **4-6pm** \- Singer-songwriter, traveller, and storyteller who has travelled to more than 20 countries guitar in hand, collecting experiences he shares with his audiences. @ Union Coffee, 49 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### August 31, 2026 : Monday - [**Open Mic**](https://www.johnandpeters.com/e/20?ref=lambpage.com) **9pm** \- Sing your song, play your music and be heard. @ John and Peter’s, 96 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### Lambertville Events: July, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-events-july-2026/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T14:54:48.000Z There are a lot of events happening in and around Lambertville this July. Choose from the new Lambertville farmer’s market, open mic music jams, art openings, community runs, live music, the 4H Fair, and America 250 Festival fireworks. Fireworks happen in Lambertville on July 3, and in Hunterdon County on July 8\. See below for details. Remember: always check before you trek, and tell ’em LambPage sent you! ### July 1, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic Night**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Popular acoustic open mic event. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) 8pm - Play Irish folk music every first & third Wednesday of each month. Bring an instrument or just sing along. @ Mitchell’s Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**DBums’ Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/135585?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 2, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 8pm - A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/open-mic-2026-07-09-17-00?ref=lambpage.com) 5pm - Sign up at 5:30 pm. Play 6-9pm. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 - [**Game Night**](https://www.facebook.com/LambertvilleElksLodge1070/posts/pfbid02S2efPLCCozidcJjJ8TTPnPaQvKwPXfwXdHcNJ4vvqo7axbiaWu25EUVo1FEaZkVGl) 5:30pm - Enjoy community, friendship, and charity. @ Elks Lodge #1070, 66 Wilson St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 3, 2026 : Friday - [**2026 Fireworks**](https://www.visitnewhope.com/fireworks-2026-250th-celebration/?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - A 20-minute spectacular over the Delaware River. Fireworks will pair with a 200-drone patriotic light show and a fully synchronized soundtrack of patriotic music. Best viewed from the bridge or the parking lot at Lambertville Station. Events are [happening all weekend](https://www.lambpage.com/america-250-july-4th-lambertville-new-hope/). - [**Firehouse Studios Grande Opening**](https://www.facebook.com/events/12-n-main-street-lambertville-nj/firehouse-studios-grand-opening/27925574597034614/) 12-7pm - New Currents is a mixed-media exhibition that combines maps, watercolor, resin, & collected textures. Original artwork by Tracey DeLellis. @ Firehouse Studios, 12 N. Main St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Greg McLoughlin**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendarhttps://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 6-8pm - Live music in the taproom. Invertase Brewing Company, 80 Lambert Ln., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**NoFi-NJ Avant Mic**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=531&ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - a lively welcoming environment for outside-the-box thinkers, musicians, performance artists, poets, filmmakers, and artists whose work might be a bit unusual, or even challenging. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Liz Dufour**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Mesmerizing audiences with her piano bar performances. @ The Cub Room, 400 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 4, 2026 : Saturday - [**Rev Run**](https://www.revrunpa.com/?ref=lambpage.com): 8am - The RevRun attracts runners of all experience levels and is known for its historic setting, community atmosphere, & charitable mission. @ Washington Crossing Park, 1112 River Rd., Washington Crossing, PA 18977 - [**Dance Party with DJ Huan**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/dj-huan-nybdg-bxje7-h5jb7?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Groove to the beats and have a fantastic time. Everyone is welcome, so bring your friends and let's dance the night away. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 W Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Reeder Station w/ RW Hellborn**](https://www.johnandpeters.com/?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Live music to celebrate the United States. @ John & Peter’s, 96 S. Main St, New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 5, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) 9am-12pm - The Lambertville Farmers Market is about creating a weekly ritual, supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Walking Tour of Lambertville**](https://lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/events-2/guided-walking-tours-of-lambertville?ref=lambpage.com) 2pm - Guided historic tours of Lambertville depart from the Marshall House Museum and are about an hour in duration. @ Marshall House, 60 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - **Mitchell’s Irish Session** 8pm - Wear your tricorner hat or touque, and play or listen to stirring melodies from Ireland and other nations. @ Mitchell’s Pub, 11 1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 6, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Sing your heart out, or just listen. @ Havana, 105 South Main St. New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 7, 2026 : Tuesday - [**George Sinkler Band**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/george-sinclair-band-gnh9j-8e533-fyefj-t27gl-9edsz?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Bringing Jazz and the Great American Songbook to their audiences. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 W Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 8, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Hunterdon Symphony Performance & Fireworks**](https://www.hunterdonsymphony.org/upcoming-september?ref=lambpage.com) 5pm - The concert will feature patriotic and made-in-America pieces from beginning to end, followed by the biggest fireworks display the county has ever seen. @ Deer Path Park, 120 West Woodschurch Road, Flemington, NJ 08822 - [**Comedy Open Mic**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/shows/373204?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Where brave jokes, big feelings, and slightly unhinged observations are always welcome. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic Night**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Popular acoustic open mic event. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 9, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 8-11pm - A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/open-mic-2026-07-09-17-00?ref=lambpage.com): July 9, 5pm - Sign up at 5:30 pm. Play 6-9pm. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### July 10, 2026 : Friday - [**A Walk with Nature: Light, Shadow and Color**](https://wwwlambertvillearts.com/?ref=lambpage.com) 6-8pm - Artists’ Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of work by Harvey Rogosin, & Nancy Lloyd. @ Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Thomas Jonston**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 6-8pm - Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing Company, 80 Lambert Ln., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Foreign Fridays**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/foreign-fridays-before-sunrise?ref=lambpage.com) 7-9:30pm - The movie *Before Sunrise* is based on the fantasy of meeting a romantic interest on a train and spending a single day and night together in Vienna. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 S Union St Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Jennifer Kisch**](http://www.newhopearts.org/default.aspx?pg=431&ref=lambpage.com) 4-6pm - Artist reception. @ New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Ave, New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 11, 2026 : Saturday - [**Evening Blacksmithing**](https://www.howellfarm.org/blacksmithing-horseshoeing?ref=lambpage.com) 5-8pm - Learn about the finer points of shaping metal when blacksmith Daniel Lapidow fires up the forge and heats wrought iron for bending, hammering, and sharpening. @ Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln., Hopewell Twp., NJ 08530 - [**Moving Stories**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/moving-stories-3?ref=lambpage.com) 9:30-10:30am - A new audiobook walking book club where members enjoy an hour-long walk together while listening to their own audiobooks. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 N. Main St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 12, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) 9am-12pm - The Lambertville Farmers Market is about creating a weekly ritual, supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Brainwash Victim**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=546&ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Live music. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 13, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Sing your heart out, or just listen. @ Havana, 105 South Main St. New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 14, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Business After Business**](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/event/explore-lambertvilles-business-after-business/?ref=lambpage.com) 6-8pm - Make new connections, strengthen existing relationships, and experience three outstanding local businesses. @ Fox and Hound Bed & Breakfast, 246 W Bridge St, New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 15, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Mitchell’s Irish Session**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchells-Cafe/115508398476251) 8pm - Famous Irish Session every first & third Wednesday of each month. @ Mitchell's Cafe, 11-1/2 Church St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**DBums' Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/135585?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 16, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Mic**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/open-mic-2026-07-09-17-00?ref=lambpage.com) 5pm - Sign up at 5:30 pm. Play 6-9pm. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 - [**Royal Thunder**](https://www.johnandpeters.com/?ref=lambpage.com#calendar) 8pm - A band from Atlanta, Georgia that takes its primary influences from classic rock, and 90s grunge with elements of progressive and psychedelic rock. @ John & Peter’s, 96 S. Main St, New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Only Jams Open Mic**](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1477801331056052&set=pcb.1477804627722389) 5:30pm - Bring your instruments and get ready to improvise. @ Elks Lodge #1070, 66 Wilson St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 18, 2026 : Saturday - [**Songs, Instrumentals & Adventures**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/singersongwriter-stephen-dijoseph-songs-instrumentals-adventures-tickets-1988717861659?ref=lambpage.com) 8pm - Stephen Dijoseph’s pianopoetry and acoustic fire songs, instrumentals, and neural meanderings. Singer/Songwriter Sandy Hall opens. @ Cary's Music Room at New Hope Inn & Suites, 6426 Lower York Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**ASTROKATZ, Killbarron, Pern, & MXTCHXLL**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=496&ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - A night of various metal. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**War Mountain**](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1477803604389158&set=pcb.1477804627722389) 1-4pm - Live country music and grilled food. @ Elks Lodge #1070, 66 Wilson St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 19, 2026 : Sunday - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) 9am-12pm - The Lambertville Farmers Market is about creating a weekly ritual, supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**An Afternoon with JB Kline**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/art-varga-an-afternoon-with-jb-kline?ref=lambpage.com) 4-6pm - A screening of the documentary short film *J.B.*, followed by J.B. sharing stories from his life, answering audience questions, and revealing fascinating trivia and little-known facts about Lambertville. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 S Union St Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**The Bethmanns in Concert**](https://www.showpass.com/the-bethmanns-in-concert/?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Join Sally and Ian for an uplifting evening of storytelling and song. @ Music Mountain Theatre, 1483 NJ-179, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 20, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Sing your heart out, or just listen. @ Havana, 105 South Main St. New Hope, PA 18938 - [**D&R Canal State Park Master Plan Public Engagement Session**](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1468149952023079&set=a.228333262671427): 6pm - Share your ideas on protecting and enhancing the park’s historic, natural and recreational resources for future generations. @ Phillip J. Pittore Justice Center, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**George Sinkler Band**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/george-sinclair-band-gnh9j-8e533-fyefj-t27gl-9edsz?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Bringing Jazz and the Great American Songbook to their audiences. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 21, 2026 : Tuesday - [**Italians Are Singing**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/cdcvlkd7qem11td960pmg84c0whel2?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - A live band will fill the room with Italian classics, big personalities, loud voices, great music, and plenty of good vibes. @ The Cub Room, 400 W Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 22, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums' Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/135585?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Gallery Talk**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gallery-talk-with-carol-cheshire-mary-schwarzenberger-and-susan-keown-tickets-1993620041210?aff=oddtdtcreator&ref=lambpage.com) 6pm - Carol Cheshire, Mary Schwarzenberger, and Susan Keown speak at the gallery. @ New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Ave., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 23, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com): July 23, 8-11pm - A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**You, Me and the Algorithmic Sea**](https://artyard.org/events/you-me-and-the-algorithmic-sea/?ref=lambpage.com): July 23, 7pm - A surreal AI comedy set to trip-hop and electronic soundscapes. Sharp, funny, and slightly unnerving. @ ArtYard, 13 Front St., Frenchtown, NJ 08825 - [**Open Mic**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/open-mic-2026-07-09-17-00?ref=lambpage.com): July 23, 5pm - Sign up at 5:30 pm. Play 6-9pm. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### **July 24, 2026** : Friday - [**Family Open Mic Night**](https://www.birdhousecenter.org/?ref=lambpage.com) 4:30-6pm - First come first served, sign ups start no sooner than 4:15pm. Performers get 10 minutes. Family friendly material is welcomed: music, poetry, skids, magic, comedy, etc. @ Birdhouse, 7 N. Main St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Jeff Penque**](https://invertasebrewing.com/event-calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 6-8pm - Live music in the taproom. @ Invertase Brewing Company, 80 Lambert Ln., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**July Monthly Sound Healing**](https://www.thereikischool.com/events/sound-healing-95zb5-by4jz-jm7dh-aygwh-j42kk-5kmkz-7c569-kl6a8-4txs4-2pda8-mcdzh-n4xfr-lyy5z-yagal-e9hcz-c4mbd-l4e4w-c2a2c-5dgdw-5yj79-gx4ab-t8gnt-9ajzj-5ezb7-2xfac?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - release stress, realign your energy, and reconnect with your inner peace. @ The Reiki School, 54 Coryell Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 25, 2026 : Saturday - [**Annual Mercer County 4‑H Fair**](https://mercer.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair/?ref=lambpage.com): 10am-4pm - Animal shows & exhibits, homemade ice cream, hay rides, pony rides, music, magic shows, & farm tours. Free admission and parking. @ Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln., Hopewell Twp., NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Comic & Zone Con**](https://www.instagram.com/lambertvillecomicandzinecon/p/DWRSdI3EVjD/?ref=lambpage.com): 10am-4pm - Artists, musicians, and creators display their work for sale. @ Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center, 25 S. Union St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Comic & Zine Con 4 After Party**](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=427&ref=lambpage.com): 7pm - Music: Cartoon, Carvinous Bells, Stiff Curls, +1 TBA. @ Soupçon Salon Gallery, 25 Bridge St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Sourland Mountain Festival**](https://sourlandmountainfest.com/?ref=lambpage.com): 2:30pm - An all-day, outdoor music festival featuring NJ musicians. @ Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Rd, Ringoes, NJ 08551 - [**Saturday Dance Party**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/dj-huan-nybdg-bxje7-6zck4-8lznn-cheh7?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Music with DJ Dwayne. Groove to the beats and have a fantastic time. Everyone is welcome, so bring your friends. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 W Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Peter Asher: Everywhere Man**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/peter-asher-everywhere-man?ref=lambpage.com) 5:30pm - A child actor who became a pop star and then a manager and producer. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 S Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**SURFILMUSIC**](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/now-playing/jack-johnson-surfilmusic?ref=lambpage.com) 7:45pm - A new documentary chronicling Jack Johnson’s evolution from surfer to filmmaker to world-renowned musician. @ Acme Screening Room, 25 S Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**Author Event: Jennifer Hayden and Emily Steinberg**](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/event-details-registration/author-event-with-jennifer-hayden-and-emily-steinberg?ref=lambpage.com) 6pm - a special author event in honor of Lambertville’s Zine Fest, featuring two acclaimed cartoonists, both exploring personal storytelling and visual expression. @ Howling Basset Books, 45 N Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ### July 26, 2026 : Sunday - [**Annual Mercer County 4‑H Fair**](https://mercer.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair/?ref=lambpage.com) 10am-4pm - Animal shows & exhibits, homemade ice cream, hay rides, pony rides, music, magic shows, & farm tours. Free admission and parking. @ Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln., Hopewell Twp., NJ 08530 - [**Lambertville Farmer’s Market**](https://www.lambertvillefarmersmarket.org/?ref=lambpage.com) 9am-12pm - The Lambertville Farmers Market is about creating a weekly ritual, supporting the regional food economy, and strengthening the social fabric of the city, one Sunday at a time. @ Lambertville Library, 6 Lilly St., Lambertville, NJ 08350 - [**Tea Dance**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/sk5cgv9ceo4kdtgr50a6x576drrt3e?ref=lambpage.com) 4-8pm - Bring your friends, enjoy the music, and make memories under the open sky. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Song Bird Showcase**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/song-bird-showcase-11?ref=lambpage.com)1-3pm - Daisy Jane Hosting, Linda Whitehouse Cane, Maria Woodford. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### July 27, 2026 : Monday - [**After Hours Karaoke**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Sing your heart out, or just listen. @ Havana, 105 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic**](https://www.johnandpeters.com/?ref=lambpage.com) 9pm - Sign ups at 8, show is at 9\. Musicians get 2 songs or 10 minutes. Comedy and miscellaneous acts get 5 minutes. @ John and Peter’s, 96 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 29, 2026 : Wednesday - [**Open Mic at Magikava**](https://www.magikava.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - A popular acoustic open mic night. @ MagiKava, 87 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**DBums' Hootenanny**](https://dbums.seatengine-sites.com/events/135585?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - Take the "stage" with instrument, comedy sketch, poem or favorite composition or just cheer from the audience. @ Dharma Bums, 4935 River Rd., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Nichole Gordon**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/nicole-gordon?ref=lambpage.com) 6pm - An Americana singer/songwriter. She has released over 10 albums and had over 75 songs placed in film/tv. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### July 30, 2026 : Thursday - [**Open Blues Jam**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 8-11pm - A weekly blues jam hosted by Mikey Junior. @ Havana, 105 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Open Mic**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/open-mic-2026-07-09-17-00?ref=lambpage.com) 5pm - Sign up at 5:30 pm. Play 6-9pm. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St., Stockton, NJ 08559 - [**Wayne Hancock**](https://www.johnandpeters.com/?ref=lambpage.com#calendar) 9pm - "King of Juke Joint Swing" fuses honky-tonk, blues, and rockabilly. @ John & Peter’s, 96 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 ### July 31, 2026 : Friday - [**Monthly Sound Healing**](https://www.thereikischool.com/events/sound-healing-95zb5-by4jz-jm7dh-aygwh-j42kk-5kmkz-7c569-kl6a8-4txs4-2pda8-mcdzh-n4xfr-lyy5z-yagal-e9hcz-c4mbd-l4e4w-c2a2c-5dgdw-5yj79-gx4ab-t8gnt-9ajzj-5ezb7-2xfac?ref=lambpage.com) 7pm - An immersive experience designed to relax the body, calm the mind, & elevate the spirit. Surrounded by the gentle vibrations of crystal singing bowls, gongs, chimes, & other therapeutic instrument. @ Reiki School and Clinic, 54 Coryell St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 - [**The Land of Ozz**](https://www.havananewhope.com/calendar?ref=lambpage.com) 8pm - Ozzy Osbourne tribute band. @ Havana, 105 South Main St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Jessica Didonado**](https://www.thecubroom.com/events/39dsigrm5kgo03il2i75upnpe5mbms?ref=lambpage.com) 4-7pm - A singer and dancer from Titusville, New Jersey performs songs spanning from Ella Fitzgerald to the hits of Taylor Swift. @ Deja Vu at The Cub Room, 400 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 - [**Miss Laurie Ann**](https://www.thestarvingartistcafe.org/event-details/miss-laurie-ann?ref=lambpage.com) 6pm - Live music in the cafe. @ Starving Artist Cafe, 18 Bridge St, Stockton, NJ 08559 ### For Rent in Lambertville, NJ: June 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/for-rent-lambertville-june-2026/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T16:57:15.000Z You may not find this rental listing information interesting today, but it will be fascinating to read about in the near future. You can also look back to see what was [available for rent in June of 2025](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/06/lambertville-apartments-june-2025?ref=lambpage.com). Experts recommend that renters spend no more than one-third of their monthly income on rent. For example, if you earn $60,000 per year then you shouldn’t spend more than $1,500 per month on rent and renters insurance. Each listing below includes the suggested household income needed to rent that property. ### $1,600/month Recommended income needed: $57,600 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/7grant3.webp) 7 Grant Avenue #3 [7 Grant Ave. #3](https://www.trulia.com/home/7-grant-ave-3-lambertville-nj-08530-460587995?ref=lambpage.com) is an approximately 500 square foot, 2 bedroom, 0 bathroom outbuilding that sits in the backyard of a house on land that is slated to become a community of K. Hovnanian townhomes. The renter pays utilities (electricity fee is $50) and is responsible for the upkeep of the property. Parking included, but the tenant has to walk to the main house to shower or use the bathroom. ### $2,300/month Recommended income needed: $82,800 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/74Nmain1.webp) 74 North Main Street [74 N Main Street #1](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/74-N-Main-St-APT-1-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2091519603%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment located on the 2nd floor above what used to be Chive. It includes heat, hot water, water, and sewer. The windows face Main Street. It has a washer/dryer. Parking is on the street. ### $2,350/month Recommended income needed: $83,700 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/41bridgeD.webp) 41 Bridge Street #D [41 Bridge Street #D](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/41-Bridge-St-D-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2053077104%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom unit in the center of town. Small dogs are okay. There is a washer/dryer in the bathroom. The unit is about 500 square feet, and not very private since the living room is exposed to foot traffic from the other units. Parking is on the street, and groceries will require that you can carry packages up several flights of outdoors stairs. It could be a fun place to live if your best friend rented across the way, because the deck is shared. ### $2,450/month Recommended income needed: $88,200 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/56coryell1.webp) 56 Coryell Street [56 Coryell Street #1](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/54-Coryell-St-56-1-Lambertville-NJ-08530/461769556%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom apartment in the center of town. Heat is by electric wall units, and by wood burning fireplace. There is no washer/dryer, but there is one designated parking spot behind the building. ### $2,600/month Recommended income needed: $93,600 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/46jean.webp) 46 Jean Street [46 Jean Street](https://www.trulia.com/home/46-jean-st-lambertville-nj-08530-38849904?ref=lambpage.com) is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house with 900 square feet of space. It is located on the hill. The tenant pays all utilities. Parking is in the driveway. ### $2,700/month Recommended income needed: $97,200 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/67ferry.webp) 67 Ferry Street [67 Ferry Street](https://www.trulia.com/home/67-ferry-st-lambertville-nj-08530-2110517849?ref=lambpage.com) is a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment located above an acupuncture clinic on the south side of town. It’s a large unit at 1,400 square feet, but whoever rents it is required to observe quiet hours 2 days per week to accommodate the business below. The landlord requires that applicants must earn 3x the rent and have good credit. Utilities are paid by the tenant. No pets. ### $3,000/month Recommended income needed: $108,000 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/61Nmain.webp) 61 North Main Street [61 North Main Street](https://www.trulia.com/home/61-n-main-st-lambertville-nj-08530-201768164?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1,323 square foot apartment located above a bakery. It features 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and has wood floors, central air, in-unit washer/dryer, and single off-street parking spot. The tenant pays for electric, which will cost a bunch if the central air, appliances, and heating are all electric. ### $3,100/month Suggested income needed: $111,600 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/57quarry.webp) 57 Quarry Street [57 Quarry Street](https://www.trulia.com/home/57-quarry-st-lambertville-nj-08530-38849485?ref=lambpage.com) is a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom 1,462 square foot house located next to the creek. The tenant is responsible for electric and gas, mowing the lawn, shoveling the sidewalk, and the first $200 of any appliance repair. ### $3,500/month Suggested income needed: $126,000 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/8raritan.webp) 8 Raritan Pointe [8 Raritan Pointe](https://www.trulia.com/home/8-raritan-pointe-lambertville-nj-08530-38849336?ref=lambpage.com) is a 1,378 square foot, 3 story house with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The house comes furnished, and lease options are flexible. The listing suggests that this rental is for someone who wants to stay temporarily—perhaps while they are waiting for their house to be built or while on an extended vacation from New York or Philadelphia. It has a washer/dryer. ### $11,111/month Suggested income needed: $399,996 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/9arnett.webp) 9 Arnett Avenue [9 Arnett Avenue](https://www.trulia.com/home/9-arnett-ave-1-id1380124p-lambertville-nj-08530-459603843?ref=lambpage.com) is a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with 2,497 square feet of space. It can accommodate up to 16 guests for events such as family reunions or “groups of friends looking to create unforgettable memories.” The house features a Lululemon mirror, Peloton bike, and a game room. Renters are asked to keep things quiet, because the neighbors just welcomed a newborn baby. Pets are okay. The $11,111/month rate is the lowest available price based on a 1 month stay with a move-in date of November 30, 2026. ### $14,453/month Suggested income needed: $520,308 per year ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/15ferry.webp) 15 Ferry Street [15 Ferry Street](https://www.trulia.com/home/15-ferry-st-id1336813p-lambertville-nj-08530-457957273?ref=lambpage.com) is a 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom house with 1,496 square feet of space. Parking is on the street. The $14,453/monthly rate is for rentals of 30 nights or more. ### Why Does 🏳️‍🌈 Lambertville Keep Using Facebook? URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-facebook/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T14:03:48.000Z [Mark Zuckerberg admitted](https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/mark-zuckerberg-admitting-facebook-bad-20295052.php?ref=lambpage.com) in 2025 that the “original joy” has left Facebook, yet billions of people still use his social media software every day. Facebook has become a standard social media platform, in part, because it allows users to easily create discussion groups about any topic or place. There are multiple Facebook discussion groups dedicated to Lambertville, NJ, but the [Lambertville NJ Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/groups/lambertville) appears to be the largest and most active with over 45,000 Facebook users as members. Some of people in the Lambertville NJ Facebook group are residents, but many are former residents, recent or future visitors, or people who just like to see what’s happening in town. Posts on the Lambertville NJ Facebook page can be seen on the Internet by the public unless individual privacy settings prevent it. **Note:** You can view some of the Lambertville NJ Facebook group page without being logged into Facebook. That’s how this article was researched and written. Part of the description for the Lambertville NJ Facebook group says: > “Lambertville and New Hope have had a LGBT presence for decades, and takes great pride in welcoming all residents and visitors. “Hate Has No Home Here” signs dot lawns throughout the city, a reminder every day that Lambertville is an inclusive community that not only recognizes diversity, but also celebrates it.” That statement is true. Living freely, in peace, in a peaceful place, is why a lot of residents pay huge mortgages, high taxes, and ridiculous rents to reside here. The cost of living in Lambertville is expensive, but joining the Lambertville NJ Facebook group costs nothing—except your privacy if you’ve joined Facebook. #### The Expectation The Lambertville NJ Facebook page code of conduct reads: **Be Kind and Courteous** Treat everyone with respect. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required. Slander, harassment, bullying, and mean spirited comments will be deleted. **No Hate Speech or Bullying** Make sure everyone feels safe. Bullying of any kind isn't allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender, or identity, etc will not be tolerated. **No Promotions or Spam** Spam and irrelevant links aren't allowed. Promotional posts are only allowed on Thursdays. **Admins must maintain civility** In order to maintain a pleasant civil atmosphere on the page, comments or entire threads that serve no community purpose but to incite trouble may be removed. **Please don’t break the rules!** If a member breaks the rules of the page their comment or thread may be deleted and they will be given warning. If further warnings are required a member may be subject to removal from the group. **National politics/Local politics** Discourse regarding national politics is prohibited. Members are permitted to voice their opinions regarding local politics as long as the conversation remains civil. #### The Reality The Lambertville NJ Facebook page has a clear pattern of repeated bullying with hateful comments and derogatory vitriol towards LGBTQ people coming from local and out-of-town trolls who have nothing to do with Lambertville. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Portrait of an Artist as a Lambertvillian URL: https://www.lambpage.com/portrait-artist-lambertvillian/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T02:02:31.000Z Spaulding Gray once told the story of taking leave of his friend in the parking lot of a mall in Los Angeles. After the friend walked a few yards away, Spaulding called to him, “By the way, are you writing a screenplay?” Ten people in the lot turned around to say yes, they were working on a screenplay. If you did that in Lambertville, and substituted “writing a screenplay” with “creating a painting,” any number of artists would turn around. One of them might be Mark Oliver, a painter, and a resident of Lambertville. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/painting.webp) One of Mark Oliver’s paintings on display at Bell’s Tavern this winter The scenes painted in artist Mark Oliver’s expansive oeuvre span from the seascapes of Holy Island, Lindisfarne, England, to the cafés of Paris, France; from the elaborate bridges of Newcastle, England, to the newly painted buildings of Tribeca, New York; from a hardscrabble-looking luncheonette in Lambertville, New Jersey, to a pastry shop in Lisbon, Portugal. Wherever he travels, capturing images for his painting is foremost on his mind. (Mark is too self-effacing and modest to use the word oeuvre about his own work; it’s my word, and I use it as often as possible.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/mark.webp) Mark at his home in Lambertville, NJ His paintings—some of which are on display at the Artists’ Gallery on Bridge Street in Lambertville, a collective of artists who work at the gallery a couple of days a month and pay rent in exchange for showing their work—are often of the intricacies of buildings and streets, as Mark was an architect in New York City for many years. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/artistsgalleryview.webp) The Artists’ Gallery, on Bridge Street, where Mark’s work is on display We sat for our first interview session in the green comfy chairs at Luminary Coffee, a café and roaster's at the northern end of Lambertville’s Union Street. It’s a large space and has, usually, a mellow atmosphere. It gave us the space and quiet to speak undisturbed for close to an hour. The café was at one point a car repair garage. \* The reason I wanted to write a profile of Mark was because I admired his paintings. As a non-artist, I’m interested in what makes you an artist and how does your family history, school experiences, and artistic prowess lead to something you do throughout your life. \* Mark remembers his childhood fondly. Born in the northeast of England, the oldest of three children—his mother had them all before she was 21—Mark had a “very, very happy childhood,” he says. “We obviously didn’t have any money, but we never knew that. Life was idyllic.” He and his siblings played games and rode bikes with the Stevenson family across the street, whose two kids rounded out their “gang” of five. “There was always a group of kids to play with,” he says, “and always a game going—whether it was a football game or a cricket game or a game that you call stoop ball here. We also played a game in which you guard your own gates. My childhood was active and outdoors, a constantly moving childhood. It was great.” Though he doesn’t keep in touch with friends from school and town, Mark will occasionally bump into to them when he visits. Things haven’t changed very much. “The town is very Catholic-Protestant,” he says. “There’s a Protestant-Conservative Club, there’s a Catholic-Irish Club.” When he was a kid the men had all the seats at the bar. “Now their sons are sitting in those seats. And they all know what I’m doing and I suppose I’m the one who got away and lived in New York. I’m sure they say, ‘I have a friend who lives in the states. I went to school with him.’” Mark likens his native town to the setting in a James Joyce’s novel. “It’s, you know, *Ulysses*, that whole gang of people milling around and going in town. I identified very closely with the people I grew up with and the characters in *Ulysses*. I thought they all interacted and knew each other. It’s that small town life.” \* I met Mark and his wife Judy, a retired educator, and a formidable baker, for the first time at a garden party in Lambertville a few years ago, and the most unlikely of things happened. It was a lovely, spring evening, and we had settled into our chairs with our drinks, a plate full of hamburger and salad resting on our laps. Our conversation went something like this: Judy: We lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn before moving to Lambertville. Me: Oh, really? I taught in Park Slope. Mark: Where’d you teach? Me: Middle School 51 Judy: That’s where our son went. What did you teach? Me: 7th grade English, at MS 51 Mark: Do you remember our son, Pete? Me: (Sheepishly.) No, I’m afraid I don’t. Judy: Let me call him right now. (She calls, speaks with Pete, and hangs up after a minute or so.) He had you for English in seventh grade! Me: Well, let’s consider this a belated parent-teacher’s conference, then, with the advantages of beer to soften the edges. \* When he was eleven-years-old, the trajectory of Mark’s life changed. He grew up in a very blue collar, working class family in Hebburn, England. His family was Catholic and very religious. An altar boy from a young age, he would go to church before going to school. In fact, the church was right next door to the school. Sometimes he would get pulled out of school for a wedding or a funeral and go to the church and be an altar boy. He’d get 10 shillings for that. Once, he remembers, there was a famous ship built in his town, called the HMS Kelly. “Lord Mountbatten, if you remember him, who was shot by the IRA, was the captain of the ship. But he was a real cowboy. It was torpedoed like five times, apparently. And all the men \[who were killed\] are buried at a grave in our cemetery. When I was a kid, people died and were buried there—and received a ten-gun salute. I remember being an altar boy, and not realizing the guns were going to go off. I’d do a split—falling to the ground.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/sailboat.webp) Mark’s painting, Sailboat \* Since he was the oldest in his family, it was expected that he’d become a priest. “I have this uncle,” he says, sipping his coffee, “who was a missionary priest in Nigeria, my father’s brother. My family wanted me to become a priest. Somewhere, I must have thought so, too. I was obviously the smart, oldest child. Very religious, very, very religious upbringing. Went to church religiously—every Sunday. I was an altar boy. I would go to church before I went to school. So, at eleven-years-old, I went to a Catholic Seminary.” It was essentially a boarding school. “It changed my entire life, because I got an absolutely fabulous education. You know, Latin, Greek—the whole thing.” Mark points out that it was good for him because he comes from the Northeast of England, where they have a very distinctive accent. In Britain, your class is identified by your accent. “Oh, yes, absolutely,” Mark says. “Your socioeconomic character—everything about you, down to your accent, and mine was definitely working class.” He learned to navigate the vagaries of elocution and, with it, the culture of school life—and learned something significant about himself. “So I got to the school, which modified my accent somewhat, but it also showed me that I was smarter than the kids from wealthy families from the south and wherever. So it gave me a lot of confidence. I got a really amazing education from the seminary. Obviously, I lost whatever beliefs I had when I was there. I’m the most irreligious, most atheistic person. I don’t believe in any God whatsoever.” He’s been away from home since he went to school, but it’s never been a big adjustment for him. “And I mean, I love my family. I go back and see them all the time,” but he never got homesick. “Wherever I am, I make the most of it,” he says. \* Mark discovered his affinity for drawing in a science class at the seminary. He remembers that it was biology and there was a request from the teacher to draw an animal. “I just got this incredible vision of it. I must have been reading a book on foxes or something, but I got this really clear picture, and I drew it, and it was fuckin’ good.” It was that fox in the science class that was the genesis of his artistic career, and from that moment he would spend every spare second drawing. However, he felt inadequate in most of the subjects he studied In school. That’s why he says he went on to become an architect, because architects are often called “jack of all trades, master of none.” The only thing that he found he was really good at was drawing. “And that’s what took over my life when I was about 15\. I spent every spare second sketching and drawing.” Initially he went to university to study classics, Latin and Greek, but decided that wasn’t the right path for him, choosing instead to become an architect. Architecture was a different animal back then. “We learned ,” he says, “the old-fashioned way. When I started: it was ink on vellum, which is the same way they did the illuminated manuscripts in the seventh century. But when I came here, to America, studying at Pratt in New York, it was pencil on mylar. It was a lot easier.” He learned how to set up a drawing so that you start in one corner and work your way to its conclusion, so you don’t smudge it. You begin with a plan, thinking how the drawing is going to be, get it all the way through the perspective sketches. “Most of the stuff I did was commercial interior. So it was a bit boring. But most architects, I’d say, are not very good drawers, sketchers. They may be good at architectural drawing but that’s it.” He designed conference rooms, office spaces. Sitting back in his chair, he says, “I mean, 99% of architecture, it’s just commercial shit. The ‘starchitects,’ doing fancy buildings are maybe one percent. And even in architectural firms, 90% of the employees there are just production people.” The designers are maybe 5% to 10%, he says. “So, it’s not a particularly artistic field.” When I ask Mark if being a architect has transformed the way he see things in the world, he says, “Oh, I definitely notice things that most people don’t. I remember distinctly being on a train in a subway, an underground in London, and it came out of the ground and you were above the roofs of the houses around. And I remember looking over and thinking how are they going to get the water to gutter and make the rain come off those roofs, ‘cause they all looked a bit like water wouldn’t go anywhere. That’s definitely an architect’s view—nobody else would care about how they’re going to get the water off the roof.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/reddoorhouse.webp) Red Door House, painted by Tom Hagan \* The next day, I went to Mark’s home in Lambertville, with its brick facade and red door. His paintings adorn the living room, dining room, and kitchen, as well as the upstairs bedrooms. But he didn’t discuss his paintings at first, telling me instead about a small painting he had by an artist friend. “This is a piece,” he says, “by Tom Hagan, who was one of the members of Brooklyn Waterfront Arts Coalition in Red Hook. He and his wife, Anna, were really big supporters of mine and they helped me get my start.” With the help of Tom and his wife, Mark began exhibiting in 2000\. “I’ve always wanted to support his art,” Mark says, “and since we’ve always had a red door on our house, it seemed perfect. He’s a very talented painter. I like his style.” When I ask Mark the reason he’s always had a red door on his houses, he replies, “It’s one of those things; we’ve just always had a red door.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/markjudyhome.webp) Mark and Judy’s home in Lambertville Following Mark through his home is akin to taking a tour of a museum, where the images on the walls reflect the breadth of an artist’s career, as well as its longevity. After speaking to Mark about his work—and his explaining the different stages of development for each piece—it seems, to me, a non-artist, as though each painting has its own DNA: with its inception, most likely in his sketchbook, or from a photograph, the decision of the perspective he’ll use in the cumbersome task of outlining it, and what medium he’ll chose to render it in—acrylic, oil, or pencil—and how and when he decides it’s finished. It’s more than just a process. Paul Ilechko, a friend of Mark’s and mine, who himself is a painter, has a different take on Mark’s practice. “The thing I really notice about Mark’s work is that he is able to take the accuracy of line from his architectural background and merge that with a natural feel for color and texture that only comes with being a true artist. He’s not just coloring in drawings he’s really painting but with an impeccable underlying structure.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/brooklynhouse.webp) Painting of house in Brooklyn, NY, by Mark Oliver Mark painted the house, above, multiple times because it’s near Pratt, where he went to school. One of the things he’s most happy about in the painting is the way the puddle of water in the road reflects the apartment building. I can’t even imagine how someone would accomplish something like that. How are painters able to capture scenes so true to life? “For all of this painting,” he says, pointing to it, “this is the piece I love.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/judysmother.webp) Painting of Judy’s Mother When we come to the painting of Judy’s mother, Pearl, who has her hand in front of her face, I ask Mark the reason she places her hand there. He casually says, “She’s funny… That’s what she did all of the time.” I wondered what it meant. “It means, ‘Oh, fuck you,’” he says. “Same as the Three Stooges.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jeffersonunion.webp) Painting of house on Jefferson and Union Streets “The two guys who live in the house,” Mark says, “saw this painting and didn’t want to buy it.” He didn’t know the reason they didn’t want to purchase it. We climb the stairs to the second floor of the house. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/oxford.webp) Detail of Bodleian Library, Oxford, England, by Mark Oliver “This is the Bodleian Library in Oxford,” Mark says. “And you can see the open little book above the door. I’ve done this multiple times as well. I did this when I was finishing up at Pratt. It was for a course; I think I got an A on it. It’s really nice that one. I like it a lot.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fireescape.webp) Fire escape ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fireescape2.webp) Fire escape (2) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/extra.webp) Expansive blue sky, water, and green grass of Lindisfarne, Holy Island, England This is one of Mark’s favorite places in the world, a place called Lindisfarne on Holy Island, on the Northumberland coast. “It’s where monks established Christianity in England, from 5th, 6th century.” It’s where they now make mead there. “It’s a causeway: so when the tide’s in, it’s an island, when the tides out you can walk over. Even Judy likes it. It’s just a magical place. So much history to it.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bridgenewcastlengland.webp) Bridge at Newcastle, England This is the town of Newcastle, which is famous for its bridges. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/tribecca.webp) Tribecca buildings This is one of Mark’s favorite pieces, as well, an intricate look at several of Tribeca’s buildings. Mark enjoys its colors. “I like the blue, yellow, and reds,” he says. There is something that’s very appealing about Mark’s paintings—and one of them is his use of color. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fishinpond.webp) Fish in a pond From his oeuvre, this seems a very different kind of painting for this artist. “Fish in a pond,” he says. “Went for triptych, you know, reflections in a pool.” We clomp up steep stairs to his studio, where a mélange of paintings and tools of the artist’s trade await us, as though an audience preparing to watch a performance. I wonder aloud what Mark feels when he paints; why does he like it so much? “It’s almost like I have to,” he says. “It’s like breathing. It’s like I have to do it. It’s a compulsion. There’s no wanting to do it. There’s no desire so much as I have to. I have to feel I’m doing something.” Things change for him when he leaves the realm of day-to-day creating for a vacation. “When I go away, I get guilty for not doing it,” he says. “I’ve got to paint. I just got to draw. I just got to do something. You know with retiring, in quotation marks, I’m busier now than I ever was working. Retiring, I feel like I’ve got a couple of years to churn out stuff that’s been built up from having to work and not having a chance to.” Working in retirement has given him a sense of freedom, which has enhanced the variety of paintings he does. He strives, these days, to develop new techniques. “When I was working and had a limited time to paint, I was much more conservative and not a very daring artist, because you don’t want to waste time doing something that’s a mistake and you’ve got to throw it away. So, now, I’m starting to do more acrylics on canvas, I’m trying to sometimes do funkier things. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/onsailboat.webp) On a Sailboat He has several different paintings of fire escapes, and I wanted to know their allure for him. “Somebody,” he says, “once said, they’re like Superman’s underwear. Because you know they should be on the inside but you’ve just gotten used to them on the outside. They’re staircases; they should be inside. It’s an American thing. You don’t see these in Europe. You don’t see fire escapes. ‘We’re going to build a building—oh, shit how are we going to get out in the event of a fire? Okay, let’s stick a staircase on the outside.’ You know, it’s stupid.” He goes on to remark about the exterior of a building, that it’s kind of like a canvas itself throughout the day. “The thing about a facade of a building is that in the morning, it gets morning light and the light changes. They’re constantly changing and you got a sculpture on the outside of the building that’s continuously moving. It’s never the same. you can walk by at 10:00 in the morning it’s that way, but at 3:00 in the afternoon it’s something completely different. That’s where the fascination is. It’s that constant—completely alive. It’s different on rainy days and sunny days, it’s different on cloudy days. It’s different all of the time.” Mark loves fire escapes. When he’s bored and not sure what to do, he’ll dig out a photo of a fire escapes and sketch it. “It just keeps me lubricated. It’s good I have something that you always go to.” And then he asks me, “Is there something that you write about and always go back to?” I don’t realize it until after our interview, but it’s true. My writing always seems to come back to my mother—and growing up in Queens, New York. When using acrylics, he’ll work at his easel. But if he’s working on a watercolor, he’ll work at his desk. He paints each day from around 8:30 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. Mark has many sketchbooks. They sit, one on top of each other, on the red oriental rug in his studio. Some notebooks are red and some are black. The details in them are intricate and well-rendered. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/london.webp) Sketch of London He unfolds a long paper from one of the notebooks. “This is an interesting one,” he says, holding it up before him. “I started it in London when we were on vacation there. It’s St. Paul’s. I started sketching there but ended up taking pictures. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bridge.webp) Brooklyn Bridge, spanning from Brooklyn to Manhattan “I did a couple of things for New York City. We worked on their buildings that they had right by the Brooklyn Bridge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/panam.webp) New York City - Pan Am Building, from 2017 This sketch in his notebook was started on the subway in New York City and finished at home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/subwayman.webp) Sketch of man on subway ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/subwaymanpainting.webp) Sketch turned into painting This is Mark Oliver’s art world. As for the future of his work, he’s going to stay true to “urban landscapes, as well as architectural-based pieces. You know, buildings are where my niche is and where I’m happiest.” \* Lately, however, he’s been experimenting with something new. Using his notebook is extremely important to Mark and integral to his process. He often doodles in his notebooks. For the last thirty or forty years, his go-to doodle is to draw circles on a page and then create lines around it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/circleslines1-1.webp) Notebook with circles and lines “A couple of weeks ago,” he says, showing me the notebook, “I was thinking, ‘those would be nice as sculptures.’ So I went to Canal Plastics in New York City and bought some plexiglass sheets and some tubes. I’m making a sort of sculpture thing of my notebook, so there’s a direct correlation between what I’ve been sketching and the sculpture. Sometimes, but not always, there’s a definite linear path between what I put in a notebook and what I create, such as a painting or a sculpture.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/circleslines2.webp) Second part of Mark’s process: putting the concept on paper ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/circleslines3.webp) The concept realized as a sculpture. \* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/points.webp) Cardinal points in Mark’s home Finally, as I was leaving I noticed signs on some of the walls: North, South, East, and West. Mark explains, “There’s a museum in London,” he says, “called the John Soane’s Museum. He was an Architect. And he designed the Bank of England. And it’s a wonderful museum and it shows how crazy the mind of an architect really is. And the \[cardinal points\] was one of the things he put in his rooms to orient people, which is north, which is south, which is east, and which is west. So we bought them at the museum.” To me, this seemed a perfect metaphor for the life of this painter: he travels widely but is grounded in the town of Lambertville. ### New Hope Real Estate: April 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/new-hope-real-estate-april-2026/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T22:15:32.000Z If Lambertville’s neighbor across the river is any indicator, real estate prices in our small town could soon go through the roof. New Hope’s transformation into “New Hamp” makes Lambertville, New Jersey real estate look like the affordable alternative that it is. Below are several luxury properties for sale near the river and canal paths of New Hope, Pennsylvania. #### 2119 South Sugan Road: $910,000 The [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/2119-S-Sugan-Rd-18938/home/39323391?ref=lambpage.com) describes the home as, “...modern mid-century design meets a rare duo decagon layout.” The house is circular with a wrap around porch and detached two-car garage on a park-like acre of land with a 6/10 flood rating. #### 18 West Mechanic Street #7: $925,000 A one car garage makes this modern 1-bedroom, 872 square foot townhome a flat in the heart of New Hope. It’s got a 9/10 flood rating, but the upper-level living space has a fireplace, walk-in closet, and high ceilings. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/18-W-Mechanic-St-18938/unit-7/home/178752438?ref=lambpage.com). #### 350 South River Road, Unit D10: $1,075,000 River views in an older, walkable-to-downtown building. The black and tan motif inside this 1,565 square foot, 2-bedroom unit evokes the 90s. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/350-S-River-Rd-18938/unit-D10/home/38934239?ref=lambpage.com). #### 18 West Mechanic Street #6: $1,199,000 Enjoy luxury apartment living in this 1,063 square foot modern 2-bedroom townhome located above a retail space in downtown New Hope. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/18-W-Mechanic-St-18938/unit-6/home/178752437?ref=lambpage.com). #### 52 North Main Street: $2,000,000 This brick twin is a classic New Hope riverfront property with a 10/10 flood rating and a large condo complex next door. If you don’t mind balconies overlooking your back yard, this tastefully updated house has a dock, driveway, garage, and is walkable to everything New Hope has to offer. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/52-N-Main-St-18938/home/38934144?ref=lambpage.com). #### 100 West Bridge Street: $2,149,000 Completely redone inside and out, this house is next to the high school, across from the library, and is walkable to downtown New Hope. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/100-W-Bridge-St-18938/home/389321750?ref=lambpage.com). #### 18 West Mechanic Street #1: $2,950,000 An elevator, gas fireplace, large kitchen, modern fixtures, and corner deck create a residence made for entertaining, fine dining, and multi-level living. Leave your car in the two-car garage and walk to everything. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/18-W-Mechanic-St-18938/unit-1/home/178752432?ref=lambpage.com). #### 34 West Mechanic Street: $3,150,000 A cherrywood and white marble kitchen, elevator, and massive wine cellar make this residence appealing to those who value royal decor. Check out the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/34-W-Mechanic-St-18938/home/38348492?ref=lambpage.com). #### 27 West Mechanic Street: $3,749,000 There used to be a store on this lot. Now it’s a modern house with no yard and open parking. It could’ve been a nice live/work creative space if the structure stayed mixed use, but now it’s a house with a 6/10 flood rating. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/27-W-Mechanic-St-18938/home/144051108?ref=lambpage.com). #### 130 North Main Street, Unit A: $3,795,000 It’s on the river, but it faces the street. Don’t let that deter you, however, because it’s a [lovely residence](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/130-N-Main-St-APT-A-New-Hope-PA-18938/459727578%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) and you can walk to everything in New Hope. #### 130 North Main Street, Unit D: $5,675,000 The house that used to be on this lot was demolished to make way for this 4,450 square foot, modern, luxury living space. With river-front balconies and morning sky views, you will enjoy waking to the sunrise every single day. See the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/130-N-Main-St-UNIT-D-New-Hope-PA-18938/451087682%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 2468 River Road: $5,750,000 With three levels of river views and a magic-fairy-garden backyard, this brand new home sits above the river, but still gets a 10/10 flood factor. Who cares? It’s 4,777 square feet of mostly high and dry living space. Have a look at the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/2468-River-Rd-18938/home/39323263?ref=lambpage.com). #### 182 South Main Street: $10,000,000 It is 6,000 square feet of pure luxury, but you’d never know it just from the modest facade. On the river side you’ll see the private deck with hot tub, grill, and river views. It also has a dock, an elevator, auto lift (10/10 flood rating), game room, modern finishes, and is walkable to everything. See the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/PA/New-Hope/182-S-Main-St-18938/home/38934132?ref=lambpage.com). ### Lambertville Real Estate: April 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-real-estate-april-2026/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:14:45.000Z One day we’ll look back at today and say, “wow.” Find your next flat, flip, or fixer with real estate listings for Lambertville, NJ. #### 201 Hancock Street: $275,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/hancock201.webp) 201 Hancock Street This tear-down property is a short sale that has been on the market for months. The price fluctuated from $260,000 to $299,900 to what it is now. The property is located in an area that is having issues with PFAS contamination, and it appears to be heading to foreclosure and sheriff’s auction. View the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/201-Hancock-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38868167%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 164 York Street: $365,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/york164.webp) 164 York Street 69 York is a flip that was purchased for $145,000 in November of 2025 and listed in February of 2026 for $389,900\. It got reduced to $384,900 (matching 26 Elm Street) then to $375,000, and now $365,000\. It’s not officially in the flood zone, but the creek across from the house can rage into the street during heavy rains. The foundation, which is set into the earth of the hill, warrants a mildew smell test in the closets on the first floor. As is always the case with flipped homes, you have to pay attention. In this instance, examine the edges of the old roof, look at dates in the boiler room, notice what’s missing in the bathroom, and imagine your furniture wobbling on the crooked floors. See the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/164-York-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38848576%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 26 Elm Street: $385,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/elm26.webp) 26 Elm Street This house was under contract, but is back on the market. It has an upstairs and downstairs apartment, and could be a legal owner-operated short-term rental. The description says it’s being painted, but it likely needs TLC. See the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/26-Elm-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38848659%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 38 Swan Street: $425,000 This lovely little brick house has new floors and tons of character. The only downfall is that it’s right by the creek in an AE flood zone. See the [listing](https://www.homes.com/property/38-swan-st-lambertville-nj/nkb6e13xve3mq/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 69 York Street: $585,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/york69.webp) 69 York Street Under contract at the time of this writing, this old brick house was heading for foreclosure. It’s got that quintessential Lambertville feel with brick interior walls, a little staircase that leads to an expansive attic bedroom, and character throughout. The house needs a bunch of work, which means it’s an emotional buy (♥️💸) for someone who wants to make it their own. Check out the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/69-York-St-08530/home/36559792?ref=lambpage.com). #### 58 Grant Aly: $599,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/grant58.webp) 58 Grant Aly Purchased for $175,500, this flipped house is a lot nicer than it was before the renovation, but the devil is always in the details. For example, what’s happening with the storm drains and gutters? Or the mismatched shower and vanity? Did they seal the basement by closing the basement window that used to be under the living room window? Is that an underground oil tank buried in the front yard? Only you know if you want to pay $599,000 for a party-wall duplex with 2 bedrooms on a side street where you can’t park your car. Look at the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/58-Grants-Aly-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38849843%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 151 North Union Street: $649,900 Previously listed at $675,000, this this light and airy 1,700 square foot condo is back on the market. It’s perfect if you like unique places in the center of town, but you must also like stairs, HOAs, and parking on the street. View the [listing](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/151-N-Union-St-08530/unit-6/home/36558425?ref=lambpage.com). #### 9 Church Street: $765,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/church9.webp) 9 Church Street A CBD investment property, this place has one and possibly two retail units on the first floor with living space above. It is not in the flood zone, and is centrally located. No parking, but you can park out front with a permit. Look at the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9-Church-St-9-Lambertville-NJ-08530/460404395%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 11 Delevan Street: $829,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/delevan11-1.webp) 11 Delevan Street Cavernous party walls sandwich this unit. It’s not in a flood zone, has parking, and there’s no HOA, which could be a blessing or a curse. [For sale by owner](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/11-Delevan-St-11-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2055474682%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). #### 237 & 241 North Main Street: $950,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/nmain237-241.webp) 237 & 241 North Main Street Someone will celebrate the hodgepodge of old and new that stitches these structures together, especially if that person likes entertaining. See the [listing](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/237-and-241-N-Main-St%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM92811-59257?ref=lambpage.com). #### 74 North Main Street: $1,960,000 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/nmain74.webp) 74 N. Main Street This investment property has a restaurant below and old apartments above, yet it lacks direction. Do you have a vision for this place? Check out the [listing](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/74-N-Main-St-0-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2071537776%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com). ### Lambertville ShadFest: 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-shadfest-2026/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T22:21:22.000Z ShadFest in Lambertville, NJ is a fun time that happens rain or shine. If you’re gonna go, here’s everything you need to know. #### When is ShadFest 2026 **Friday, April 24, 2026** → **5-8pm:** Local Night → **6-8pm:** Poster Auction Artist Reception **Saturday, April 25, 2026** → **11am-5pm** ShadFest → **11am-5pm** ShadFest Poster Auction silent auction **Sunday, April 26, 2026** → **11am-5pm:** ShadFest → **11am-2pm:** ShadFest Poster Auction silent auction → **3pm:** ShadFest Poster Auction live auction begins #### What Happens at ShadFest 2026 ShadFest, Lambertville’s premiere spring festival, turns 43 this year! You can expect: - handcrafted art - jewelry - home accents - snacks & treats - one-of-a-kind treasures - classic festival favorites - games & prizes - face painting - live music from local musicians - arts & crafts - fun for the whole family ![The Shackers performing music in the park](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2026/04/shadfest-2026/85acced9fe-1775427929/shackers.webp) live music at ShadFest #### Friday Night is Local’s Night Starting at 5pm, Church Street gets closed to vehicular traffic. Locals bring their kids (and dogs) and take part in the evening’s many family-friendly activities. Past Locals Night events included group painting, chalk art on the street, a DJ and dancing, circus arts, Tarot card readings, food, and more. This year will feature live music by Pyrenesia, Ruby West, and Lounge Act Road Show at the municipal lot on North Union Street, so bring your own lounge chair(s). #### Street Fair Vendors On Saturday and Sunday, North Union Street is closed to vehicular traffic so vendors of all kinds can set up tents and booths. Walk around and enjoy the fun. #### ShadFest Poster Auction 2026 The ShadFest Poster Auction receives art from hundreds of artists in the region. Proceeds from the auctioned artworks goes directly to local arts scholarships. **ShadFest Poster Exhibition Hours and Silent Auction:** Saturday 11am-5pm Sunday 11am-2pm ❗The silent auction ends promptly at 2pm on Sunday. ❗The live auction begins at 3pm on Sunday. The poster auction takes place inside the gymnasium at the [First Presbyterian Church](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ubK7AZRwaW5sLwK17?ref=lambpage.com). The entrance is between Under the Moon Cafe and the church building. See the [ShadFest Poster Auction website](https://www.shadfestposters.org/poster-auction-dates.html?ref=lambpage.com) for more details. ![a woman dressed as a fish holding up art](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2026/04/shadfest-2026/d425254301-1775427040/carol-amy.webp) ShadFest poster auction #### Visit Locals Lane Located on Church Street (across from the big, white church in the center of town), this is where local independent artists and small local businesses set up. In the past, Locals Lane featured jewelry, clothing, art, food, and live music. #### Where to Park Park anywhere you can. If you don’t mind walking, park on the north side of town in the designated parking. You can also find parking on the south side. Some people park in New Hope and walk across the bridge. Arrive early. #### Bike to ShadFest If you’re up to it, you can bike the Delaware River Canal Path into town. Park your bike at the designated bike parking lot, then walk 2 blocks into town. The official bike parking is located behind the Pittore Justice Center (aka ACME). Here’s a [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/pKshCUF2zhzVkdcz6?ref=lambpage.com). Bike parking is in the back of the parking lot by the path. #### Shad Fishing Demonstration Watch people take a small boat out on the water, drag a huge net, and see if they catch anything. Head 1 block north of the bridge on Lambert Lane, and turn left into the parking lot with the foot bridge that leads to [Lewis Island](https://maps.app.goo.gl/rXVVi6T7dupuWVJr5?ref=lambpage.com). ![people preparing a net by the river](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2026/04/shadfest-2026/b2abf2f715-1775427556/steve.webp) fishing for Shad at ShadFest #### Food Trucks (Food Court) The food trucks are located in the center of town by the intersection of Bridge and Union Streets. This is also where you can [purchase ShadFest 2026 t-shirts](https://maps.app.goo.gl/NhYyFPqWuGAAkBkR7?ref=lambpage.com). ![men grilling meat](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2026/04/shadfest-2026/76cd508901-1775427386/meat.webp) food at ShadFest #### Beer Garden The beer garden is accessible, and is located in the [parking lot by the bridge](https://maps.app.goo.gl/grfnJk1U63rUc3w19?ref=lambpage.com). There is usually live music and wooden picnic tables so you can sit and relax. #### Live Music Live bands often perform in these locations during ShadFest: 1. Princeton Bank on Bridge Street [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/bKSbqxP29n1D7sTe6?ref=lambpage.com) 2. The beer garden by the bridge [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/d6oBBpM26651cU886?ref=lambpage.com) 3. N. Union Street [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/mGCH4t85Y8Eq6E9C7?ref=lambpage.com) 4. The parking lot on N. Union Street [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/vKMb5bdFsVBRYZds5?ref=lambpage.com) 5. Mary E Sheridan Park [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gHWDDrXpQqs493RF9?ref=lambpage.com) There is a [live music schedule](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/shad-fest/shad-fest-live-music/?ref=lambpage.com) on the chamber website. However, any business in town can host bands and performers, and so that schedule may not be accurate. Keep your ears open and follow the music. It’ll be everywhere. ![a band playing under a tent in the evening](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2026/04/shadfest-2026/ef0c7fd89f-1775424995/band.webp) live music at ShadFest #### More Information Here is the ShadFest official website: [Lambertville Chamber of Commerce](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/shad-fest/?ref=lambpage.com). Here is the [ShadFest map](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/wp-content/uploads/ShadFest%5FMAP%5F26-scaled.jpg?ref=lambpage.com). Have a great time! ### Lambertville Zoning Board Meeting: March 26, 2026 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-zoning-board-meeting-march-26-2026/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:04:22.000Z After 3.5 hours of testimony, questions, and comments, the applicant withdrew the application, but will return in the future. The Lambertville Zoning Board met at 7:30pm on Thursday, March 26, 2026\. The Pittore Justice Center was completely full with people standing or sitting in the lobby, looking and listening through the open doors. Board members approved minutes from the previous meeting. Brian Kelly and Sharon Hallanan renewed their oaths. The board heard an application for 21 Ferry Street, which was a time extension for Block 1044, Lot 8\. The second item was an [Approval of Resolution](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dGkXGeqihPnkXzSN2l6wlm57oiCd0yzJ?ref=lambpage.com) for 72 Delaware Ave., which was a height variance for an existing Accessory Building (for a 2nd floor home gym). Then they heard an approval resolution for a [Steep Slope Variance](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10td40De%5F2t1ihGkL2QNsgV2XeOMd0zno?ref=lambpage.com) for a single family home construction project. All of that took just a few minutes. Then the Zoning Board addressed the application that the crowd of locals came to hear. Read more about the history of the development of the former Finkles property on Coryell Street in Lambertville, NJ: [New Hope Hospitality Developers Present Lambertville Plan](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/05/new-hope-hospitality-developers-present-lambertville-plan?ref=lambpage.com) May 12, 2025 [Big Mistake Becomes Big Win: Developer Withdraws Coryell Hotel Plans](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/08/coryell-hotel?ref=lambpage.com)August 21, 2025 [Hardware. Hotel. Happiness? A Timeline of Events](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/08/hardware-hotel?ref=lambpage.com) August 25, 2025 #### 12-14 Coryell Street Richard Mongelli introduced the applicant (12 Coryell LLC and Lambert Warehouse LLC) who was seeking temporary waivers for things like all-man-made natural features within 200 ft, sanitary feasibility, landscaping, soil, storm water, flood hazard, easements, location size of signs, lighting plan, and the location of the solid waste storage area. The board asked Doug, the city engineer, to explain temporary waivers. Doug said the applicant did not provide a site plan. If relief was granted, then the applicant would provide site plans for review. John J. Connors, David Fastiggi, Dave Shropshire, and Justin Auciello—the applicants—were sworn in. Pat, the Zoning Board Chair, explained how the meeting would go. The board could ask questions. Then, the public could have three minutes for questions and statements. He explained that the issue might be carried until next month, and that the meeting will terminate at 11pm no matter what. Richard Mongelli introduced 12 Coryell Street as an event space with expansion in the rear and west side of the building. The applicant would use 10 Coryell as an in and out passage by the Porkyard. Guests would park at 4 Coryell, then walk down the courtyard. He said the warehouse would be kept, but part of it would be removed for parking with the possibility of public parking. He said the applicant was providing more parking spaces than are required. He gave context that the applicant’s previous site plan encompassed all of the properties for a 3,000 sqft spa, and 175 guest even space. He said his clients listened to people’s feedback, and they want locals to be as excited about the project as they are. “Spare me,” groaned someone in the audience. Mongelli continued, citing how there were signs all over town saying “no,” so the applicant went back to the drawing board to create news plans, which were in direct response to the neighbors. As a result, they scaled down the event space and reduced the whole thing. #### The Architect David Fastiggi, architect, presented. He said the applicants were seeking to create a certified rehabilitation. He described the plan as it is now: retail in back, basement would remain a basement, apartments above. A sales office would front Coryell Street. There would be five EV spaces, and twelve tandem parking spaces. When not in use by The Strand, they’d let the public park in the lot, for a fee, using a public parking app. They plan to use the ally to get guests and pedestrians off of the street. Someone in the audience called out to ask about parking. The Board Chair reminded everyone that any questions should be saved for at the end. The applicant said they had “no intentions of holding ceremonies outside.” Fastiggi said trash would get held inside, then carted down Coryell Street to a trash receptacle in the parking area. He said they’d work with the Lambertville Historical Commission, and they believed they’re working within the guidelines. “Oh my god,” an audience member muttered. Another person blurted out, “You’re kidding me.” Fastiggi showed images on the screen and pointed out how the entrances and theater-marquee-looking awnings were a nod to The Strand, as were the recessed posters and wall sconces shown in the design imagery. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/awnings.webp) architect’s presentation “We feel that we’re proposing a palate of rich textures that modulate and articulate,” Fastiggi said, adding that the applicants felt the design complied with Lambertville’s design guidelines. He showed side-by-side images of the current conditions juxtaposed with their replacement designs. He spoke about the lighting store and their plan to repair and paint it. He showed design renderings of the facade of The Strand, as they envisioned it, with new doors and windows, new stairs, and ADA-compliant ramp on the sidewalk. The existing cartouches would stay. He said it honors its historic function and returns the space to a cultural entertainment center that will host a variety of events and experiences that keep it local: comedy nights, art gallery shows, educational seminars. A resident murmured, “So it’s not a wedding venue anymore?” #### The Traffic Study Dave Shropshire said the traffic study was done. They updated the study as of March 19th, and not much has changed between December and March. They did counts during weekday times of 7-9 and 4-6\. Weekends were done 11-2\. They had to evaluate how many cars for this site. They did GRIP generation using data, but he said there was no info in the 12th edition manual for their intended use. However, a category called “banquet hall” was the closest fit. He said there would be 69-trips-per-hour, and that number of trips is not a significantly high number of trips. He said none of the levels of service changed at any of the intersections as a result of adding that traffic. He said they were conservatively high in their projections, because they were studying for the larger project that was previously proposed. Shropshire said all levels of service were at a C or better, which meant a 35 second delay. His conclusion was that the project doesn’t have a significant impact from a traffic perspective to the public good related to use variance, and also from a traffic perspective, in his opinion. #### The Project Planner Justin Auciello read a statement about the legacy of The Strand, and said that holding public events honors its historic function, aligns with the plan’s goals, and offers a litany of benefits: culture, community gathering, and commerce. He said they would do a certified historic rehabilitation and restore the original character of the landmark. He pointed out that The Strand was purpose-built for assembly and entertainment uses. He said the project would strengthen the city’s culture and tourism with movies, performances, and an event space. He said it would enhance local commerce. “I call them walking wallets,” Auciello said of future patrons at The Strand. He talked about the requested variances. He outlined the parking lot. He said it would be a multi-purpose event space, which is permitted the CBD. He mentioned that The Strand was purpose-built for assembly with 17-foot ceiling heights, and for filling 700 seats twice in one evening. He said the warehouse is a non-conforming use in the CBD. He said The Strand is suited for assembly and cultural activity, and parking is one of the highest practical land uses, and that the public benefits associated with the application were immense, in his opinion. He didn’t see any impacts that would be considered substantial. He said that restaurants and bars have a high turnover, and hotels have more activity with garbage, housekeeping, and deliveries more often. He pointed out that the zone permits other uses that would have a bigger impact on the neighborhood. Auciello’s lengthy and repetative talking began to fatigue listeners in the room. “We got it,” someone exclaimed. #### Board Questions 🗣️ The City Planner asked about valet parking. John Connors said guest will self-park and attendants will help people. The City Planner asked about the parking lot. John Connors said that on an event day they will turn off the parking app and man the lot with cones, signs, and attendants. The City Planner asked about loading. John Connors said van deliveries and pickups can go into the ally, which can accommodate a 24-foot box truck. He said they have a dedicated loading dock area at 7 Coryell (across the street), but they don’t expect deliveries in trucks larger than 28 feet. The City Planner asked about waste being carted off. John Connors said they have designated trash and loading area next to the former Finkles store (7 Coryell). The City Planner asked if the courtyard will be part of programming. John Connors said the court yard behind The Strand is a passive outdoor space where they will not have ceremonies or live music. The City Engineer talked about several sections in the application, including a non-conforming preexisting condition, that the buildings at 4 and 10 Coryell do not meet the 10’ property line, that off-track parking means relief is needed, and that the loading and unloading locations are within 300’ of the facility. 🗣️ Filomena asked about traffic trips and what percentage of an increase it was from baseline. The applicant said they didn’t do a percentage increase, because it didn’t change at all. Filomena asked about trucks. The applicant said trucks are so infrequent that it wouldn’t change anything. 🗣️ Brian said traffic sample times were taken in April and May, which are not peak times in town, and he asked that they do a traffic study in the summer months when traffic is higher, and when The Strand would be most active. He was concerned that the traffic survey didn’t reflect accurately, and asked if the applicant has spoken with the police. The audience clapped, and the Board Chair told everyone not to do that. Dave Shropshire said they could talk to the police, but he didn’t think it would have any impact. 🗣️ Lee asked how many retail spaces there would be. John Connors said six spaces, or 2,000 square feet total. Lee said retail is getting harder and harder in town. John Connors said even in its undeveloped condition, he already has two leases for retail. Lee said idea of bringing back The Strand is noble, but she was concerned with volume of people and traffic. John Connors said they have allotted more parking spaces than they need to. Lee said five people to a car is unrealistic. John Connors said for a 150 people venue they have a staff of 12 people maximum. People in the room laughed audibly. 🗣️ Jane said she would love to see The Strand renovated, but she was concerned about the scale. She said, “If garbage truck is on the street, the street is blocked,” as she expressed concern about the practicality. John Connors said they are core and shell jobs, and they can internalize most of the construction since they’re not doing cement or tracking mud. 🗣️ Wayne asked what events would happen there. John Connors said weddings are part of what they’re doing. They can activate the space 4-5 times per week, and he reiterated that The Strand is a shell. “This is a coring shell in a multi-million dollar renovation,” he said. John Connors said they’re gonna do weddings on the weekends, and that allows them to support the community activities. How are you gonna handle people staying over? John Connors said, “We thought we had that figured out,” referring to their previously proposed hotel plans. 🗣️ Sharon talked about traffic flow. “When you’re driving on that block, you can’t drive two cars there. It’s like a one way street. The traffic study didn’t talk about that. Especially if valet is active, which will slow it more.” Dave Shropshire said the intersections were looked at, because that’s where the delays happen. People in the room muttered “noooo,” because locals know you can’t get two cars at once down Lambertville’s small streets. “The reality is that, that is what people do,” Shropshire said of waiting for another car to pass, “I did it today, but that doesn’t impact the intersections.” Sharon said there was no report on impact to pedestrians. Dave Shropshire said they use computers to generate the information. Sharron asked about impact of the state park land which the property straddles. She said she wants to see traffic analysis address the foot traffic from bikers and walkers on the towpath, which passes between the parking lot and the proposed project. John Connors asked, ”What are your concerns are for the canal path?” Sharon said she was concerned there is an impact there that’s not being addressed. Dave Shropshire said there are currently two cars per minute, and that adding his traffic just means three cars per minute. 🗣️ Lee said people are part of the impact, and asked about how many events per week were anticipated. John Connors estimated 4-5 events per week, and suggested they might have movie night one night, comedy the next night, and weddings on the weekend. 🗣️ Kevin wondered if the applicant had done a study to determine how many events make it worth their investment. John Connors said there would be no valet. He said guests self-park, and an “attendant” takes their keys. He said it’s not going to be hundreds of cars. “Weddings are family events, and people don’t come alone in one car,” Connors said. People balked, and Connors responded, “You can Google it.” 🗣️ Pat, the Board Chair, asked if 4-5 events is the result of a study. John Connors said it was “aspirational.” He said banquet events would happen on the weekends, and that it’s a benefit to have trash dumpsters in the area. He said trash haulers come when they can get to the trash, so they’d show up in the off hours. Pat asked if there is an alcohol license. John Connors said they will apply for one, or expand their current license. Pat asked about the kitchen, and wondered about what it would cost for somebody to hold a play at the venue. John Connors said, “a not-for-profit usually books those kind of events.” Pat said he hadn’t been inside The Strand since he was a kid, and he asked about the condition inside. John Connors said it’s a flat-floor shell. #### Ten-Minute Break The meeting paused from 9:30-9:40pm. During that time, a local resident said, “It’s hot in here,” and another resident replied, “There’s a lot of hot air in here.” #### Public Questions 🗣️ Holly H. is a property owner in the CBD. She said traffic has gotten over the top in the past five years, and she submitted a collection of traffic photos, which she took in February and March. She has a masters from NYU in construction management, and her concern was the car and truck traffic. She asked the board to walk the site and provide their own traffic study. She also said the applicant’s traffic study was done while the New Hope/Lambertville bridge was closed to two way traffic. Mangelli noted the common theme of narrowness of Coryell Street, and said they are happy to provide a more robust traffic analysis. He said the applicant is willing to pay for the spots in front of their store so they “can free up space.” Mongelli also said Coryell Street is very narrow, based on his own experience. Jeff T. asked, “Are you testifying?” Mongelli said he was just answering Holly’s questions. Holly asked how the applicant will impact utilities. Mongelli said any impacts will have to be paid and addressed by the applicant. 🗣️ Linda W. asked about use variance criteria. How is the parking consistent with master plan? Will loading trucks back onto Coryell? Will the applicant limit loading hours? Will they obtain new counts for summer months? How do tandem parking spots revert to non-tandem, and what about employee parking? The applicant said the master plan is their guidance. Shropshire, who did the traffic study, said, “you’re gonna have loading activity, but it’s infrequent.” 🗣️ Cynthia R. is an attorney. She said the Coryell Bridge is due to be repaired in four years and she was concerned about delivery for construction. She asked if the two apartments would be affordable. The applicant said they would not. She asked more questions. John Connors said construction would last approximately one year, that they would like to beautify the parking area, and that the current train tracks easement is 8 feet from center line of the track. 🗣️ Pam M. G. has an event planning background and wanted to know how many events they’d hold over a weekend. She asked if they planned to hold two events in one day, and pointed out that a morning party and an evening wedding means double deliveries for flowers, catering, etc. John Connors said the expectation is for one primary event a day, but they might have a small party in the morning and a large event in the evening. Pam said, “so three major events in a weekend and a couple minor ones.” 🗣️ Jeff T. said they are not applying for a hotel, because a hotel is permitted and so they can go for it any time. He asked if they would put in a deed restriction to prevent a hotel. Richard Mongelli said, “no.” Jeff asked more questions. The applicant is creating approximately 1.900 sq ft of additional space. John Connors said that building was originally wood frame and is now masonry structure and exterior walls. They intend to install wood sheathing on the outside. Jeff said the structure is a historical trolly shed, but John Connors said there is no evidence of that. Jeff said he’ll send pictures. Jeff asked how all the retail is gonna work. John didn’t understand the question. The Board Chair said Jeff’s time had expired, but Jeff had one more question. “What is the public good?” he asked, because he didn’t hear any benefit for the public at large. “We’re not here making the argument that what we proposed isn’t publicly beneficial,” the applican said, “ The activation of this space, providing goods and services.” 🗣️ Judy G. said some residents had to leave due to the meeting running so long, and they hoped it would get carried over. She asked how wide the walkway to the Porkyard/Boat House is. Richard Mongelli said the ally is between 22-23 feet, and there will be emergency exits. “Aren’t you able to do affordable housing—just to do it?” Judy asked. “Yes, that’s fair,” said the applicant, agreeing that they *could* just do it. 🗣️ Rodger J. lives right there and hadn’t seen any photos of what it’s gonna look like. He said he gets a lot of dust and having 80 cars all leaving at 10pm means noise and lights. He asked if they could cover the lights, perhaps with trees. He asked if the trash cans would be enclosed, and how many there would be since there are already three there now. John Connors said they plan a code-compliant parking lot—paved. 🗣️ Dave B. asked for the maximum amount of cars that can park there. The answer was 57. Dave B. said if they have an event for 125 people, they’ll have more than 50 cars with employees. He asked about fire safety, but the applicant didn’t have an answer. 🗣️ Laura M. cited the quote from the applicant’s presentation where they said The Strand would seat “700 people a day, twice a day.” She pointed out that was from the early 1900s. She said she doesn’t see a wedding venue as a cultural venue and invited the applicants to visit Coryell Street on Mother’s Day, Halloween day, or other busy holiday. “If you live on Union, your mirrors have been hit,” she said, and then asked if a fire truck will fit in the ally. John Connors said an emergency vehicle can fit. 🗣️ Karen K. said a brewery is going into the Blue Raccoon building, and asked if that was factored in with the traffic study. The applicant said it was not. “If traffic study was done when bridge was closed,” she said addressing the board, “how can we accept that traffic study?” Shropshire said the bridge was open both ways when they did the traffic study. He said he believed the traffic study is completely valid, and no additional information would be gained by doing another study. 🗣️ Steve S. asked if the ally between The Strand and the lighting store would be covered, if they would lose parking, and if that was in the calculation for the big lot. He also asked if the ally between Hamilton Grill and the lighting store would be open to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The applicant said it would be only for pedestrian traffic, and their parking tally for spaces included retail traffic. Mongelli confirmed that there will not be valet parking. During events, “attendees” will tell people where to park, and then take their keys. He said the applicant will lose 12 parking spaces during events. The applicant had identified three loading zones on the property. Steve S. told the board that there’s an ordinance against the private parking lot. “Good luck, it’s a tough group,” he joked to the next resident at the podium. 🗣️ Steve H. asked about the hours for the events. John Connors said they have a hard stop at 10pm. Steve H. asked if the cars will all all exit onto Coryell Street. John Connors said the valet will have to be there, so there will be a valet. Steve H. asked if they will put a fence or wall at the far side of the parking so nobody drives over the edge. John Connors said they would. 🗣️ Stacy H. said a paved parking lot will send water into her house, and asked if can they make it semi-permeable. John Connors said it will be code-compliant. Stacy suggested they have valet parking and use a parking lot in another area. #### Public Comments 🗣️ Jeff T. said the board had the future of Lambertville in its hands. He said the application should be delayed. The traffic study wasn’t complete. “A ‘D variance’ is a zone change,” he said. “The founding fathers of this town didn’t want this. No way a private place has any public good. What happened in New Hope will happen here.” He pointed out, with due respect, that the city engineer and city planner didn’t do enough. Jeff’s voice built to a crescendo. “The future is in your hands, because D variance stands for destruction!” Residents applauded. 🗣️ Anne K. asked, “How is this a benefit for the city of Lambertville? How much are you renting the space for? Or are you going for only big money events? Will you set aside specific days for renting?” Richard Mongelli said you can’t have a historic renovation and not hold the events that pays for it. Anne asked if there will be certain days set aside \[for cultural events\]. John Connors said they proposed a wide variety of events: art shows, comedy nights, etc. Anne asked, “specific nights set aside?” John said they will have events, but they will be random. 🗣️ Kristen had lived in Lambertville for eight years and has seen business boom in last few years. She said she doesn’t see that they are bringing community space. “Weddings? We don’t need it.” she said. 🗣️ Another resident said there were too many questions about the impact of traffic. 🗣️ Michelle H. requested additional research for the state park path. She said a large fire truck can fit in the ally if you dropped it there from the sky, but there’s no way it can turn into the ally and the commercial kitchen is a fire risk. 🗣️ Jay lives on Coryell and said it’s really loud when trash trucks come by. He was concerned that there will be more noise. He said kids live there. “People don’t want it, so why keep fighting for it?” he asked the applicant. 🗣️ Amy said there was a jarring lack of human element. She mentioned a year of construction, the environmental impact to the canal, and fear of a person getting hit by the canal path. She felt they offer no public good, and said she has watched the traffic and residents increase over the last six years. She said that the applicant’s estimated 12 employees was downsizing their staffing needs, and she concluded by saying it’s not fair to the people who live here. 🗣️ Evan L. spoke directly to the board and said the data given is not enough for them to make a decision. “We don’t have enough information. That’s their problem, not your problem,” he said. “They should come with more stuff. No answers for community benefit. Someone asked what it costs to rent. No answer. It shows what they care about—money.” 🗣️ Jesse V. said the gravel lot is a beautiful part of town, and she was concerned about it. She said there was no talk of native plants. 🗣️ Holly H. said consideration should be given that this property is surrounded by residential properties. “This event space impacts an incredible amount of residential properties,” she said. 🗣️ Frank F. thanked zoning board and said, “I don’t see one positive aspect to this project. The traffic: Coryell is 29 feet wide. The average car is 6 feet wide. Mirrors get sheered off. I’m not anti development, I’m anti monster development.” He said there would be a transformer by his backyard, and requested that the board commission an independent traffic study and that the applicant pay for it. 🗣️ Karen K. thanked the board for staying until 11pm. She said Coryell Street has a history, and not the one we’re being sold, but as a neighborhood. She said the project threatened to choke our town, and Lambertville works because we have a life here. “That’s why we have zoning. Zoning helps us all work together. It upholds the integrity of our town,” she said. 🗣️ Steve S. was the last person in line to comment, and he simply said he agreed with the previous comments. Richard Mongelli said the applicant needed to do more work on traffic. Pat, the Board Chair, polled the board to see if they wanted to make a decision. Lee said she is not comfortable making a decision. Filomena made a motion to vote. Richard Mongelli said he wanted to withdrawal and come back in the future. He called for a time out, and stepped outside into the hall to talk with John Connors. Meanwhile, people in the room called out, “vote!” Upon return, Richard Mongelli said the applicant was mindful of the concerns from neighbors, so the applicant withdrew and will resubmit at a later time. Jovial chatter filled the room and people begin to exit. The board paid the bills, then adjourned. ### Meet Three Lambertville Creatives URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-creatives/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:55:31.000Z This article was originally written for Icon Magazine. ### Gwenn Seemel, Artist Lambertville artist, writer, illustrator, muralist, video producer, and public speaker, Gwenn Seemel, is a human dynamo. Gwenn has been creating art every day for more than 22 years. “It began this way,” Gwenn explained. “My brother encouraged me to become an artist, when he told me that my drawing of him as the captain of a spaceship ‘wasn’t bad.’” In school, Gwenn took a class in intaglio printmaking and intaglio has made all the difference in Gwenn’s art, which is filled with bold color and crosshatching. “The tiny dynamic marks that make up my art, give it its unique look and my main purpose as an artist. They’re a reminder that at the atomic level, matter is energy. My brushstrokes emphasize that movement.” ![a colorful painting of a lioness](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/gwenn.jpg) Gwenn Seemel’s **Protector(ess)* Since 2012, Gwenn has written and illustrated seven books. “These books represent my thoughts about mental health, literacy, creativity, copyright, queerness, and science. In 2014, I spoke at a conference about the role of imitation in creativity and then produced a book entitled You Share Good, which reveals why my art is not copyrighted. You could call me child-free, meat-free, god-free, and gender-free, but only if you remember that I’m not a negation.” Gwenn—who prefers the use of non-binary pronouns like they, their, and them—loves painting portraits, filled with layers of color and geometric patterns, which Gwenn explained, are a touchstone for who that person wants to be. Much of their art is an attempt to reframe misapprehensions and intervene in injustice. Gwenn’s art has appeared in Newsweek, the cover of an Oxford University Press Book. Gwenn has exhibited their art in numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide, and is in many public collections including: Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris, France, and the City of Portland‘s Public works collection, Willamette University, Salem, OR. A public speaker about the beliefs and purpose of their art, Gwenn has been interviewed by NJarts.net, and many local newspapers and publications. Gwenn also received a 2026 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Currently, Gwenn is participating in the 2026 creation of Philadelphia’s 52 Weeks of Firsts, a yearlong celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, with 52 weeks of first events, which historically occurred in Philadelphia. Gwenn is creating three of the 52 “firsts” sculptures, which are three foot tall, hard-coated polystyrene sculptures, shaped as the number one, and will be placed around the city. Gwenn’s #1 creations depict the first steamboat for passengers and freight, the first zoo, and the First Continental Congress. **Visit Gwenn’s website:** [GwennSeemel.com](https://gwennseemel.com/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Kate Gallison, Writer Kate Gallison, mystery book writer, has lived in Lambertville for 40 years, and has been writing for 60 years. Kate is gifted with a quick wit, loves to sew, collects miniatures, and worked in computer programming, and civil service for 20 years. She stated, “I write to help lift people’s spirits with humor, absurdity, and to take their minds off of whatever is bothering them.” Kate began writing in kindergarten and wrote her first short piece, a sci-fi story in 1st grade. Kate’s first mystery novel, Unbalanced Accounts, published by Little Brown, was favorably reviewed by the New York Times. Kate has published 16 novels, two of which she wrote under the pseudonym, Irene Fleming. ![Kate Gallison book cover](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/kate.webp) Kate Gallison’s **Return of the Toad* Many of her mysteries take place in small towns, carved from Lambertville. Her historical novels required that Kate do a great deal of research, especially Freddie Zorn and the Dark Invaders: a novel of WWI. Kate has written a series of books featuring Nick Magaracz, a Trenton private detective, as well as five traditional murder mysteries about a woman priest in the Episcopal Church. Kate’s Emily Daggett Weiss mysteries take place during the days of the silent movies. The first of these, The Edge of Ruin, won the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance prize for fiction. Her current series, The Witches of Washington, contains biting satire depicting the ongoing battle between seven women with assorted paranormal powers, their husbands, and Washington, D.C. enemies. Her newest book, The Return of the Toad, is the sequel to The Witches of Washington. Most of Kate’s novels are currently available on Amazon. **Visit Kate’s website:** [KateGallison.wordpress.com/books](https://kategallison.wordpress.com/books?ref=lambpage.com) ### Matt DeProspero, Artist Lambertville artist and teacher, Matt DeProspero, is the owner of MADE Gallery, a recent addition to a blossoming Church Street. “Art is my way of communicating with the world,” Matt explained. “My father wanted me to go to school, get an education, and work in an office, where I could meet pretty girls.” Matt wanted to be an artist. As a young student, Matt’s teachers realized that he liked to draw. He chose to go to Hussian College of Art in Philadelphia, where he studied illustration and design, as well as working from live models. Matt also received a certificate in painting and drawing from the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. For 20 years he worked in advertising and graphic design. ![a moody painting by Matt DeProspero](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/matt.webp) Matt DeProspero’s **Day Gives Way to Night* Although some of Matt’s oil paintings are large, he always begins by painting his vision of the outside world in a small sketch pad, creating miniature paintings. His sketch book is filled with whatever Lambertville offers him. Sometimes it’s the river, the ripples, reflections, and the light. His Lambertville cityscapes involve his love of architecture. Best of all, Matt loves to paint plein air. “A camera can never pick up the color of the sensitivity of your eye, as well as value and composition,” he noted. Matt is also a drummer and knows that music and art are all about rhythms, repetitions, and variations. “In my art I like to have forms that echo things, but they’re not exactly the same.” Matt strives to capture a fleeting sense of time and place by interpreting the atmosphere, color and light of each scene, whether a landscape, interior or still-life. His work has been in many group exhibitions, plein air painting competitions and festivals around the country. **Visit Matt’s website:** [MattDeprospero.com](https://mattdeprospero.com/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Get to Know the Lambertville Police URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-police/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T00:06:33.000Z In the span of two hours we answered an emergency call, patrolled the neighborhood, and conducted a traffic stop. It was a warm, sunny day in August when I arrived a the Lambertville Police Station for a scheduled ride-along with Lambertville’s chief law enforcement officer: Police Lieutenant, Robert Brown. After some required paperwork, we went out to the parking lot and climbed inside a very clean, new-smelling police cruiser. A tiny, black and white spider walked along the edge of my open window. I tried to guide it outside with my finger, but it jumped onto the floor, and disappeared under my seat. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Brown was pressing buttons. The front of a police car has a lot of technology: CB radio, laptop computer, radar gun, etc. He set a small electronic device into a mounted holder between us, and explained that he was syncing his body camera with the vehicle, because we weren’t in his usual car. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hat-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/keyboard-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/radio-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/seat-616x616-crop.webp) inside a Lambertville police cruiser As soon as we were on the street, Lieutenant Brown became surprisingly chatty. I had anticipated having to pry answers out of him, but he was very friendly. His mother is from New Hope. His father grew up in Lambertville and worked as a police special—a job that Lieutenant Brown remembers his father enjoying. He told me about how Lambertville used to be a laboring town, and that he was at the very first ShadFest, which had more attendees than today’s ShadFest. ### C is for ‘Community’ Lieutenant Brown is not someone who just shows up, collects a paycheck, and goes home. He was born and raised in Lambertville. He’s known he wanted to be a police officer since he was sixteen. He was an EMT (still has his credentials) and he has worked as a Lambertville police officer for the past thirty years. One of the great things about Lambertville is that you can know the coffee shop owner, the mayor, the teacher, the chocolatier, the city council, the art gallerist, the mechanic, the city clerk, and the police lieutenant—all on a first-name basis. ### O is for ‘On the Scene’ A call came over the radio: someone’s C02 alarm went off. Lieutenant Brown picked up the CB microphone, held it at the corner of his mouth, and said, “Seventeen fourteen is on the scene.” We headed over to check it out. Lieutenant Brown knows his way around town so we easily avoided the traffic on Bridge Street, which meant he didn’t have to turn on the sirens to get to the address quickly. A fire truck was already there. I walked with Brown towards the house, but I stayed back on the sidewalk as he and several firefighters entered the property and disappeared behind a fence. Dogs barked and heads turned. A neighbor came out and stood in their front yard. As I waited, I thought about how the 911 emergency system is made up of teams of people who all work together for the greater good of saving lives. A few minutes passed before the men emerged from behind the fence. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/firetruck-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/policefire-616x616-crop.webp) responding to an emergency call It was a false alarm. A person changed the batteries on their C02 detector, which alerted the monitoring company, who in turn called local emergency. Patrolling the neighborhood in broad daylight for one afternoon was fun and exciting for me, but I imagined how grueling the job of a law enforcement officer could become. Police have manual overtime, which means officers might have to stay on for a second shift if there is a need. Add in extreme weather, drunk people, or a natural emergency, and things could get very challenging. ### P is for ‘Paperwork’ Calls generate reports. Reports are checks and balances. Police, like doctors, keep records of everything, and Lambertville has kept reports for 30 years. When someone calls 911, their information gets stored. If someone loses a phone or wallet, that requires a report, which means paperwork. Modern police are expected to provide more services as they deal with white collar crimes such as identity theft and email scams. Documentation takes time. Lieutenant Brown talked about a construction scam that happened in town. It started out as a $10k job, then escalated to $20k, and then to $30k. When Lieutenant Brown saw the work order, he knew something was odd. The contractor said the city engineer required a whole chimney replacement, but Brown knew the Lambertville city engineer doesn’t handle residential work. It turned out the scammer was scamming people nation-wide, and the Feds caught the perpetrator at JFK airport just as he was about to get on a flight back to Ireland. Unfortunately, the victims likely won’t get their money back. Nowadays, it’s more and more common that people have Amazon packages stolen off their front porch. Videos from at-home doorbell cameras can serve as evidence, but the police have to review them, which takes time and expertise. When Lieutenant Brown started out, police had dash cams and VHS tapes in the trunk. Today, officers wear body cameras. Cameras, however, have a cost factor. Cloud storage is expensive. Lambertville’s current system costs around $64k for 5 years. Body-worn and in-car camera footage sometimes needs to be redacted. “If you want to stay in this job you’ve got to change with the times,” Lieutenant Brown said. “You have to stay up with it or you get left behind.” In New Jersey, officers can shop around for the best employment package. Pay is part of what retains officers, but work environment has an impact too. Police officers who stay in town get to the know the place, and the people. Lieutenant Brown wants to keep his team here, because officer retention saves lives. “When one person fails, we all fail,” he said. “When police fail, someone’s life can be at risk, so it’s important our administration in Lambertville has an open dialogue all the time.” ### S is for ‘Stories’ We were sitting in the police car, parked on the Route 29 median, near Mt. Hope Street, when I asked to hear some stories from his time in law enforcement. At the start of his career, Lieutenant Brown performed several DUI arrests. The individuals he arrested later came to him and said, “You saved my life,” because it was a turning point that led them towards sobriety. That feedback helped Brown feel that he was doing the right thing when enforcing the law. One time he was called to a break-in on Delevan at 2 o’clock in the morning. When he arrived, a drunk man was standing in the middle of the street with a hammer in his hand. The suspect had broken the window of a house while the owner was inside. When Brown arrived, the suspect ripped off his own shirt and lunged. Brown had to fight the man to the ground to make the arrest. As difficult as that sounds, Lieutenant Brown said one of the toughest times he’s ever experienced as an officer in town was in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. He was describing how emotionally and professionally difficult it was to process the hurricane’s damage when I was suddenly smushed into my seat, because he put the car in drive and quickly pulled onto Route 29. “39 in a 25 zone,” he said in a monotone, “We’re gonna stop that car right there.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/radar-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/ticket-616x616-crop.webp) the view from the dashboard The lights lit up, the cameras turned on, and we pulled up behind a blue Toyota. Lieutenant Brown wasn’t phased—he’d done it a thousand times before. The car was speeding through the new, 25 MPH speed zone that City Council, police, and community members agreed to create so to protect everyone’s safety. When Lieutenant Brown returned to the car, he sat with a pen and manually wrote the citation on a small notepad of yellow tickets. He said maybe one day Lambertville will move to an e-ticket system, but they have to pick and choose what they use budget money for, and e-tickets haven't been a priority as of yet. ### Say Hello In a small town like Lambertville, getting to know (y)our local police is not difficult to do. Communicating with local officers helps them to know us too. For example, if a strange, parked car causes concern at night, the police might be able to say, “That’s just so-in-so’s car. They’re working a late shift right now.” Officers observe patterns. They’ve seen you walking your dog when you get home from work, just like you’ve seen them when you’re out and about. Lieutenant Brown grew up here. He serves on the Lambertville Human Rights Committee. He cares about our community. He’s friendly and approachable. What’s more, Lambertville police officers don’t cover their faces with masks. They’re trained professionals who patrol our town to protect and serve local residents. They constantly communicate with City Council to make decisions about how police funds are spent, and to determine the department’s priorities. Saying hello to local law enforcement helps retain officers, but it ultimately saves lives. After all, who are you gonna call when a drunk intruder tries to break through your kitchen window with a hammer at 2 o’clock in the morning? ### Lambertville: October, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-october-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:16:42.000Z Jack-o'-lantern leaves fall and Trick-or-treaters hide, as Black Friday Christmas carols push them aside. It’s always busy in Lambertville during the month of October. This year was no exception. Below is by no means all of the events that happened, but it is some. #### Note Worthy Wedding On October 4th, musicians performed music on porches all over town as part of the annual [Lambertville Porchfest](https://lambertvilleporchfest.com/?ref=lambpage.com), which is organized by [Soupçon Salon](https://soupconsalon.club/?ref=lambpage.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/math1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/math2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/math3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/math4-616x616-crop.webp) Math and Sean at Porchfest (photos by Gwenn Seemel) The weather was perfect for music—or for a wedding! Math and Sean were married at a public ceremony in Mary E. Sheridan park. It was fitting that they celebrated at Porchfest, because the couple met at a Soupçon Salon event. #### Raise the Woof The weather was perfect for two and four legged friends to gather and show off costumes at the bone-chilling Howl-o-ween fundraiser in Mary E. Sheridan park. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/howl1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/howl2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/howl3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/howl4-616x616-crop.webp) costumes at the annual Howl-o-ween (photos by Gwenn Seemel) This annual charitable event helps raise money to support SoCo Rescue and the Pet Pantry at Fisherman’s Mark. If you’ve never attended, you’re missing out. #### No Reign on the Parade On October 18th, thousands of people gathered in Lambertville to protest the Trump administration’s authoritarian tactics at the Lambertville No Kings rally. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nokings1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nokings2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nokings3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nokings4-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville’s No Kings Rally (photos by Gwenn Seemel) Protesters marched peacefully through town, along the Central Business District, and then across the bridge into New Hope to hear guest speakers. #### Monster March On October 26th, monsters, ghouls, ghosts, witches, aliens, and more gathered at Mary E. Sheridan park for the annual Lambertville Family Halloween Parade. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/parade1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/parade2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/parade3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/parade4-616x616-crop.webp) Family Halloween Parade Participants admired each other’s costumes before they paraded down North Union Street and over to Ely Field to enjoy autumn snacks and play fun games. #### Fast and Fabulous Also on October 26th, in New Hope, was the 21st annual High Heel Drag Race. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hhdrag1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hhdrag2-616x616-crop.webp) High Heel Drag Race (photos by Gwenn Seemel) Contestants wore high heels and raced up and down Mechanic Street while carrying a pumpkin that they had to decorate at the top of the hill. #### Running Through Town On October 29th, the candidate for Deputy Governor, Dr. Dale Caldwell, visited Lambertville to chat with local businesses and anyone who stopped to say hello. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/caldwell1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/caldwell2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/caldwell3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/caldwell4-616x616-crop.webp) Dr. Dale Caldwell in Lambertville, NJ Dr. Caldwell visited several shops on Bridge Street including Lambertville Trading Company, Sandy’s Scoops, Foxy Red’s, and Giuseppe’s Ristorante. #### Building Character Residents continue to tolerate the noisy construction on North Union Street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/construction.webp) Construction on North Union Street (photo Gwenn Seemel) Hopefully this much-needed project will be completed soon. #### Halloween in Lambertville: 2025 On October 31st, thousands of people flocked to Lambertville to celebrate Halloween, which fell on a Friday this year and made it feel extra-festive. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-ernieburt-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-gargoyle-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-haunt-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-house-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-joetar-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-lide-616x616-crop-1.webp) Halloween in Lambertville, 2025 There was fear of wind and rain, but the bad weather passed through town the day before so that trick-or-treaters of all ages could enjoy Halloween in 2025. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-files-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-gourds-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-spooky-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween-step-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/halloween2-616x616-crop.webp) Halloween in Lambertville, 2025 #### Falling Back The month ended with us changing our clocks. Too bad we can’t turn back time to enjoy a second round of orange autumn bliss in Lambertville, New Jersey. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/sunset.webp) October sunset Now that another October has come and gone, Christmas carols will play, it’ll be dark at 5pm, and the possibility of a frosty snowfall is right around the corner. ### Fright-Seeing: Where to Experience Lambertville’s Best Halloween House Decorations URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-decorations/ Last updated: 2026-08-01T16:25:17.000Z Witch to visit? Visit them all! It will raise your spirits. Below are some of Lambertville’s most terror-ific Halloween houses, guaranteed to make you smile and scream in the 2025 spooky season. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it will help you to not miss out on anything fa-BOO-lus. ## Out of This World On your way through the center of town, check out Under the Moon ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFcgxn3c4K9admC49?ref=lambpage.com)). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/aliens.webp) out of this world on North Main Street The creators of this display went above and beyond with green goo, purple planet people, and alien artichokes that may or may not be on the menu. ## Administrators of Doomtown Step into a haunted Dickens novel where things are run by glowing blue ghouls. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/cityhall.webp) sculptures at City Hall on York Street The characters in the image above are on display in front of City Hall. Here’s a [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6ABtPhLPvVCZPv58A?ref=lambpage.com) to get you there. After you hear what they have to say, look around on York Street for more decorations (giant Misfits skull, anyone?). Then go to Chop Rite. ## Chop Rite This house is on North Union Street, around the corner from City Hall ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5eLKbCSXHBoeJCqaA?ref=lambpage.com)). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/choprite.webp) “Choprite” on North Main Street The good-humored owner of this residence creates a new theme annually, with this year’s theme being a freaky-funny take on our area’s local supermarket. Be sure to pay close attention to the creepy checkout items on the front porch! ## Skull and Homes Walk north on North Union Street you will find this home with its brightly-lit porch covered by a cast of boney brutes. You’ll have passed at least one grave yard and a parade of witches as you walked on your way to this monster mash. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/monsterporch.webp) feelin’ ghouly on North Main Street Here’s a [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eVS1qLJNWQTASmxu8?ref=lambpage.com) to help you get into “can’t miss them” range to see this and the next few houses. Get out your plastic fangs, because we’re about to take a bite. ## Purple Octopus House With its dry ice machine, holographic deep sea divers, and purple tenticles reaching out for a hug, this brick house makes living underwater seem feasible. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/octopus.webp) octopus’ garden on North Main Street The decorations in this part of town are family-friendly, and this might be the best place for little kids since the displays are close together and not too scary. ## Hooked on Halloween Keep going north and you’ll see a house that becomes a pirate ship every year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/pirate.webp) come sail away on North Main Street Watch where you step, because there are skeletons creeping out of the earth—or, if you have an imagination, up from the sea. If you have been to Lambertville for Halloween before, you know what’s next on our tour. ## Lambertville Halloween House This home may be the most famous of all the decorated spots in town, but sadly it is no more. The creator of the Halloween House [retired from doing it](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/09/lambertville-halloween-house?ref=lambpage.com). There is an illuminated scene out front, but it’s not the full experience that it used to be. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/halloweenhouse.webp) Halloween House on North Main Street Thankfully, the statues from the Halloween House are now on parade in local storefront windows all over town. To see a map of all the display locations, visit the [Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic website](https://www.trailofmagic.org/trail-of-magic-map/?ref=lambpage.com). ## Fangtasticly Frightening Turn the corner onto Delaware Avenue and you’ll find a string of houses with delightfully over-the-top decorations. There’s a gourd house that’s especially cool to see at night, a great pumpkin that you can pose with for a selfie, and grave yards filled with so many goblins you won’t know where to look first. Here’s a [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/H6LbdUgY8J5awoHs9?ref=lambpage.com) to get you there. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/people.webp) goblins, ghosts, and ghouls on Delware Avenue ## Thrilled to the Bones That’s a lot, but it’s not everything. A block away, on the corner of George and Jefferson, is a giant skeleton and a bunch of talking animatronics. Here’s a [map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/nPAUMooxSGveLBPx9?ref=lambpage.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/08/skeleton.webp) how about a hug on Jefferson Street ## Halloween in Lambertville is Boo-tiful Lambertville is full of so many fun, funny, and frightening displays. Walk down Clinton, Perry, and Buttonwood Streets. Look for the giant Snoopy sleeping on a pumpkin across from the ice cream shop on [North Union Street](https://maps.app.goo.gl/2o5thHdpZwEVTCYa6?ref=lambpage.com). Have fun, but also watch out, because a lot of the spiders webs are real—seriously. Enjoy your visit, and thank you for loving Lambertville as much as we do. ### Welcome Home: Visionary Woman Tarot with Kristine Gorman URL: https://www.lambpage.com/welcome-home-visionary-woman-tarot-with-kristine-gorman/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:41:28.000Z As a little kid, Kristine Gorman always spoke the truth, but her ability to read between the lines and voice keen insights did not always win her a lot of friends. “I call it ‘sunroof,’” Kristine said. “Whatever drops in comes out of my mouth.” A good use for her ability to say whatever popped into her head was not made apparent until later in life, when her husband gifted her a deck of Tarot cards in hopes that they might anchor all of her ‘artistic and truth-telling’ talents. Although Kristine didn’t consider herself a good student in the traditional sense, she found that books about Tarot fell right into her ears. She easily absorbed information from 1880s scholars, and from books published since the 1960s. Kristine later met Rachel Pollack, a Tarot icon who authored many titles on the subject. Pollack’s approach of using Tarot as a tool to embark on personal journeys was influential to Kristine, and Pollack became Kristine’s mentor. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/lovers.webp) The Lovers card (deep relationships) #### The Journey of Returning Tarot and tattooing often go hand-in-hand. Both disciplines were considered outlaw, but now they’re quite mainstream. Kristine’s husband, Shotsie, was a famous tattoo artist. The couple ran several tattoo/Tarot-related businesses together, including the Tarot Art & Tattoo Gallery in Sonoma, California. Shotsie was originally from Patterson, NJ, and Kristine grew up in Wayne, PA. At some point in their California residency, Kristine felt that she had experienced the west coast, and she was suddenly ready to go home. "There’re no lightening bugs in California,” she cited. One night, Kristine visited friends in New Hope, PA and she found herself surrounded by fireflies. It gave her “that feeling of where I grew up.” Kristine, her husband, and her son moved to Lambertville, NJ a few years ago. Sadly, Shotsie passed away in February of 2025 at the age of 73. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fool.webp) The Fool card (new beginnings) #### A Deck of Her Own Kristine is one of the few people who can say they’ve created and published their own Tarot deck, but that accomplishment didn’t happen overnight. “I had ideas about making a Tarot deck, but it just wasn’t really in front of me,” she said, talking about how her cards came to be. “Family was my first priority.” It took years of doing readings, giving presentations at national conferences, and educating people in the Tarot community before she felt she had cultivated the wisdom to be able to share and say something that warranted her own deck. When Kristine was finally ready, it wasn’t difficult for her to find a publisher. The [Visionary Woman Tarot deck](https://www.amazon.com/Visionary-Woman-Tarot-Full-Color-Guidebook/dp/1578638690?ref=lambpage.com) is made up of 78 cards (based on the Rider-Waite-Smith archetype) each featuring an original oil painting. Accompanying the Tarot deck is a 106-page guide book, authored by Kristine. “The guidebook is not Tarot 101,” she explained. “It’s my opinions about these cards as a long-time reader, and as the artist.” Tarot decks often get assembled by separate artists and authors, which makes Kristine’s deck unique, because she made the artwork and wrote the book. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/empress.webp) The Empress card (creativity and creation) ### Embracing the Divine Kristine regularly travels around the country to speak at Tarot conferences and events. She hosts a monthly Tarot meet-up at Union Coffee in Lambertville, NJ, and she recently led a workshop at Barnes and Noble using her own deck. Doing readings with her own cards has been fascinating, and humbling. She often sees things in the work that she didn’t realize were already there. The first person she read using the Visionary Woman Tarot deck was herself. “I was like, damn! It just kicked my ass,” she joked, wide-eyed and laughing. Kristine’s down-to-Earth sense of humor is light-hearted, yet serious. You get the sense that she is a person who has been through some traumatic strife. “I’ve done that. I’ve been there. I've seen it. I felt it. I get it.” Kristine quipped. She elaborated, “Healers and gifted people often have to go through their own washer and dryer, and get completely pummeled to cultivate the compassion or the knowledge—the wisdom—through experience, as opposed to just book-smart kind of stuff.” Kristine often compares life lessons to laundry to make her ideas relatable. Once, during a reading, a woman sobbed when she accepted that her father’s death wasn’t her fault. The woman’s friend witnessed it and told Kristine, “I’ve known this woman for 40 years, and she’s never said anything like that to me.” Another client said that Kristine doesn’t just read the cards, she reads what’s underneath the cards. That’s what it’s like to work with someone who has an educated Tarot lineage, and a whole bunch of real-world life experiences. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/world.webp) The World card (completion and fulfillment) A lot of time has passed since Kristine received her first Tarot cards and now—when Barnes and Noble Booksellers carries copies of her signature Tarot deck. Along that road, many hands have been dealt, many stories have been told, and many messages have been channeled through Kristine’s no-BS style readings. “It’s a wonderful mirror,” Kristine reflected, describing the art of Tarot. “But they’re just paper cards. They’re not magical.” When Kristine reads for her clients, she doesn’t ask questions beforehand. She just has them sit down so she can sunroof (say whatever drops in). Her goal is always for people to leave the table lighter than when they arrived. “There’s no one route to get to your epiphanies. If we’re are able to cultivate even a minute of perspective when things are happening—that’s everything.” #### More Information Contact Kristine to schedule a reading online or in Lambertville, New Jersey. Follow Kristine to learn about upcoming Tarot workshops, events, and meet-ups. [Kristine Gorman on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/visionarywomantarot/) | [Kristine Gorman on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/visionarywomantarot/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Lo-Fi MILF: Where Punk Meets the Blues URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lo-fi-milf-where-punk-meets-the-blues/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T23:01:46.000Z “The blues is not about people knowing you; it’s about you knowing yourself.” —Ma Rainey Meet Lo-Fi MILF: a Lambertville resident and musician who writes, records, releases, and performs all-original music. Her songs are punk-influenced by her spirited DIY ethic, yet they fit squarely in the blues genre. The result is a delightfully dangerous form of self expression that’s entertaining and inspiring. ### Delightfully Dangerous Lo-Fi MILF’s songs often feature overdriven vocals, gritty strings, and true blues structures. Some of her works have synthesizer overdubs, but not in any fluffy way. It’s the blues, alright, and it breaks out of the box just enough. Cover bands are a dime a dozen, but it takes courage to write, record, and release your own musical creations to the world. Lo-Fi MILF finds that process to be a struggle, but she cites her reward as “a way for me to be authentic.” Every day, she has to overcome the fear of being out there, and every day she has to trample the notion that she’s not allowed to do what she’s doing. “It’s capitalism internalized,” she said, “The idea that your value is based on a kind of success—the American capitalist dream—is bullshit. But I still have to mantra that, because I still feel that way, and I have to remind myself daily.” Her latest releases is titled “Gulf of Mexico,” and it is made up of four songs: “Hand It Over,” “Gulf of Mexico,” “Bad,” and “Cmon.” C’mon by Lo-Fi MILF #### Daring to DIY For Lo-Fi MILF, doing it herself means working with what she has, where she is. “I’m gonna use what I have right here, which is not much: a little interface, a laptop computer that has a big coffee stain on the screen and is about to give up the ghost, and a microphone that I’ve had for over twenty years,” she said. As someone who grew up around punk, Lo-Fi MILF sees it as a vehicle for the non-professional musician. Punk is easier to play, she says, particularly in the simplicity of it, and the blues is similar. That’s something she wants to deprofessionalize, because musical complexity can be exclusionary. “What I've learned to do,” she explained, “through punk and the blues, is to understand 1-4-5,” referring to the fundamental chord pattern used in blues. #### Seen and Heard Putting oneself out there for the world to enjoy, or judge, is never an easy thing to do. Artists always run the risk of being criticized, misunderstood, or rejected. “When you’re the weirdo, you get kicked to the curb, hard,” said Lo-Fi MILF. She’s been in bands, but she was always absolutely terrified by it. “It was kind of like a torture, masochistic. I used to ask myself all the time, ‘why would I do this to myself?’ It was so difficult for me,” she admitted. Her ability to be authentic today—so that she’s not falling apart with terror—is the result of a long journey. Nowadays, being Lo-Fi MILF has become “an empowering act of rebellion.” “What I’m doing now, it’s a survival skill, but it’s also really fun and free. I can do whatever I want. I don’t have to negotiate with anyone,” she said. Streak of Bad Luck #### Down to the Crossroads Lo-Fi MILF drove to New Orleans, then back up along the Blues Trail, which highlights the places where great musicians made their mark. She stopped in Clarksdale, Mississippi where Samuel Jackson owns a blues club called Ground Zero, and she also visited the Delta Blues Museum. “I walked in \[the museum\] and they were playing the Rolling Stones,” she recalled, “and I was like ‘what the–? They’re playing the Rolling Stones,’ and their thesis was—you can guess what their thesis was—some inopportune comment about one of them being splashed by white paint.” She also stopped in Memphis and Nashville, which are places that are considered the heart and soul of American blues music. “I came through Nashville, Tennessee, which is apartheid, okay? It’s apartheid! It’s not okay to go to Nashville and act like it’s not apartheid,” she pointed out. Lo-Fi MILF described herself as a traveler who is obsessed with freedom and the idea of getting away, or “getting to the other side.” She often goes to jazz and blues jams so she can sit in with the (usually all-male) musicians. Sometimes she ends up playing music with peers, other times the musicians respond like, “Where’s your chaperone?” or “Where’s your husband?” Lo-Fi MILF lamented, “I feel gaslit by the fact that the overwhelming majority of musicians are men, which makes musicianship a middle class and upper middle class male privilege for the most part, and why?” 600 Ft Vixen #### Poetry vs. Patriarchy The book *Blues and Black Feminism* by Angela Davis was influential for Lo-Fi MILF, because it highlights lyrics from the 20s and 30s. At the time, women in blues were singing about what Lo-Fi MILF described as, “a pornographic kind of punk-rock ethic.” According to Davis, the protagonists in women’s blues were free-thinking, free-wheeling individuals who lived by their own rules. Lo-Fi MILF compared that to current pop, “Right now women's voices in music are so pensive and coquettish, and almost like women with the voice of a child, all whispery and non-confrontational, and I don't want to be that. I’m tired of it.” That’s Lo-Fi MILF: anti-professional, anti-capitalist, pro-community music that takes you on a journey and dares you to live a more delightfully dangerous life. Check out Lo-Fi MILF’s album [Gulf of Mexico](https://lo-fimilf.bandcamp.com/album/gulf-of-mexico?ref=lambpage.com). Also listen to [600 Ft Vixen](https://lo-fimilf.bandcamp.com/track/600-ft-vixen?ref=lambpage.com) and her [early works](https://lo-fimilf.bandcamp.com/album/lo-fi-milf-early-works?ref=lambpage.com) on Bandcamp.com. See and follow [Lo-Fi MILF](https://www.youtube.com/@Lo-FiMILF?ref=lambpage.com) on Youtube. ### Art-o’-ween: Celebrating the Creativity of Lambertville’s Scary Season URL: https://www.lambpage.com/art-o-ween-lambertville/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:40:39.000Z Some of the most artistic Halloween decorations in town are made from gourds, clay, and reworked store-bought elements. Lambertville may be famed for the black-and-white Halloween sculptures at Dolores Dragan’s Halloween House, but those polystyrene and papier mâché figures aren’t the only creepy creations on display this October. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/puneet.webp) Puneet Rao’s gourd art On Delaware Street between George and Main, there’s a more biodegradable kind of boogie man, built from a multitude of gourd varieties, including spinners, pears, and eggs as well as basketball gourds, tobacco box ones, and, of course, the calabash. It was this last kind of squash that first got Puneet Rao growing gourds back in 2012. Puneet had been doing Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art, which brings together movement and music. The audio element of Capoeira is often played on a berimbau, an instrument that consists of a single-stringed bow that’s usually attached to a dried calabash for resonance. When he broke his berimbau, Puneet—as someone who has, as he put it, “always been an artist” but hasn’t felt as able to express it until more recently—decided to learn how to make his own. That’s when he got drawn into the rhythm of these extraordinary plants. Puneet sows the gourds in May one year and by the following spring they’re dry. “You just leave them,” he explains. “They grow this mold on them, and the mold dehydrates it from the outside. It sucks up all the moisture.” It sounds simple, but Puneet revealed that at every point in the process—as they’re growing, molding, and drying—the fruits can rot or attract insects and end up with holes, so it’s hard to grow the big ones. And that’s just the beginning. Then the artist must figure out what he wants to make from the gourds. Puneet connected these plants to Halloween in 2021, when he and his family moved to Lambertville and were inspired by the creativity in town. “Everybody’s got a theme. The first year we were here, we were like ‘we gotta have a theme!’ I’d been growing these gourds in different varieties for I-don’t-know-what-reason—obviously for this reason.” This fall, Puneet is debuting his latest creation, an enormous insect called Gourdonfly, a match for 2024’s addition, Arachnigourd, who’s lurking around his display again this year. The artist acknowledges that people might not necessarily note the buggy emphasis he’s working on, and that’s okay. For my part, I’m happy for whatever direction Puneet’s imagination takes him in. I love how different his gourdful goblins look in daylight and then lit from within at night, and I appreciate the playfulness inherent to the process as Puneet responds to whatever shapes the gourds give him. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/winnie.webp) Winnie Weiss’ ceramic art Puneet’s sense of whimsy reminds me of [Winifred Weiss](https://www.wwsculpture.com/?ref=lambpage.com), a Lambertville sculptor who describes her ceramic Halloween decorations as a stress-free way to work in clay. “All I have to do is make some bulging eyeballs, sharp teeth, and interesting colors,” Winnie says. This is in contrast to her usual work, which is often described as “creepy,” but in a more subtle and unsettling way. The artist is known for creating figures with expressive hands, intense eyes, and ambiguous narratives, open to the viewer’s interpretation but that, for the artist, is usually inspired by emotional issues or the bizarre world of physics. This branch of science was her focus at university, influenced by her father, who took her to hear a lecture by a famous physicist at the Franklin Institute when she was in the tenth grade. Noting her decision to major in art in high school, her dad told her: “it’s a nice hobby, but you can’t make a living that way.” Winnie jokes that she got back at him by going to college for physics, which is not noted for its value on the job market. It wasn’t until the late 1970s, after having her first child, that she came back around to creativity, attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for a few years. And Winnie has been making art ever since, moving her home and studio to Lambertville over a decade ago now. Most days, the artist is at work in her ground floor space on Church Street at the intersection with George. You can see her Halloween ceramics in the large picture window there and also at her home on Perry Street, between George and Main. Of all her fearsome faces and figures, my favorites are probably her many iterations on the baby face. This repeated form is styled in a variety of ways, and that makes me eager to see where Winnie will go next with the chubby little cheeks and oversized forehead. The artist explains that somebody gave her a doll mold, allowing her to experiment with color and design without the fuss of building a sculpture from scratch. And that’s what the Halloween decorations are all about for Winnie: a low-key kind of mischief that opens up her creativity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/kevin.webp) part of Kevin Griffin’s artful display at La Chocolate Box [Kevin Griffin](https://www.instagram.com/jujygriff/reels/?ref=lambpage.com), for his part, rings in October in a higher key. His displays in the windows of La Chocolate Box at 39 N Union Street make it a not-to-be-missed stop for anyone wandering Lambertville’s central business district at any time of year, but it’s at Halloween that this graphic designer and 3D collage artist truly shines. For the 2025 season, Kevin is introducing the Rat King. Purchased from a purveyor of Halloween fun, the huge animatronics rodent was billed as a mutant. Its face and feet had a greenish hue and open sores, and the fur was all wrong, so Kevin repainted and re-embodied the rat in a dignified grey to match his vision. He gave the king a black-and-white sad-clown doll as a companion—or possibly a meal—and he rounded out the royal half of the shop’s display with a menacingly beautiful hornet’s nest. On the right side of the store’s entrance, the artist has brought to life a surreal painting, reminiscent of a goth Salvador Dalí. Kevin told me that the human figure with a head made entirely of small black roses is grieving the state of our world, and she’s positively sinister in her daintiness. Between the two displays, the artist has added a black beaded curtain that you must pass through in order to enter La Chocolate Box. This mourning veil for the building is visually dramatic, but also pleasingly tactile and even musical, with the tinkle of the beads giving chocolate-lovers the feeling that they’re being swept onto a different plane of existence. The richness of Kevin’s Halloween expression is, like Puneet’s gourd sculptures and Winnie’s creations in clay, special to me. They remind all who come to our town that, though decorating off-the-rack can be joyful, making a do-it-yourself kind of effort is even more so. ### Halloween in Lambertville: 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/halloween-lambertville-2025/ Last updated: 2026-09-30T14:23:49.000Z Looking for 2026 info? See [Your Guide to Halloween in Lambertville, NJ: 2026](https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-2026/). Lambertville’s Halloween hospitality is on full display in October! Lambertville, NJ is known as a Halloween town, because we get creative (AKA crazy) with skeletons, spiders, ghosts, and goblins. Every autumn, thousands of visitors come to Lambertville to feel spooky, scary, and sometimes sentimental. ##### In this post: - When to see the Halloween decorations - Family Halloween Parade details - Halloween Trick-or-Treat times, schedule, and information --- ### When to See the Halloween Decorations Lambertville isn’t a “pumpkin on the front porch next to some dried corn stalks” kind of place. We do giant Jack-o’-lanterns, haunted pets, fog machines, front-lawn grave yards, bubbling cauldrons, and sci-fi horror movie sets. Many Lambertville residents start preparing their homes for Halloween in September so that yards and businesses already have decorations on display by October 1st. If you’re reading this in October, visit Halloween in Lambertville! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gord-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/monster-family-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/skeleton-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/yard-616x616-crop.webp) Halloween decoration in Lambertville, NJ Expect to see many home-made setups: we’ve got a pirate house, an undersea house, and a themed house that changes every year. Look for blinking eyes in the darkness, glowing faces, haunted sounds, and lots and lots of skeletons. The density and elaborateness of the Lambertville Halloween decorations increases as you get closer to October 31st, and stuff gets added all the while. Many homes have mood lighting, unexpected surprises, and some even have terrifying animatronics. The darker it is outside, the more fun and funky it is. The best time to see decorations is anytime in October. However, if you visit after October 15th then you’re more likely to see more complete decorations, and there will also be more more visitors viewing the spooktacular scenes. #### If You Have Very Young Children Come during the afternoon or early evening—anytime it’s still light out. #### If Your Kids Like Scary Come in the late evening and hang around past dusk. That way you’ll discover two (light and dark) layers of creepy fun before you go out for pizza. #### Children of All Ages Walk around after sunset. The lights and sound effects really pop in the dark! Weekends are more crowded than weeknights, so arrive early to find parking. Residents are used to visitors walking around to experience the decorations as late as 10pm. After that, just be quiet and you’re not going to bother anyone. (Make sure to read all the way to the bottom of this post so you know what’s happening with the [Lambertville Halloween House](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/09/lambertville-halloween-house?ref=lambpage.com).) --- ### Lambertville Family Halloween Parade The annual Lambertville Family Halloween Parade will happen at 2:45pm on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at [Mary E. Sheridan Park](https://maps.app.goo.gl/NyPPpBKeh4Fchm4U9?ref=lambpage.com). The parade will depart at 3pm, so be there by 2:45pm to mingle and see the costumes before you march. The parade will start at Mary Sheridan Park, then turn right onto Union Street, then right onto Perry Street, and then it will end at the Ely Park Pavilion. Kids of all ages are welcome to show off their wonderful and creative costumes. No registration is required, and the parade happens rain or shine. Refreshments include cider, donuts, and some gluten free treats. Lambertville Brass will be playing music. There are no prizes—this is just a grand, old-fashioned parade with fun, family, and friends. For more details, visit the [Family Halloween Parade](https://www.facebook.com/events/1885070245391207/) page on Facebook. --- ### Lambertville Halloween: October 31, 2025 On the evening of Halloween, North Union Street closes and thousands of people come from all over the tri-state area to trick-or-treat, eat candy, see the costumes, and to fully experience Halloween in Lambertville, New Jersey. ![hundreds of people dressed in costumes on North Union Street in Lambertville, NJ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/people.webp) Lambertville Halloween trick-or-treating **A lot of people** come to Lambertville on Halloween when it falls on a weeknight, but this year Halloween falls on a Friday, so it’s going to be extra crowded. People often do all of their trick-or-treating in town. “Kids” that are too old (or too cool) to trick-or-treat often parade up and down North Union Street before walking across the bridge to New Hope, PA where they go to dance and party. #### North Union Street Closed 5pm-9pm 5-8pm On October 29th, the city announced that North Union Street will be closed to traffic from 5-8pm, not 5-9pm as previously reported. North Union Street closes to vehicular traffic, leaving pedestrian access only. There are many decorated houses within the designated walking area, which makes it a safe and family-friendly location to go trick-or-treating. #### Official Trick-or-Treat Hours are 6-8pm The residents who participate in the Halloween activities on North Union Street tend to sit outside if they are distributing candy—that way you don’t have to compete with thirty other kids when you go up and down a small set of front steps. People with very little kids often bring a wagon or decorated stroller. You don’t have to stay on North Union Street. Perry Street, Clinton Street, and other parts of town get busy with trick-or-treaters as well. Some of the best-decorated homes are a short walk off of North Union Street. See [this post](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/10/lambertville-halloween-decorations?ref=lambpage.com). #### Adults Dress Up Too Don’t be lame! Get into the spirit and show us your fun costume. Lambertville is a place where you can participate and enjoy Halloween however you wish. #### Lambertville Halloween House Delores Dragan’s famed Halloween House is no longer active, at least not how it was in previous years. You will find some decorations at that house, but the full display is now dispersed into black-light illuminated storefronts in Lambertville’s business district. You can read about why the [Halloween House retired](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/09/lambertville-halloween-house?ref=lambpage.com). ![glowing haunted figures on the front steps of an old brick house](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/09/halloweenhouse.webp) Lambertville Halloween House Thanks to the [Lambertville Creative Arts Fund](https://www.lambertvillecreativeartsfund.org/?ref=lambpage.com), Delores’ whimsical sculptures are on display in what is now called the “[Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/09/lambertville-halloween-house?ref=lambpage.com),” so the Halloween House figures can still be seen. Here’s a [map of where they are](https://www.trailofmagic.org/trail-of-magic-map/?ref=lambpage.com). If the Halloween House meant something to you over the years, perhaps write a thank you note and leave it on the front steps of the Halloween House. LambPage.com will be writing about Halloween all month long, so check back throughout October as we highlight some of the amazing homeowners who are stepping up to carry the creative torch that the Halloween House used to hold. ### The 96th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill URL: https://www.lambpage.com/96th-phillips-mill-juried-art-show/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:39:27.000Z In a region rife with juried art shows of varying quality, the yearly exhibition at the Mill stands out, both for the 25 generous prizes awarded to artists and for the seriousness of the jurying. As the summer winds down every year, a handful of art experts with formidable résumés descend on the 300 year old building in New Hope to review works created by painters, draftspeople, and sculptors haling from within a 25 mile radius of the Mill. This year, the judges were assessing over 700 artworks that had all been delivered to Phillips’ Mill for what’s called Jury Day, when the experts come to Bucks County to examine the art in person. For this iteration of the annual juried show, those experts were Robert Reinhardt from the Fleisher Art Memorial, William Valerio from the Woodmere Museum, and Michael Williamson from The Barnes Foundation along with artists Chakaia Booker and Jase Clark. Phillips’ Mill prides itself on bringing in judges from outside our little slice of the Delaware River valley. As the Juried Art Show committee chair Paul Klug explained in an interview for WDRV 89.7 FM’s *Let’s Talk!*: “we want them to maintain their independence and look at \[the work\] purely for its artistic capabilities.” When you’re awarding two dozen prizes totaling $14,500, you want to be sure that the jurors have a fresh take on the work—one that will hopefully not be influenced by personal knowledge of the human behind the art. ![a painting of a group of people celebrating by holding sparklers that are lighting up the darkness](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/seanmount.jpg) Sean Mount **We Are Stardust/The Bat/Like Hadoukening in Lenapehoking* (oil on linen) For example, Lambertville artist [Sean Mount](https://www.seanmount.com/?ref=lambpage.com) was the recipient of the Patrons’ Award for Painting, a prize which, like all the show’s awards, is decided by the jurors and funded by Phillips’ Mill patrons. In 2019, Mount received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and he has had a thriving career portraying mostly landscapes, but it’s unlikely that the Pennsylvania-based jurors were evaluating *We Are Stardust* on this measure. Rather, it’s Mount’s nuanced depiction of sparkler light at night that doubtless impressed the judges. ![a painting of two colorful birds sitting at a table and drinking tea while dressed as society ladies](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/pondergoembel.jpg) Ponder Goembel **Gossip* (charcoal paper, gouache, artist’s crayons, and colored pencil) To my eye, it’s Buck’s County artist [Ponder Goembel](https://pondergoembel.com/ponderwho.html?ref=lambpage.com)’s work that shone brightly. In an exhibition that draws heavily on the Pennsylvania Impressionism vibe of many of the creatives in the area, Goembel’s surrealist teatime proved that birds of a different feather can flock together. From the detail of the toucan’s glasses riding high on her bill to the shards of gossip floating between the figures, I love the way this piece uses the imagery of children’s books to speak to adult lessons. ![three handmade ceramic sculptures that are round and tall with varying waves of circumferance from top to bottom](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/lisanaples.jpg) Lisa Naples **Trees* (custom red clay with glaze) And then there’s this group of expressive clay forms by [Lisa Naples](https://www.lisanaples.com/?ref=lambpage.com), a Frenchtown ceramicist and educator best known for her figurative work who’s recently found herself exploring abstraction more and more. She likens this non-representational direction to poems in contrast with her representational work, which she sees more as novellas. The poetic piece on display at the Mill originated in Naples’ process. She was developing a glaze for one of the large sculptures currently featured in *Grounded in Gold*, her layered and lavish solo show at the Michener Museum, and she needed tall objects that would provide vertical surfaces on which to test the finish. That’s when these tree shapes appeared in her mind. “I’m in the habit of accepting images that drop like this without questioning them,” Naples shared. *Trees* is the first group of these forms that was successful, with many more having been made and lost as she works out “the chemistry of the dripping” for her new glaze. Though the sculptor sees titles as “important pointers,” she also values the way that the public can decide an artwork’s significance for themselves. “I find that potent and beautiful: that the viewer’s interpretation can be unrelated to mine and yet speak meaning that the viewer needs to understand.” This viewer, for one, appreciates that openness. As I wandered throughout the Mill taking in all the art, I was struck again and again by the power of community—so much so that it ended up informing my choice of artworks for this article. Whether it’s in the joyful block party in Mount’s painting, in the less-than-lovely aspects of community in Goembel’s image, or in the more ambiguous narrative of Naples’ forms relating and playing off each other, the space between us matters enormously. Phillips’ Mill’s *96th Juried Art Show* is an artful example of the extraordinary things people can accomplish when they work together as a community. The exhibition is on display every day from 1 to 5 pm at [Phillips' Mill](https://www.phillipsmill.org/?ref=lambpage.com), across the river from Lambertville at 2619 River Road, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Admission is $6 for the general public and free for Mill members, and the show runs through October 26th. *Author’s note: I’ve been a part of the Phillips’ Mill community as an exhibiting artist in the past. My art appeared in the 94th and 95th Juried Art Shows, and it won an award in 2024\. I did not apply for the show this year for a variety of reasons, and I’m glad, because it allowed me to write this review without my take on the 96th Juried Art Show being clouded by personal feelings.* ### Lambertville: September, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-september-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:20:40.000Z “All the months are crude experiments, out of which the perfect September is made.” – Virginia Woolf ### Dangerous Caterpillars A large, yellow caterpillar with what appear to be black antennas was spotted crossing the towpath just north of Lambertville, NJ. If you encounter one of these pretty monsters, don’t try to pet it! The bristles, which contain toxin, can break off and embed into your skin and cause an irritated, itchy, burning rash. ### Lambertville After Hours On September 6th, the Lambertville Chamber of Commerce held another successful After Hours event on Church Street. This family-friendly gathering featured a DJ, dance floor, group painting, refreshments, activities, and more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/after-crowd-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/after-dance-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/after-draw-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/after-paint-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville After Hours ### New Hope Fireworks The After Hours event ended just in time to walk down to the river and watch the last New Hope Fireworks display for the season. The drone show featured lots of football-related imagery, including trophies and the words, “Go Birds!” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fireworks.webp) New Hope fireworks ### Grand Opening On the same night as the New Hope Fireworks, Lambertville locals and visitors alike gathered for the grand opening of [Invertase Brewery](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/07/invertase?ref=lambpage.com) on Lambert Lane. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/invertase1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/invertase2-616x616-crop.webp) Invertase Brewery grand opening A food truck parked outside of the new brewery and sold pizza, while inside people enjoyed tasting the beer created by brewmaster, Stephen Zolnay. ### Cross Pollination Gallery Turned 7 On September 6th, painter SiriOm Singh and fiber artist Ayala Shimelman hosted a gallery party to celebrate their 7th year in business in Lambertville. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/ayala-gordon-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/siriohm-guests-616x616-crop.webp) party at Cross Pollination Gallery The [gallery](https://www.crosspollinationgallery.com/?ref=lambpage.com), which was originally located on Bridge Street but is now located on N. Union Street, features painting lessons, live music, community gatherings, and the opportunity to buy art made by these prolific, gallery owning artists. ### Fighting Words On September 9th, a stopped car blocked the road on Coryell Street. The driver appeared to be talking with some people. At first it seemed they were going to say goodnight and get out of the way. However, they did not move. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/yeller-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/yeller3-616x616-crop.webp) The man with the hat yelled at the driver, saying the driver was stupid for being aggressive since the man in the hat was there with several other guys. The driver and passenger got back into their car. The man with the hat told the driver to take his “piece of shit car” and leave. The man in the hat continued to yell, and he pushed on the car door shut on the driver. Someone from in the alley—possibly one of the guys to which the man in the hat had referred—yelled, “fucking liberals!” The couple in the car drove away, and the man with the hat and the woman who stood by him walked into the alley that leads to Revolution Woodfire Grille. ### Construction Paper ≠ Construction There’s paper covering the windows at the former Finkles Hardware store, which could mean someone is doing work inside, but it could also mean nothing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/finkles.webp) formerly Finkles Hardware There’s a business card for a construction company on the window too, and people have been seen going in and out of the old store. ### Hidden Picnic Table LambPage previously reported about [FenceGate](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/08/fencegate?ref=lambpage.com), where the pathway behind Canal Studios was closed and locked to prevent pedestrians from passing. There used to be a picnic table by the gate, but in September it was removed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/table.webp) hidden picnic table Turns out the table was placed behind the fence that surrounds the trash dumpsters. Management cited finding drug paraphernalia as a reason they closed the gate, and then they hid the table behind a fence. 🤔 ### Street Art Strikes Again Thank you to the person who keeps posting photographic prints on the corner of Bridge Street and Union Street. Let’s all post random artworks around town! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/photo.webp) It’s safe to say that Lambertville locals will soon be expressing themselves (in the form of skeletons, spiders, and skulls). Actually, that’s already happening. ### The Building that Haunts Wouldn’t it be great if the owners of the former Ota-Ya Japanese restaurant at least stuck a ghostly image behind one of their windows in time for Halloween? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/ghosthouse.webp) a Lambertville ghost house Speaking of Halloween... ### They’re Back! By September’s end, the [Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/09/lambertville-halloween-house?ref=lambpage.com) was up and running. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/delores1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/delores2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/delores3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/delores4-616x616-crop.webp) scenes from the Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic Thanks to the [Lambertville Creative Arts Fund](https://www.lambertvillecreativeartsfund.org/?ref=lambpage.com), you can see Delores Dragan’s glowing creative nightmares in businesses and shop windows all over town. ### Positively Delicious The storefront display at La Chocolate Box never disappoints. One year they had sound effects that were triggered with a foot switch. The next they had a life-sized evil monkey monster that stayed to celebrate several more holidays. Make sure you go by to see whatever you call this beautiful and terrifying creature. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/rose.webp) window display at La Chocolate Box It’s been wonderful watching the community decorate for Halloween. As we slide into autumn and October officially gets underway, remember that these are the good old days, because masks might become common all year ’round. ### Tapping In: Slow and Steady Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu URL: https://www.lambpage.com/slow-steady-brazilian-jiu-jitsu/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:07:26.000Z “The only person you should ever compare yourself to is your former self.” — Nick “Turtle Power” Manela There’s a new martial arts school in town. It’s located just off Rt. 179, directly across the street from West Amwell Township Elementary. Go down the long driveway there, and at the end you’ll see an old, single-level building. Inside you’ll find Slow and Steady Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Slow and Steady is run by black belt instructor, Nick “Turtle Power” Manela. Manela’s nickname comes from his love for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and for the fact that he started learning Karate when he was just 4 years old. “I always wanted to be a Ninja Turtle,” Manela said, smiling. After years of Karate, Manela wanted to try mixed martial arts (MMA). That led him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), which is a self-defense system based on grappling and ground fighting. He found a school near his home, and joined. He liked that Jiu-Jitsu has conventions similar to Karate—belts, bowing, tradition—and he enjoyed the community aspect. He even remembers the day he began: August 13, 2009\. Now, 16 years later, he’s striking out on his own. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/nick.webp) Nick “Turtle Power” Manela ### Change Your Life Getting from ‘white belt’ to ‘owning a dojo’ hasn’t been easy. He started learning Jiu-Jitsu in 2009 and didn’t earn his black belt until 2019, which is par for the course. It often takes ten years or more for practitioners to reach that level. Originally, Manela did not plan to open a business. He just trained as often as he could, and eventually he entered some competitive amateur fights. During one of his matches, he walked into a punch and was knocked out. His body kept fighting, but he didn’t regain awareness until the middle of the bout. After that, Manela decided he didn’t want to be hit in the head anymore. “It made me realize my brain is a precious thing,” he said matter-of-factly, “Jiu-Jitsu is more friendly. We don’t punch each other in the head in Jiu-Jitsu.” Now he teaches people how to avoid getting punched. Manela has taught at Nick Catone’s martial arts school in Brick, NJ. He taught full-time at Gracie Barra in Lawrenceville, NJ for nearly eight years, and he also taught in Newtown, PA. Teaching made him fall in love with sharing the art, and he thrives on watching his students evolve and grow from their participation in the practice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/bbelt-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/medals-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/ninjaturtle-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/sign-616x616-crop.webp) Slow and Steady Brazilian Jiu Jitsu “Jiu Jitsu causes people to make better choices with their life,” Manela said. “You can’t have unhealthy habits off the mat and expect to perform well on the mat. Maybe people smoke cigarettes, or drink alcohol a lot, or they don’t eat very healthy. That has to change quickly if they want to do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.” It wasn’t until he met Julie Garcia-Roman, now his wife, that Manela started to think about running his own place. “I knew there was a bigger reason for me to keep training and keep fighting,” Manela said, looking out over the light green mat, dark floors, and white walls. ### Slow and Steady Manela knew he wanted to be in or near Lambertville, but finding a suitable space was tricky. Several deals fell through. He had trouble getting his mats delivered. Then the roof leaked. Then he didn’t have working air conditioning until the end of the summer. Still, he persisted... slowly and steadily. Now that the dojo is up and running, he’s imbued it with his character: classic dojo meets Star Wars and Ninja Turtle decor. This is the dichotomy of Manela’s school. On one hand it’s traditional, serious, and vital. On the other hand it’s playful, whimsical, and welcoming to kids of all ages. “Anything good in life, you cannot rush,” Manela said, explaining the ethos behind Slow and Steady. ”You have to take your time. Everything worth doing is worth taking time for. It’s not about the end result, it’s about working hard to get to that end result. It's about enjoying the process and realizing that there is no need to rush, you’re right where you’re supposed to be.” ### Now Enrolling Slow and Steady currently offers Jiu-Jitsu classes, and they plan to add more disciplines in the near future. The 3-6 year old classes are growing quickly, and evening classes for kids and adults are close behind. Daytime classes are in the works, and law enforcement programs are discounted for life. They also host a recurring women’s self-defense workshop, taught by a visiting instructor. The school has 1,500 square feet of mat space plus bathrooms, changing rooms, and a weight room / lounge area (with a couch, TV, and Nintendo switch). “Jiu Jitsu is a lot of fun,” Manela said. “It’s a great way to make new friends. It’s a great skill to have, and it’s a growing sport right now. Come train!” Visit the website: [Slow and Steady BJJ](https://slowandsteadybjj.com/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Lambertville’s Own: Human Adult Band URL: https://www.lambpage.com/human-adult-band/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T01:37:08.000Z It’s not noise, but it’s noisy. There’s a lot of drone and a lot of dissonance. Sometimes it’s meditative, sometimes it’s chaos. [Listen to the music of Human Adult Band](https://www.dihd.net/?ref=lambpage.com) and you’ll be reminded that your future is larger than your past, and only accessible through the present. Human Adult Band is not another cover song act. Human Adult Band is driving in the car late at night and you come across music on the radio that takes you into a trance. It’s Frank Zappa meets Dead Kennedys meets Daniel Johnston meets take-you-out-of-this-world noise and unexpected soundscape. It’s music you haven’t heard before, because you haven’t tuned to the end of the dial, wandered on the other side of town, or walked far off the beaten path. ### The Past In 1993, a young T Penn formed a punk band with his middle school friends. When it came time to divide up the musical roles, T ended up on bass (now his main instrument). A decade later, T was living in New Brunswick, NJ where he formed another punk band. When the drummer moved away, T wanted to do something looser and more open so that musicians could sit in and jam. The songs he wrote had structures, but there was a lot of room for creative improvisation. It was punk inspired by jazz in a way, with songs that allowed for personal expression so that different players could add their own musical flair. While T Penn is the single driving member of Human Adult Band, [King Darves](https://kingdarves.bandcamp.com/music?ref=lambpage.com)has also been in the band for two decades. The rest of the band is made up of a rotating cast of players that changes every few years. Human Adult Band created their first CDR (recordable Compact Disc) in 2005\. Today they put out CDRs, tapes, and vinyl LP records, averaging about 3 to 4 releases per year on micro labels, and sometimes on slightly larger indie labels. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hab1-616x616-crop-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hab2-616x616-crop-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hab3-616x616-crop-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hab4-616x616-crop-1.jpg) artwork from some Human Adult Band releases ### The Present It’s been 20 years since their first record release, and Human Adult Band is still very prolific. T cites a “need to constantly be creative” as the fuel that drives him to make and release music. He also has, “somewhat of a message.” “People have warped visions of what success is, because they figure, like, you've to be a star to be a musician,” he explained. “I’m very content entertaining my community, and maybe some communities I can drive to. That's relative success, right? As opposed to what you might believe what you hear on TV—that you’ve got to be a pop star or something. There’s so many things working against you, and life isn't always like that.” T doesn’t care about the “television definition of success,” and said he didn’t think that would be healthy for him, even if he was able to achieve that. “It’s perception, what you enjoy. A neighborhood coffeeshop serves X amount of people a day versus Starbucks, which serves thousands or millions a day. So what’s success? Someone who owns a small coffee shop and supports their family? That's successful, right? Starbucks? I don't know. It’s like a whole different world, right? “A musician can be the same way, because you can entertain 30 to 40 people in the back of a coffee shop, have a blast, and be successful. You know—have fun making the music and the releases, make a little bit of money at it, you know? Or you can try to aim for the stars, but not many people make it, and that’s kinda like a killjoy in that way.” T is a local musician with a global reach. Human Adult Band has performed in New Brunswick, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Worcester, Providence, New York City, as well as Florida, out west, and in Europe. Human Adult Band releases have shown up as far away as Finland, New Zealand, Greece, and South America. Recently, T discovered that there’s an audience for the music he’s making right here in Lambertville, so he started to play local shows where he previously didn't play in town at all. As part of the Lambertville music scene, T has flyered for bands, begun collaborating, and added local music to his annual compilation. “Sharing the joy of what you're into, those things are all important,” T said while citing [Hal McGee](http://www.halmcgee.com/?ref=lambpage.com). McGee is a Florida noise artist credited with saying the pillars of DIY music are collaboration, compilation, community, and correspondence. While T enjoys being part of a network, he recently worked on a project that uses old-fashioned networking—in that it doesn’t exist on the computers at all. ”It's a completely analog recording, and I sent the raw tape material to the label. They compiled it and it’s never been on the computer, so it’s a fun project. It’s kind of conceptual to think about how it’s not online, and not compromised at all by being online. Like, it’s an analog thing that someone hands you the tape. That’s how it exists—almost like it’s in another realm—because you cannot access it online. It’s almost an alternate form of communication by not being online. And that kinda thrills me.” ### The Future If you see T walking around town, he often has a bag or a box with him that contains tapes, CDs, and zines. If you’re interested, stop him and he will sell you one! If you prefer digital downloads, check out the following links: - Human Adult Band’s latest release ([announced](https://www.instagram.com/humanadultband/reel/DOKLBbHDYpu/?ref=lambpage.com) on September 3rd) is titled [Freddy's Phone Call](https://jan95cd-rs.bandcamp.com/album/freddys-phone-call?ref=lambpage.com), and is available from the [Jan '95 CD-rs](https://jan95cd-rs.bandcamp.com/?ref=lambpage.com) label (NJ). - Human Adult Band’s newest studio recorded LP (from 2022) is [Slog Quest Crosstime](https://feedingtuberecords.bandcamp.com/album/slog-quest-crosstime?ref=lambpage.com) on Feeding Tube Records (Florence, MA). - The conceptual, 100% analog and computer-free tape is titled [3.12.22-7.12.22](https://www.pcuf.fi/~plaa/hyster.html?ref=lambpage.com), and it is available from Hyster Tapes (Helsinki). - Human Adult Band: [Celluloid Santa](https://dihdrecords.bandcamp.com/album/celluloid-santa?ref=lambpage.com). - Human Adult Band: Live at WFMU (2017) on [Free Music Archive](https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Human%5FAdult%5FBand/?ref=lambpage.com). - T Penn also plays bass in the band, West Jersey Airport. Check out: [Down Tuned Delights](https://westjerseyairport.bandcamp.com/album/downtuned-delights?ref=lambpage.com), which is proto-grunge, heavy psych style music. There are at least four other projects to be released this year. To keep up with Human Adult Band music and show information, visit [d.i.h.d. records](https://www.dihd.net/?ref=lambpage.com). ### Historic Preservation Committee Meeting: September 9, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/historic-preservation-committee/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T23:27:02.000Z The Historic Preservation Committee met at 7:30pm on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center. [Meeting Agenda](https://lambertvillenj.org/meetings/meeting-documents/historic-preservation-meetings/2025-historic-preservation-meeting-documents/2025-agendas-historic-preservation/2157-09-09-2025-historic-preservation-agenda/file?ref=lambpage.com) Present were Lisa Easton, Debbie Kelly, Michelle Farro, Lou Toboz, Michele Glassburg, Stewart Palilonis, and Crystal Lawton (Secretary). The minutes were not ready to be approved. ### 44 N. Main Street ([city records](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1B6fk1FS8AYZtpMD5EZhCNBNzXiwQbDGF?ref=lambpage.com)) TCB Realty, LLC applied to reconstruct an existing deck on back of the building. The committee thought the proposed plan looked good. The apartment has access during the construction via a set of constructed stairs. The committee accepted the plan. ### 113 Clinton Street ([city records](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AI9OEPk%5Fyr2RsD6fVJPjTGgPfkwjmitB?ref=lambpage.com)) Gary R O’Connor, Architect was present. The applicant Mr. Robert Weiesnborn, wanted to rebuild a new porch in the same footprint as the old one, but now with copper roof gutters and leaders. The committee accepted the plan. ### Open Meeting The committee members discussed a county survey, which they hope to have complete by the end of September. They talked about an application for CLG. They had a chat about expanding the historic district. They talked about if residents were for or against it. They discussed doing historic districts in a thematic manor, such as the industrial area, and the Victorian area, because neighborhoods in the city are currently independent of the city as a whole. The committee talked about wanting to show residents the benefits of having a historic designation so that people don’t think it just means they “can’t do things” \[to or with their homes\]. Lisa expressed the desire to have citizens be involved in the whole historic designation process. Lou noted that having a historic designation can make a property more valuable. Another committee member said residents were looking to the HPC to stop the hotel. Lisa wanted to make the HPC’s role clearer. She said, “We’re not against development, but we want appropriate change.“ They know people will wonder what the historic district designation will mean for homeowners, and it was mentioned that SHPO has some handouts that help explain it. They said that people worry that the HPC will regulate taste, but that is not the case. A committee member pointed out that the entire city is already on the National Register of Historic Places. A committee member advised the other members to let homeowners know about the HPC if they see something happening in the Historic District. The meeting adjourned at 8:06pm. ### Lambertville Planning Board Meeting: September 3, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/planning-board-meeting-september-3-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:10:09.000Z The Lambertville Planning Board met at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center at 7pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The board went over the minutes and made some minor corrections such as misspellings in people’s names, and then the minutes were approved. Link: [Meeting Agenda](https://lambertvillenj.org/agenda-library/planning-board-meetings/2025-planning-board-meeting-documents/2025-agendas-planning-board/2154-09-03-2025-planning-board-agenda/file?ref=lambpage.com) ### 42 Swan Street ([city records](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18qmEYr1gUJWsueA0fhP%5FgZnaJeSYsYMX?ref=lambpage.com)) The Mayor recused himself due to the city architect. Richard Mongelli requested a 12-month extension for his client, who is seeking a minor subdivision. Mongelli joked that he is the guy who gets properties cleaned up, because \[the yard at\] Ota-Ya was cleaned up earlier that day. He told his client, “how can I go before the board if you don’t cut the lawn?” The board granted the extension. ### New Member Voting It was determined that Brittany, the who is new to the board, could vote before she goes to training, if she felt comfortable doing so. ### 80 Lambert Lane ([city records](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HXTcCAMdthEtQN0F%5FYrYef5uJgMuIdq7?ref=lambpage.com)) Richard Mongelli playfully joked about being there to represent multiple applications. He said his wife told him to thank the board for putting up with him while she got him out of the house for the evening. Jersey Girlz is working on building out their dispensary, but they discovered additional mold and a facilities pipe that has to be reconfigured and reconstructed. They haven’t completed construction and requested a time extension to get their CO. Mongelli asked for an additional six months or a year. There was a lot of discussion about this request. The board talked about when the current extension expires, and if there are limitations on the amount of extensions they can get. They asked if the company would have to start over from the beginning if they did not approve the request. The timeline was discussed, and they talked about how long the traffic study took and how that impacted the process. A board member suggested they carry it. The board was concerned, because the process has been going on for two years. Mongelli said this is the longest application he’s been involved with, and he invited the real estate manager, Alex P., to speak to the board. Alex P. was sworn in. He explained that they have permits, and that the interior walls are framed. The second floor has a sewerage pipe running through it, and Jersey Girlz realized they don’t want sound of a flushing toilet going through middle of the store. They also have a mold concern. Construction permits only last 9 months. The space is just over 10,000 square feet and the project costs over $2 million dollars. Alex P. said he thinks it will happen within a year. A board member explained that there are a limited amount of construction licenses for the city, and that revenue has not been coming in for the past four years. Their concern was that they keep giving extensions, but not getting anything back for the city. Mayor Nowick reminded the board that cannabis applications are cumbersome, so he’d support six months with conditions even though he was not happy with the amount of time the project was taking. The board suggested the applicant bring every member of the team in next time, so they can answer questions and not just focus on the sewer pipe. The applicant was granted a six month extension with the condition that they must report on their progress every thirty days, starting on October 1st. ### 63 Coryell Street ([city records](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mdjQ0tTqYaxpP5IrNLbYqLocgtXKAaFd?ref=lambpage.com)) The applicant plans to reconfigure a mixed use building to include two new efficiency apartments and a redesigned retail space. The city engineer outlined the waivers that were requested. It’s all interior work. The board had no questions and they granted the waivers. Michael Burns was sworn in. He went into detail about the various changes being made. The building is located in the CBD. It is an existing mixed use building. The applicant reached out to the D&R Canal. They are having trouble getting a will-serve letter from Veolia Water. Burns explained the details about the apartments. They are meeting the requirements, which include ingress and egress. The efficiency apartments are 450, and 551 square feet in size. The commercial space combined with the apartments reduces the parking load, because the current commercial has a larger requirement for parking spaces. Burns said the apartments will have a fire sprinkler system, and he argued that Coryell Street has lots of mixed use, so this use fits the area. There is no parking on the site, but parking requirements are decreasing. An existing shed will continue to be used for trash and recycling. Rear yard set back is not effected. The owner, Donald Heart from Stockton, NJ, was sworn in. He said they installed a new roof and are currently fixing damage from a leak. The board asked about affordable housing. Since they were only adding two apartments to an existing structure, they didn’t have to make anything officially affordable. Only if they built five new apartments would one have to be deed restricted. Heart said his current apartments are significantly below market value and he expected that spirit will continue here. Heart said he has tenants aging in place. The applicant will have to pay a residential development fee into the affordable housing fund. There were no public comments. The board voted in favor, unanimously. ### LHSR Redevelopment Plan A court order is forcing the city to enter into a redeveloper agreement and the board was asked to decide on a plan for the former high school site that was nearly identical to the plan that had been introduced to them in 2024\. The proposed plan contains up to 200 multi-family dwelling units, including 40 affordable apartments. The advisory board only had to do a courtesy review to determine if the plan is consistent with the master plan or not. Councilwoman Kominsky asked Michael Sullivan to explain the condition of our compliance. Sullivan explained about compliance and immunity. Councilwoman Kominsky pointed out that the city doesn’t have immunity right now. The board tried to determine who was there for the first proposal, because not everyone present was on the board back then. A board member asked who owns the land that will be developed, and it was determined that Merrick Wilson is the owner. The board wondered who will own the responsibility for the PFAS and the landfill. It was said that the city is not responsible. Councilwoman Kominsky was concerned and wanted more explanation. Sullivan said the zoning ordinance is a redevelopment plan as zoning. Sullivan said they could put other requirements in such as requiring a traffic study or examination of the ground water, and the redeveloper would have to do those things. The redeveloper will also still have to come before the planing board. The board discussed their responsibilities. The previous plan had 28 affordable and 129 units, the new one has 200 units in total, with 40 as affordable. On June 19, 2024 the board voted that the proposal was inconsistent with the master plan. A board member said she’d go with what the board previously recommended, and she pointed out that they were basically being presented with the same plan that had been previously rejected. It will be up to Council to decide if the plan gets adopted or not. If Council doesn’t approve it, the city loses immunity. All the board needed to do was a consistency review. They act in an advisory role and cannot mandate anything. ### Public Comments 🗣️ **Jeff T.** said that the sales contract between Merrill Wilson and K Hovnanian should be public, and the city should review it. He asked if anyone from the city had done a title search. Legal council said that was not part of the board’s responsibility. Jeff suggested the city check the deed, and he was told the only thing this board can look at is zoning ordinance. Jeff asked the board, “Do you want to go on record as passing this?” 🗣️ **Judy G.** said she knows the board was advisory and couldn’t make the decision, but she hoped they had not forgotten what they stand for, and she asked the board to think about how hard they worked at it in the past. She urged the board to pay attention to what they did before. 🗣️ **Peter H.** wasn’t aware of the 200 total units. He asked the board not to ignore the potential for a hiking trail through the property. The board said a trail could be part of the redeveloper agreement, and they talked with the city planner about adding the specification for a trail. The board closed public comments. It was reiterated that the board only had to say if the plan was consistent with the master plan or not. A motion was made that the proposed plan is not consistent, and the motion included all the same stuff from 2024, plus the added requirement for a trail. The motion was seconded. Brittany sat out, because she said she didn’t have all the information. A ‘YES’ vote agreed that the proposed plan was inconsistent with the master plan, including the June 2024 letter, and adding a trail requirement. Councilwoman Kominsky said, “Nobody is happy we are here.” She said that the governing body is under the gun to get immunity back, and that the courts put them in that position. She said she feels boxed in, and explained that her duty is to protect the city is a responsibility that is first and foremost for her. Councilwoman Kominsky said the Council’s words have been held against them in court. Mayor Nowick said he’s a hard ‘NO,’ for the record. He said he finds the proposal consistent with the master plan, and he asked the board to make a good faith effort to “lean into that.” He also said that he deeply respects everyone’s views. The final determination was 6-3, with six of the board members voting ‘YES,’ meaning they agreed that the proposed project was inconsistent with the master plan. Wells Winegar voted ‘NO.’ Mayor Nowick voted ‘NO.’ Councilwoman Kominsky reluctantly voted ‘NO.’ ### Parking Lot Trees on North Main A board member said they looked at the trees by the parking lot on North Main Street, which is scheduled to be rehabilitated. The board member felt that the canopy of trees is very large, and quite attractive. Mayor Nowick said the city is willing to take planting recommendations from Mary Anne Borge. An arborist has to come out and inspect the trees, then that information goes to the Shade Tree Commission. The board member suggested they save the trees. Mayor Nowick said they will wait for the arborist. Wells Winegar joked the he is recusing himself, because lives next to the trees, and a joke was made about his car being under the trees. The meeting adjourned. The next Planning Board meeting is scheduled for October 1, 2025. ### Lambertville Halloween House to Live On as the “Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic” URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-halloween-house/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T21:26:07.000Z The Lambertville Halloween House has closed for good, but the amazing and spooky statues can still be seen in October. Dolores Dragan’s home became a local legend that was affectionately known as the “Halloween House.” Every year, thousands of visitors and trick-or-treaters traveled to Lambertville to see her eerie and whimsical holiday presentation. Dolores began decorating her house for Halloween in 1998\. Building, arranging, storing, and maintaining her magical figures was a labor of love. Preparation would start as early as July, and the work would continue through October until her (and her neighbor’s) yard was filled with glowing, otherworldly creatures. “I just want to make memories,” Dolores explained, knowing her efforts were having a big impact, “I want kids to remember this when they’re 70.” After over 25 years, Dolores, who is a retired art teacher, has retired again—this time from her role as “Memory Maker.” Her work, however, is starting a new life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hhouse1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hhouse2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hhouse3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hhouse4-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville’s Halloween House in 2024 #### What’s Going to Happen to the Figures? In October of 2025, Dolores’ beloved creations will be on display during a month-long, citywide celebration called the [Memory Maker’s Trail of Magic](https://www.trailofmagic.org/?ref=lambpage.com). The free, self-guided tour runs from October 1st through November 2nd, and will feature Dolores’s signature displays (suitable for all ages) in storefronts and community spaces throughout Lambertville’s business district. Dolores Dragan’s artwork will live on thanks to the [Lambertville Creative Arts Fund](https://www.lambertvillecreativeartsfund.org/?ref=lambpage.com), which is a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering creativity and community through public art, music, and storytelling. (If you want to support the Trail of Magic, the deadline to [become a sponsor](https://www.trailofmagic.org/become-a-sponsor/?ref=lambpage.com) is September 10th.) The Lambertville Creative Arts Fund hosts a [map of participating locations](https://www.trailofmagic.org/trail-of-magic-map/?ref=lambpage.com) on their website so you can visit the entire collection and celebrate Lambertville’s artistic heritage while also inspiring new generations of makers and dreamers. ### Lambertville: August, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-august-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:23:22.000Z August was a busy month for events in Lambertville. We didn’t document everything, but we did our best to cover as much as we could. #### Lambertville After Hours Lambertville Chamber of Commerce held its second After Hours event on Friday, August 1st. Church Street was closed to traffic between George and Union, and people came from all over town, as well as from out of town. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/crowd-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/doggo-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jess-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kristine-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/painters-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/vernjack-616x616-crop.webp) having fun at Lambertville After Hours Vernon Barlow and Jack Angeloni were on the scene. Jake of [Unchanged Mind](https://www.instagram.com/unchanged%5Fmind%5Frecords/?ref=lambpage.com)was spinning records, [Baked by the River](https://bakedbytheriver.com/?ref=lambpage.com) provided (uninfused) baked goods, [Kristine Gorman](https://www.facebook.com/visionarywomantarot/) did streetside Tarot readings. There was group painting, street chalking, frisbees flying, fun gaming, and lots of dog petting. The next After Hours event will happen on September 5th from 5-9pm. #### Police Participation A few changes happened in our local police force this month. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/police1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/police2-616x616-crop.webp) new officer, police promotion A new officer was sworn in and another got promoted. After being sworn in, the officers posed for photos with their families, and with City Council members. Read about [The Positive Side of Paid Parking Patrol](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/08/parking-patrol?ref=lambpage.com). #### Blocked & Locked Canal Studios closed and locked the gate at the back of their parking lot. ![a fence with a chain and lock around the closed gate](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/gate.webp) locked gate by Canal Studios This prevented pedestrians who regularly pass through the well-known shortcut from getting to the canal, or to local businesses. [Read about Fencegate](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/08/fencegate?ref=lambpage.com). #### Did Traffic Stop Overdevelopment? It’s normal to see a long line of cars backed up on Bridge Street in Lambertville, NJ as they wait for the light to change on Bridge Street in New Hope, PA. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/cars-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/cars2-616x616-crop.webp) traffic jam on Bridge Street It’s also possible that the little roads in our tiny town had something to do with why we won’t be getting a huge hotel on the former Finkles properties. #### From Big Hotel to Big Hope Lambertvillians chalked up a win when the Coryell Hotel developers announced this month that they were no longer going to build a hotel on Corytell Street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/stophotel.webp) Lambertville S.O.U.L. sign Residents and long-distance Lambertville fans rejoiced on social media, but some say we’re not out of the woods yet. [Read the timeline of events](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/08/hardware-hotel?ref=lambpage.com). #### Local Documentary Goes Global Lambertville filmmaker, [Trina Bardusco](https://www.trinabardusco.com/?ref=lambpage.com), held a private screening of her recently completed documentary, [A Way to Be Together](https://www.instagram.com/waytobetogether%5Ffilm/?ref=lambpage.com), which is a touching look into how our small town is divided by language and culture. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/trina-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/trinamovie-616x616-crop.webp) Trina introducing her movie at ACME Screening Room Trina has a long history of professionally blending storytelling with community building, and now she is submitting the movie to film festivals around the world. #### Out With the Old, In With the New Will anything ever reopen at the former Marhaba restaurant site? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/marhaba-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nomad-616x616-crop.webp) former Mahabra, Nomad Pizza In the meantime, [Nomad Pizza](http://www.nomadpizzaco.com/?ref=lambpage.com) has been packed on the weekends with people sitting outside, enjoying the nice weather, and eating pizza in Lambertville, NJ. #### Tarot Card Launch Lambertville’s [Kristine Gorman](https://www.facebook.com/visionarywomantarot/), AKA Visionary Woman Tarot, celebrated the professional publication of her hand-painted Tarot deck this month. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/cardart-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/cardcake-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/carddisplay-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kristinecard-616x616-crop.webp) Tarot launch celebration On August 5th, Kristine had a launch event at Union Coffee in the afternoon, and a party at John and Peter’s in New Hope featuring cake, Tarot, and DJ music by [Unchanged Mind Records](https://www.instagram.com/unchanged%5Fmind%5Frecords/?ref=lambpage.com). Her Tarot deck is now available at [Barnes and Noble](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/visionary-woman-tarot-kristine-gorman/1145847318?ref=lambpage.com). #### Chive Changed Hands Like it or not, Chive is under new ownership. ![a brick building on Main Street in Lambertville, NJ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/chive.webp) Chive restaurant Locals report that the menu and prices have changed slightly. #### Street Art of the Month The attention-grabbing wind spinners that are attached to several phone poles near the [ACME Screening Room](https://www.acmescreeningroom.org/?ref=lambpage.com) are bringing smiles to people’s faces. ![a colorful spinner attached to a phone pole](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/spinner.webp) random spinner on S. Union Street We at LambPage welcome this kind of randomly placed expression, because it’s fun and colorful, just like Lambertville. More, please, and in time for Halloween! #### The Doctor is In [Hunterdon Family Medicine at Phillips-Barber](https://www.hunterdonhealth.org/services/hunterdon-family-medicine-phillips-barber?ref=lambpage.com) reopened this month after undergoing extensive renovations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/pb-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/pblot-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/pbwall-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/pbwide-616x616-crop.webp) Phillips-Barber is all new The [changes](https://www.hunterdonhealth.org/services/hunterdon-family-medicine-phillips-barber/hunterdon-family-medicine-phillips-barber?ref=lambpage.com), which began in January of 2024, allow them to expand services and increase capacity to better serve the Lambertville area community. #### Not Forgotten A new park bench dedicated to Erin McManus Keyes was placed in Mary E. Sheridan Park. It is located by the gazebo and looks out over the new garden. ![a bench as a memorial to ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bench.webp) Erin McManus Keyes memorial bench Erin was a much-loved member of the local community. On the plaque it says: “Erin McManus Keyes, Nice Matters, May 27, 1971 - April 14, 2025.” #### Getting Cool Outside On August 31st, neighbors gathered at the annual Coryell Street block party. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/abba-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/band-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/dance-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/drum-616x616-crop.webp) having fun at the Coryell Street block party What better way to celebrate the end of summer than by eating, drinking, dancing to live music, and talking to friends old and new? Remember, these are the good old days. Enjoy them. ### Get Money Back with Lambertville’s ‘Less Lawn, More Native Plants’ Rebate Program URL: https://www.lambpage.com/native-plants-rebate-program/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T16:20:36.000Z The City of Lambertville is offering a new rebate program, designed to reimburse property owners who replace some or all of their lawn with native plants. Why? As a result of weather extremes, Lambertville has already experienced devastating flooding that caused major property damage. Many people were displaced from their homes for months, while others lost their homes completely. We are also experiencing droughts that could cause wells to run dry. In the past 50 years, bird populations have dropped by almost 30%, while more than 40% of insect species are declining worldwide, and in the contiguous United States, butterfly populations declined by 22% just from 2000 to 2020. Given our own vulnerability in the face of extreme weather events, and with the dramatic loss of essential birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife, we need to consider everything we do in terms of how it will affect humans and other animals alike. One action each property owner can take to help reduce flooding and air temperatures, reduce air and water pollution, increase groundwater recharge, and provide habitat for threatened wildlife, is to replace some or all of their lawn with native plants. With a shallow root system measuring two to three inches, lawn grass is little better than pavement in absorbing stormwater, and typically offers no value to wildlife. Lawns are often treated with chemicals that may be toxic to people and pets, and that pollute our water supply. Lawns require your time and energy and fossil fuel to mow them regularly during the growing season. Native plants have root systems that can stretch many feet deep, opening up the soil to absorb stormwater where it falls, rather than running downhill to cause erosion, flooding, and pollution. Even leaving fallen leaves in your flower beds will help absorb and slowly release stormwater. Native plants don’t require fertilizers, or mowing. It’s essential to use plants that are native to our region, because they provide the food with which our local wildlife evolved, and without which these species can’t survive. Many people know that Monarch butterflies can’t exist without milkweed, the only food that their caterpillars can eat. Most butterflies and moths, and many other insects depend on a small group of closely related plants as their required food. In turn, insects are an important source of food for birds and other animals, and we depend on them for pollination, breaking down detritus, keeping other insects in check, and so much more. Without their required food, these animals would cease to exist. Not only do we depend on them, but they have as much right to be here as people do. #### Before and After With the permission of our Homeowners’ Association (HOA), my husband and I replaced the lawn next to our home several years ago. We had a lot of shade, and no matter what we or our HOA did, the lawn died by July every year. ![a shaded yard with dirt showing through in the thin lawn](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/yard.webp) before planting native plants (photo: Mary Anne Borge) The good news was that the moss was doing great! When it rained, water pooled, and it took a long time for the hard clay and shale soil to absorb the stormwater, or for the water to evaporate. ![a shaded area of grass with a large puddle in the middle](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/flooded.webp) our lawn in the rain (photo: Jeff Worthington) Now that we have a garden of native plants, stormwater is absorbed in the ground as it falls, or in an especially heavy rainfall, within an hour or two. We host pollinators from April through November, and birds year-round. ![a patch of native plants growing in the yard](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/nativeplants.webp) photo: Mary Anne Borge If it’s not absorbed by the soil, rain that falls on the hill where we live will go into the storm sewer system, which flows into Swan Creek. Our garden helps not just my husband and me, but all of our downhill neighbors, whether they have wells, or live in the floodplain. ![a river with a hill behind it showing the elevation of the garden located on the hill](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/river.webp) photo: Mary Anne Borge We need to do everything we can to make our community more resilient in the face of these extreme events, and to help the struggling wildlife with which we share our habitat. Replacing lawn with native plants is one action each of us can take to help mitigate the effects of weather extremes, and to provide food and habitat for the bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife with which we coexist, and on whom we depend for a livable environment. #### How to Apply For Lambertville’s rebate program, qualifying projects must replace lawn with a garden of plants native to our region. Projects may be rain gardens, pollinator gardens, meadows, a new hedgerow, tree planting, or other project that meets these qualifications. Funding for such projects is $5.00 per square foot of lawn replaced with a native plant garden. For planting trees of 2-inch caliper or greater, the rebate is $100 per tree. Trees must replace lawn. The maximum rebate is $700 per property. All properties within the following communities are eligible: City of Lambertville, West Amwell, East Amwell, Delaware Township, Stockton, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, and Pennington. Applications must be received no later than October 1, 2026\. The program will terminate sooner if all of the funding is disbursed, so get your applications in early. More information and the application are available on the [City’s website](https://lambertvillenj.org/resident/resilient-lambertville/residential?ref=lambpage.com). If you have questions, email [lawnrebatelv@gmail.com](mailto:lawnrebatelv@gmail.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/pseg-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/susjersey.webp) This rebate program was made possible by a $20,000 grant awarded through the Sustainable Jersey Grants Program funded by the PSEG Foundation. ### Fencegate: How a Well-Used Thoroughfare Divided the Neighborhood URL: https://www.lambpage.com/fencegate/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:24:31.000Z On August 14, 2025, people expecting to traveling to and from the canal path found themselves blocked by a locked gate. Locals and visitors regularly cut through a walkway located behind [Canal Studios](https://www.canalstudios.com/?ref=lambpage.com)so they can gain pedestrian access to [Basil Bandwagon](https://basilbandwagon.com/?ref=lambpage.com), [Luminary Coffee](https://luminaryroasters.com/?ref=lambpage.com), [Tavola Rustica Pizza](https://getforky.com/tavola-rustica/?ref=lambpage.com), [Moxie](https://www.moxiecoaching.net/?ref=lambpage.com), [Beyond Barre](https://www.byondbarre.com/?ref=lambpage.com), [Owow Cow](https://www.owowcow.com/?ref=lambpage.com), and the CVS shopping center. In mid-August, would-be shoppers found themselves locked out by a chain and padlock, leaving folks annoyed, inconvenienced, and recalculating. The gate has been open for years, and there was no explanation or warning about the closure. #### Why the Gate Was Shut By August 26th, possibly due to inquiries and rumors, a sign was posted on the gate that gave a detailed explanation about the reasons behind the closure. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/aug26a-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/aug26b-616x616-crop.webp) locked gate, sign posted The sign read: Dear Lambertville Community, We are very sorry, but this gate is temporarily closed. We understand that many neighbors have enjoyed using the path through Canal Studios’ property to access the Canal Path and hope to reopen it. Last week, during our parking lot repairs and line striping, people refused to listen to our team and were walking/biking across active repairs with heavy machinery, posing a safety risk for all involved, requiring our team to lock the gate. We are getting ready for a roof repair and building upgrade project and need to keep this gate closed for the time being for safety and security. In the last few days with the gate closed, our property management team and cleaning personnel have been relieved and noticed how a small percentage of the community has been abusing this open area. Our cleaning personnel have reported excessive litter, daily dog waste bags all over the ground, drug paraphernalia, and too many people using the private parking lot and building as public parking and public bathrooms, making it necessary to limit access temporarily (those not visiting businesses in the building). We have tried everything over the years with recently installed signage that has been ignored. While the building has no-dog signs, many people bring their wet dogs (who swim in the canal right into the building, resulting in excessive and constant cleaning for small cleaning crew. During the closure, please use the nearby public access to the Canal Path entrance Elm Street, one block south. While we assess the overuse situation and finish our property upgrades, the gate will be closed. Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and all your support over the years. Please make sure to continue to support all the small local businesses in Lambertville, including the many amazing entrepreneurs and great companies in our complex. Sincerely, The Property Management Team of Canal Studios The Property Management Team of Canal Studios suggested, in bold text, that people should access the canal path one block south at the Elm Street entrance. ![a map of northern part of lambertville with a star where the gate is located and a line showing where the Canal Studios suggested you walk instead](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/blocks.webp) location of the locked gate with a line showing their suggested route Elm Street is not that close. Adding a couple of unexpected blocks to a customers’s trip could thwart them from visiting a business at Canal Studios. #### They Reopened It By Thursday, August 28th, the gate was open and a new sign had been posted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/aug29a-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/aug29b-616x616-crop.webp) gate open, new sign The new sign read: Dear Lambertville Community, Please see our previous message informing the community that we temporarily closed this gate due to parking lot painting and repairs. We have other projects upcoming with various safety concerns, and this gate may be temporarily closed again for safety precautions. As previously reported, when the gate was closed, our small cleaning crew reported a significant reduction in cleaning up feces, dog waste bags, mud from wet dogs and bikes, and much more left by individuals parking in the lot who were not tenants or patrons of the wonderful businesses in the building, but rather taking advantage of the open gate. **Basil Bandwagon has graciously offered to open and close the gate each day from 8 AM to 8 PM (during their store hours) and provide access to their restrooms if needed.** Basil Bandwagon has been an integral part of this community, and we ask everyone to acknowledge the challenges faced by many small businesses and support them, along with all our amazing tenants here. We kindly ask the community to respect our staff and tenants by not using our restrooms, hallways, or parking lots unless you are visiting a tenant's business. Failure to respect these boundaries may lead us to close the gate again. Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and continued support over the years. Please continue to support all the small local businesses in Lambertville, including the many amazing entrepreneurs and great companies in our complex. Sincerely, The Property Management Team of Canal Studios A representative from Canal Studios confirmed that the gate is now open. ### Hardware. Hotel. Happiness? A Timeline of Events URL: https://www.lambpage.com/hardware-hotel/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:26:25.000Z They were going to build a hotel, but now they say they’re building something that the local community could embrace. Finkles Hardware was in business in Lambertville for over 100 years. The company owned multiple buildings and properties at the west end of Coryell Street: two storefronts, an old theater, an empty lot, and an old warehouse. Refined Hospitality and its partners [purchased the Boat House and the (former) Hamilton Grill Room](https://bucksco.today/2025/04/boat-house-purchase/?ref=lambpage.com) in August of 2024\. They approached Finkles about purchasing their properties, a deal was made, and Finkles closed at the end of 2024\. A new group of business people now owns this portion of Lambertville. ### The Properties They Own 1. Former Finkles warehouse (formerly the Strand Theater) 2. Former Finkles lighting store and warehouse 3. [The Boat House](https://refinedhospitality.com/the-boat-house/?ref=lambpage.com) 4. [Revolution Woodfire Grille](https://refinedhospitality.com/revolution-woodfire-dining/?ref=lambpage.com) (formerly The Pork Yard / Hamilton’s Grill Room) 5. Building that houses [Lambert and Hope](https://lambertandhope.com/?ref=lambpage.com) (formerly Blue Raccoon) 6. Former Finkles hardware store 7. Former Finkles warehouse (by the canal) ### Hotel Hearsay In April, [rumors circulated](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/changes-are-coming-to-coryell-street?ref=lambpage.com) that the new owners had spoken directly with the immediate neighbors and shared a plan to develop a hotel, wedding venue, and parking garage on Coryell Street, but no formal plans had been submitted. That news, combined with the K. Hovnanian development on Connaught Hill, bolstered local fear that out-of-town developers were coming in and capitalizing on Lambertville’s character to the detriment of local community and culture. ### Meet the Developers On May 8, 2025, Ron Gorodesky of [Refined Hospitality](https://refinedhospitality.com/?ref=lambpage.com) and John Connors of [Brickstone](https://brickstoneco.com/?ref=lambpage.com) presented their development plans at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center (AKA the ACME) to approximately 200 concerned Lambertville residents. The rumors were true. They wanted to build a 49-room hotel, a 2-deck parking garage, exclusive spa, and a 125-person wedding venue—all with valet parking. Residents were not happy and they were very vocal about it. One of the main questions people asked was, “How does this benefit our community?” John Connors said the hotel would bring people into town who were in “consumer spend mode,” and that the project was “a really big deal from a tax ratable standpoint,” but those answers didn’t quell the community’s concerns. At the [end of the presentation](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/05/new-hope-hospitality-developers-present-lambertville-plan?ref=lambpage.com), a neighbor asked Ron Gorodesky about smoke from the Revolution Woodfire Grille, and another advised John Connors not to evoke [Jim Hamilton](https://www.shadfestposters.org/about.html?ref=lambpage.com)’s name as the driving spirit being the Coryell Hotel project. ### The Birth of S.O.U.L. Kathy Brennan McEntee lives in one of the houses that will be directly impacted by development on Coryell Street. Using her professional background in project management, Kathy invited [Jeff Tittel](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/07/jeff-tittel?ref=lambpage.com) and other local residents to assemble at a community meeting / get together in her home on June 10, 2025. ![a sign in the front yard, next to a bird bath. it reads, “Big Hotel! Big Mistake!”](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/frog.webp) a S.O.U.L. yard sign on display in Lambertville While gathered around snacks and a Power Point presentation, residents shared concerns about the size of the Coryell Hotel. Everyone united in recognizing that development was going to happen, but nobody wanted the project to be as big as what was being proposed. They named their group “S.O.U.L. ♥ Save Our Unique Lambertville,” and began organizing a grassroots opposition. Kathy Brennan McEntee, Jeff Tittel, Keith Harmis, Doug McCloud, Frank Fortunato, Will Hammerstein, Chris Herncane, and others started an online [petition](https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-proposed-hotel-on-the-finkles-properties-big-hotel-big-mistake?ref=lambpage.com), built a [website](https://www.save-our-unique-lambertville.info/?ref=lambpage.com), and quickly [raised over $5,000](https://www.gofundme.com/f/lawn-signs-say-no-to-coryell-street-finkels-development?ref=lambpage.com). They also designed, printed, and distributed signs that read, “BIG HOTEL! BIG MISTAKE!” The signs were displayed by residents and businesses all over town. ### Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire The Revolution Woodfire Grille is located in the middle of a neighborhood. The wood fence surrounding the restaurant has residential yards on the other side. Jane Burroughs is one of the people who lives next door. When the restaurant seats patrons on the elevated deck next to her property, she can hear almost everything the customers say—and every song they drunkenly sing. Smoke from the grill comes into her home through her windows and HVAC system, and it often fills her backyard, making it unpleasant to be outside. The smell can be so strong that it lingers in the neighborhood, even when the grill is not in operation. Depending on the weather or the direction of the wind, the smoke can hang low and still, or it can crinkle noses more than a block away. Jane was the neighbor who spoke with Ron Gorodesky at the [end of the developer presentation](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/05/new-hope-hospitality-developers-present-lambertville-plan?ref=lambpage.com) on May 8th. She said the smell of Mesquite was in her house “eight to ten hours per day.” Ron told her they were looking for a new wood supplier. At that point the restaurant had been in operation for [six months](https://patch.com/new-jersey/stockton-nj/calendar/event/20250420/fabf6919-41d7-4726-9030-758285ebc62d/revolution-woodfire-grille-easter-brunch-al-fresco-dining-weekend-lunch?ref=lambpage.com). ### Signs of Stress When S.O.U.L. created and distributed their protest signs, Jane displayed one in front of her house, and attached one to her fence at the end of her back yard. ###### On July 20, 2025, Jane posted on the Lambertville Facebook group: “The sign was up for about an hour before the chef of the revolution grille decided to rip it down and throw it in the garbage. He told me I was f'ing with his livelihood and that they were doubling the size of the restaurants and hotels, and taking away the parking driveway to the left of Finkel's. I called the police and will be filing a formal complaint. Meanwhile, after almost 8 months, no remediation has been done to Jim Hamilton's old woodburning grill. All the neighbors continue to battle the smoke on a daily basis. This is the character and caliber of the people we are dealing with.” She also posted the following images: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/signafter-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/signbefore-616x616-crop.webp) the sign before and after it was torn down Jane’s sign faced the small parking area behind the former Strand Theater, which is where some Revolution Woodfire Grille and Boat House employees park. The sign could be seen from the sidewalk on Coryell Street, but not easily. ![a sign is barely noticable at the end of a long allyway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/signseen.webp) view of the sign from Coryell Street ### Justin Joyce commented: “As an employee I want to take a moment to address the concerns raised and clarify a few important points. First and foremost, our employees are dedicated to their jobs and their livelihoods, and it is unfair that they have been subjected to harassment over matters that should be addressed directly with the property owners or the Borough of Lambertville. The signs in question were placed on restaurant property, including fencing adjacent to our outdoor seating area, which interferes not only with our business operations but also with the experience of our guests. “Regarding the wood-burning concerns, our team has made every good-faith effort to remediate the issue. We have changed the type of wood used and even ceased using the wood-fired oven entirely in an effort to be good neighbors. These adjustments were made despite the fact that the restaurant has operated for decades as a staple of this community, offering the same style of wood-fired dining without issue in the past. “It's important to understand that while some may have concerns about future development in the area, those concerns should be directed to the city and property owners-not to the staff and customers who depend on this restaurant for their livelihood. This ongoing targeting of our employees feels less like a constructive discussion about community growth and more like an attack on the restaurant itself. “The restaurant is committed to being respectful neighbors and to working with neighbors to address any legitimate concerns. We simply ask for the same respect in return.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/justin-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/chris-616x616-crop-1.webp) Facebook comments ### Chris Thomas also commented: “We have made every reasonable effort to address your concerns. However, many of the issues you've raised are outside of our control as employees. Despite this, your continued behavior — including raising your voice in front of guests, making personal accusations, and confronting staff — has created a hostile and disruptive environment. “Your actions, particularly your visit yesterday in which you came to the restaurant asking for me by name, have become increasingly aggressive and inappropriate. This ongoing harassment toward me and other team members is unacceptable and must stop immediately. “We are requesting that you no longer contact or approach us moving forward.” ![comment by Geraldine](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/geraldine.webp) Facebook comment > Geraldine Fallon commented: “As a recent customer to that restaurant, I was overwhelmed with smoke inhalation while eating. Until they remediate it I will not return.” There were many other comments on the thread, each containing the typical snipe and gripe of a flame war. Then the post disappeared from Facebook. > Change of Plans On August 21, 2025, Refined Hospitality [announced on their website](https://refinedhospitality.com/a-new-direction/?ref=lambpage.com) that the developers, John Connors and Ron Gorodesky, were going in a new direction. ![gray text on a white background with the title, "A new direction"](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/newdirection.webp) the announcement from Refined Hospitality They cited a lack of community engagement as their reason for switching plans. “Throughout the planning process we made a concerted effort to engage with the community transparently and in good faith. Sadly, the engagement we sought never materialized,” they wrote. “After dutiful consideration we have made the decision to not move forward on our hotel plans for Coryell Street.” ### Here is a summary of their new plan: **Former Strand Theater:** they are planning a certified historic rehabilitation of the space “intended to host performances, films, movies, meetings, parties, and community events.” **Former lighting store:** they plan to add retail spaces facing the alley heading back to the Boat House, “creating an intimate retail enclave, aimed at attracting area makers, creators, and entrepreneurs.” The second floor of the building will become an apartment. **Former hardware store:** this “will remain as-is and new tenants will be sought” for the space. **Former warehouse lot:** this site is to become “a fully code compliant surface parking lot” with accessory and public parking. Although they didn’t mention The Boat House or Revolution Woodfire Grille, those businesses are expected to remain in operation, likely with some changes. Several residents posted on Facebook to celebrate the news, and many people (local & not) expressed happiness, relief, and joy. Some folks were hesitant to get too excited, because they worried that the developers could not be trusted. ### The Reality Local opposition may be the sole reason the developers gave up on their large-scale hotel campus project, but more than likely it all came down to reality. “We listened to you and we’re going to do you what you want,” is good PR. However, it could be that their traffic study concluded that Coryell Street and Lambert Lane were not able to handle the 50+ cars per hour peak flow that they expected and needed to make their hotel and wedding venue business viable. There are only two ways to get to the properties, and neither route can handle huge amounts of traffic (see the white line in the first image of this blog post). In his presentation, John Connors said the parking garage was the “special sauce” that made it all work. With regulatory and historic hurdles, it’s possible that building a two-tiered parking garage with an underground lower level—in a flood zone directly next to a historic canal—turned out to be prohibitive. Maybe it’s that John Connors and Brickstone are also developing a $70 million, 30-acre woodland retreat in Cape May County called [Claremont Lodge](https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/massive-resort-proposed-miles-inland-from-jersey-shore/3486490/?ref=lambpage.com). Whatever the motivation, let’s cautiously take the developers at their word and go with “lack of engagement” as the reason they changed plans. If engaging opens the possibility that they’ll develop something beneficial for everybody, then let’s engage. ### A New Hope Dear John Connors and Ron Gorodesky: Please don’t build a paved parking lot with digital gates, security cameras, and ‘no trespassing’ signs. Instead, make it a water-absorbing pea gravel lot with limited spaces and use the existing structure as a passive, power-generating solar shell that can house a weekly Lambertville Farmer’s Market. Please don’t let the shops in the Boat House alley end up being luxurious high-end spa businesses that are secretly owned by a single parent company. Make the spaces raw garage-sized studios with affordable monthly rents for the “area makers, creators, and entrepreneurs.” Think [‘Cherry Street Pier’](https://www.cherrystreetpier.com/?ref=lambpage.com) in Lambertville. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/finkle-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lighting-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lot-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/path-616x616-crop.webp) some of the properties as they are today Please don’t design The Strand Theater as a “you can do artsy things here if you can afford it” ballroom that ends up only being used for catered weddings and celebrations with 100+ guests. A state-of-the-art venue for talks, art, music, conferences, comedy, and tiny touring acts was already [widely supported](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/changes-are-coming-to-coryell-street?ref=lambpage.com) here. People enjoy walking through a variety of small, interesting businesses. As long it doesn’t go bigger, dirtier, louder, or later, the former hardware shop could become an Apple Store or a locally-kiosked, Ferry Market styled food court with outdoor seating that looks over at the [new luxury townhomes](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/planning-meeting-april-2-2025?ref=lambpage.com) across the canal. If the west end of Coryell Street becomes a small-business-focused promenade, it could improve consumer foot traffic for all of Lambertville. That, in turn, will bring community engagemet. It’s all possible, and it could be good. ### The Positive Side of Paid Parking Patrol URL: https://www.lambpage.com/parking-patrol/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T00:07:01.000Z “A real patriot is the person who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.” —Bill Vaughan Nobody loves feeding parking meters, but the metered parking spaces in Lambertville’s Central Business District generate a significant amount of municipal income. At the [July 17th City Council Meeting](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/07/city-council-meeting-july-17-2025?ref=lambpage.com), Mayor Nowick reported that parking revenue from the prior month alone was around $50,000. Metered parking helps prevent visitors from occupying prime parking spaces for an entire day or more, and that’s where Jack Angeloni comes in. Over the past two years, Jack has worked as a Parking Patrol Officer for Lambertville. “Let’s say a visitor comes and pays for four hours, has dinner, walks around, and goes shopping, and then gets back in their car and leaves” Jack explained, “that opens up a spot for somebody else, and then they'll come in and pay. It's basically a rotation system. My main job is to be out there monitoring. If people don’t comply with paying for the meters, sadly I have to issue them a citation.” Jack is exuberant about his work, but not because he enjoys giving out tickets. He’s the first person in his family to work in law enforcement, and he’s on a career path that he’s been interested in since he was in grade school. As a resident of Frenchtown, Jack had a lot of learning to do in Lambertville since parking patrol officers often work alone, and they cover a lot of ground. “When I started here I was super nervous. I didn’t really know anything. I came in, slowly adjusted, and made positive as much as I could about everything. There's nobody else around. It's just you and whatever happens,” he said. It took about a year for him to feel completely comfortable in his role, because he was being presented with new people, information, locations, and situations. Now that he’s settled in, the job is basically how Jack originally imagined—he monitors metered parking spots. That comfort has Jack looking to the future, and wanting to become a full-time patrol officer, ideally here in Lambertville. “I enjoy this place a lot. I enjoy the people. The whole town is relatively safe. Just being out and showing people, ‘Hey we're not all bad.’ That’s what I care about,” he mused. “We’re here. We’re friendly. That’s my goal.” Jack treats everyone with respect, and with equal deference to the law. “It doesn’t matter who you are and where you come from. If you don’t pay the meter you’re going to get a ticket,” he stated. When asked what the job has taught him personally, Jack responded quickly. “Try to be as positive as you can about everything. Some days are good, some days are bad—with anything, not just with law enforcement. School. Work. Anything along those lines. Just keep your head up. Be positive. Stay positive. “Always think about what’s ahead of you. It may be bad now, but you can always get past it. There’s always a way around things. As long as you remain positive it changes your entire perspective. Like, I mean, you could see somebody having a bad day and try and comfort them. That’s what our job is. So, just be positive. That’s what I get out of this.” ### Big Mistake Becomes Big Win: Developer Withdraws Coryell Hotel Plans URL: https://www.lambpage.com/coryell-hotel/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T00:14:07.000Z The large-scale hotel complex proposed for Coryell Street has been withdrawn and replaced with something more fitting. Refined Hospitality [posted an announcement on their website](https://refinedhospitality.com/a-new-direction/?ref=lambpage.com) saying that they are withdrawing their Coryell Hotel proposal, and scaling back their plans. ### A Response from Lambertville S.O.U.L. Jeff Tittel, organizer of [Save Our Unique Lambertville](https://www.save-our-unique-lambertville.info/?ref=lambpage.com), said “The people stood up to an out-of-state developer and said, ‘We want development that will enhance the community, not destroy it.’ When people stick together and fight, we win. This is a big victory for the town, for its people, and for the city’s future. We can fight to maintain the town we all love!” ### Here’s a copy of the announcement from Refined Hospitality: **A New Direction** When we began our journey in Lambertville, it was with a deep appreciation for its historic small-town charm, unique offerings of art and antiquities and authentic walkable adventures. We saw an opportunity not just to invest, but to sustain and enhance those characteristics by breathing new life into the now defunct Finkle’s properties and integrating them back into the community as a boutique hotel. We believed this plan would create jobs, generate substantial tax revenue, boost tourism and directly support the many local businesses that make Lambertville special. In planning our project, we were informed and directed by the City Zoning Code, Master Plan, and Design Guidelines. Throughout the planning process we made a concerted effort to engage with the community transparently and in good faith. Sadly, the engagement we sought never materialized. However, despite the lack of engagement it is abundantly clear that the community has deep concerns and powerful emotions regarding the scale of the hotel project. As new owners of Boat House and Revolution Woodfire Grille and lifelong community builders we have heard your concerns. After dutiful consideration we have made the decision to not move forward on our hotel plans for Coryell Street and in conjunction with the property owners, pursue a revised plan that is significantly reduced in scale but still promises an exciting future for the now vacant buildings that line Coryell Street. · Former Finkle’s Lighting Store (10 Coryell Street): This property will continue with ground floor retail but will be reoriented to have several new storefronts facing the alley leading back to the Boat House. The pedestrian experience of the alley will be likewise enhanced with new hardscape, landscape, & lighting improvements creating an intimate retail enclave, aimed at attracting area makers, creators, and entrepreneurs. A new apartment will replace office space on the second floor. · Former Strand Theatre (12-14 Coryell Street): We plan to undertake a certified historic rehabilitation of the Strand Theatre aimed at restoring it to its original purpose of assembly and event space, intended to host performances, films, movies, meetings, parties, and community events. We are proposing a significantly scaled back event space from the one proposed with the hotel, with limitations on operating hours and other thoughtful measures to insure it remains respectful of neighboring residents. The fully restored Strand will be a striking architectural presence on Coryell Street. · Finkle’s (4 Coryell Street): A fully code compliant surface parking lot will be developed on this site. Its primary function will be accessory parking in support of the other projects and some elements of public parking. · Finkle’s Hardware Store (7 Coryell Street): This property will remain as-is and new tenants will be sought for this space. It is our hope that this new program, significantly more modest in scope, yet consistent with the historic and current uses, can move us past opposition for its own sake toward a shared goal of meaningful, sustainable progress that will bring lasting benefits to the community. It has always been our mission to be good neighbors and a powerful force for positive change in the community, just as Brickstone has been in other communities for nearly four decades. And to be candid, this journey has, at times, been disheartening. Our businesses, and our employees have faced hostility and personal attacks, even as we sought only to contribute positively and in good faith. However, we remain committed to being good neighbors and good citizens and we hope this more modest plan represents a new start and a renewed invitation for community engagement. Thank you, John Connors and Ron Gorodesky ### Lambertville Zoning Board Meeting: August 20, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/zoning-board-meeting-august-20-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:12:46.000Z The Lambertville Zoning Board met at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center at 7:30pm on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. **Please note:** This is not official documentation, but efforts to maintain accuracy are taken. See the [Lambertville municipal website](https://lambertvillenj.org/?ref=lambpage.com) for official records. Present at the meeting were Jane, Pat, Monique, Philomena, and Kevin. The previous meeting’s minutes were not ready, so they were not approved. ### 21 Ferry Street Nobody showed up to represent the application, so the board moved on. ([21 Ferry application](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1r6GgcYuLjW-TgESDOO2Xlb82cRMK2P-s?ref=lambpage.com)) ### 31 Swan Street Eric Decibus, from Unlimited Renovations, was sworn in. He was there to speak for the property owner, Joseph Tesauro, who was away on vacation. Unlimited Renovations is working on the house. The layout is staying the same, but everything is being upgraded. Tesauro was told he might have to fill in his basement, and that he would have to raise his house. He was seeking a variance from the flood damage prevention code so that he would not have to raise his home to the level of the flood plain. Eric argued that since the utilities are now in the attic, filling in the basement would remove storage space from the home. He said the only things that would be kept in the basement might be mops and a vacuum—items that would not be missed if the basement flooded. He presented photos showing the location of the utilities. The AC unit is on the second floor, about 12’ off the ground. According to an ordinance that came to be just before hurricane Ida happened, the house should be raised, because the renovation is above the 50% threshold. There was a discussion, and the board voted to allow the baseline to remain since the house is 36 inches off the ground and it is attached to the neighbors on both sides. The board talked about if it was even possible to raise a historic, semi-detached brick structure. It was said that it is possible, but not advisable, because of the dangers to the integrity of the home, and neighboring homes. The board discussed recommending to City Council that there be clarification in the ordinance to say that standalone homes should be raised, but that attached homes should be exempt. A motion was made, and it was approved. ([31 Swan application](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BFINP5nyaQcZqt8HAoFGQcnMz3FFoC2h?ref=lambpage.com)) ### 1 Feeder Street Skylar Bird, the owner, was sworn in. He lives in a residence above and rents out the two commercial units below. He currently has a tenant who has been doing business there for 5 or 6 years, and he wanted to rent the second space to someone who does hair coloring. The building is on the edge of the R2 zone, so the zoning officer sent him to appear before the board to get approval. Skylar relies on the commercial rental income. He said that if he has to go to the city every time a tenant turns over, it becomes prohibitive. He was requesting to continue the preexisting non-conforming use in the R2 zone since these rentals have been going on for 9 years, and for decades prior to his ownership. There was discussion about the impact of the businesses, where customers parked, and how many cars. The businesses are personal services that see one client at a time. Since the available unit was vacant for less than 12 months, it was considered a continuation of that use. Monique took a moment to explain that she feels the purpose of the board is to be reasonable, transparent, and to provide clarity. The lawyer said sometimes things in zoning can be a little gray, so clarity helps. Monique said that clarity is helpful to everyone. The lawyer said this zoning interpretation will set a precedent for the city, and that Skylar wouldn’t have to come back every time he finds a new tenant. The board decided that the personal service commercial use was consistent. ([1 Feeder application](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZCO3xnQ-Nkzaiiz0DYVK8w7PstgPLV9I?ref=lambpage.com)) ### 21 Ferry Street The board asked if anyone had arrived to support the application for 21 Ferry Street, but nobody was there to represent the applicant. They moved to pay the bills, and then adjourned. ### Lambertville Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting: August 13, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/parks-and-recreation-august-13-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T22:43:00.000Z The Parks and Recreation Commission met at 7pm on Thursday, August 14, 2025 at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center. **Please note:** This is not official documentation. All efforts at accuracy are taken. See the [Lambertville municipal website](https://lambertvillenj.org/?ref=lambpage.com) for official records. Jim, Jill, Jenn, Mary Anne, Barry, Carol, and Mike were present. They pledged allegiance to the flag. They approved the minutes. The Chairperson introduced Jill, who is new to the commission. Jill has lived in Lambertville for five years, has young children, and is very invested in what happens in town. She knows some of the commission members, and is one of the cofounders of the Lambertville Nature Explorers. ### Public Comments 🗣️**David V.** apologized for a reporting mistake in a previous Parks and Recreation meeting story that was published on LambPage.com. ### Upcoming/Ongoing - Possible bench donation by Missy for Cherry Street. - Possible proposal for replacing three dead trees by next meeting. - Potentially doing some landscape improvements at Mary E. Sheridan park. ### Music Mountain The Federal Earmark Remediation project near Music Mountain cut down a lot of trees. Mary Anne wants to plant trees at that site. The mayor thought there might be funding left, but there is not. Sourland Conservancy will help plant trees there. Mary Anne will meet with their coordinator next week. A motion was made to accept Sourland Conservancy’s offer to help plant there. The motion was accepted. ### Holcombe Park On the 14th, Jim and Mary Anne brought plants up there. Two picnic tables were placed next to the historic house. An art class was held at the picnic tables. ### Cavallo Park A soil remediation contractor will hopefully be selected in October. ### Ely Park They are still trying to sort out the log equipment at Ely park. ### Signage Cindy and Lindsey have been working with Mary Anne on signs for Ely Park. They have drafts of the signs going to the insurance company for review. Changes to the language may still happen. Mary Anne is hoping to have the sign made by the county, at cost. ### Riparian Buffer Mary Anne talked about the possibility of planting a riparian buffer on Ely Creek at base of Music Mountain. The Sourland Conservancy might help them do it. They will do more research. 🗣️**Peter H.** said there is no room behind the school. He said it sounds like a good idea, but he lives on N. Franklin Street, and he doesn’t want anything done that will send water to his property. Mary Anne said they would be planting away from the creek. She also said no one solution will cure flooding, but that every step the city takes makes a difference. The commission doesn’t want to impact the sports fields. Mary Anne mentioned the grant program for adding native plants to help soak up water. Peter H. said great ideas have implications, and he reiterated that he does’t want any resistance to the flow of water, because that impacts properties. The commission said the buffer would soak up water, and that it’s currently just a plan that they will look at further. ### Nature Trail The signs are in, they’ve been reviewed, and installation begins next week. Some downed trees were removed from the trail. ### Nature Programs Two nature programs are scheduled. Eleven children have signed up for both so far. They promoted the events on Facebook and in Lambertville Matters. The classes will be held at City Hall. ### Butterfly Festival / Pollinator Garden The Butterfly Festival is schedule for September 13th from 10am-2pm. Lambertville Goes Wild and Lambertville Nature Explorers will be there. The commission discussed the logistics of building a butterfly garden, having people purchase plants for the garden, and/or having students do the planting. The location has a lot of foot traffic, so considerations need to be made to keep the spot from being impacted by the children who play there on a daily basis. Three of them will go to the site and discuss the possibilities. 🗣️**Peter H.** thanked everyone and left. ### Bench Beth Caruso’s bench for Erin Keys is in, but DPW may not have installed it yet. ### Junior Park Stewards There was nothing new with the development of this program. ### Trees at Ely Park The commission has approximately $4,300 in funding available for planting 5-7 additional trees in Ely Park between the gazebo and the sports fields. The commission discussed the placement of the trees and if or how it would impact the play areas or events that happen there. The trees they would consider planting would be native to the area, would provide good shade, and must be able to do well on the site. Everything planted helps absorb and reduce storm water. They agreed to look at it more, and may vote on it next month. ### Facility Use Requests - The Lambertville Historical Society wants to use the park for a snack shack during the Oct. 19th house tour. The motion was accepted and approved. - Roots Riverside Farmers Market wanted to use Holcombe Park for their farmer’s market. They proposed having 15-30 vendors and 300-500 attendees per market. The commission discussed if this was the group who did a market at Lambertville Station. They questioned how that many people would get up into Holcombe Park, and where they would park. They said the parking lot is flat, the park is not. They pointed out that the park is not ADA accessible and strollers can’t easily get up there. It’s also a historic site. The applicant said they would handle trash, but it wasn’t clear how. The commission wondered if the applicant had confused Holcombe Park with the Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum. The commission denied the request. The commission adjourned at 8:05pm. ### Lambertville Real Estate: August 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-real-estate-august-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:33:08.000Z “A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams.” — Unknown The chief economist of Moody's Analytics, Mark Zandi, recently [warned](https://www.thewealthadvisor.com/article/moodys-analytics-chief-economist-warns-us-economy-precipice-recession?ref=lambpage.com) that the United States economy is on the brink of a recession. He cited weak job growth, rising inflation, and stagnant consumer spending as the indicators. Meanwhile, Lambertville’s summer housing stock is rapidly changing hands, but it appears that our consistently climbing home prices may have reached a peak. Here are some of the latest local real estate flips, reductions, sales, and listings. ### The Pews [listing ↗](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/247-N-Main-St-Lambertville-NJ/35982193/?ref=lambpage.com) 247 N. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![the redone facade of an old brick church](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/pews.webp) N. Main Street ### For Sale: $999,000 With a cornerstone from 1897, this old building was formerly the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. It sat for a long time before the space got renovated and converted into artist studios. Creating work spaces for artists in Lambertville was a good idea in theory, but it fell short in practice. The individual units averaged around 200 square feet each, with just a few larger spaces. Rents began at $495 per month. 200 square feet is not very big for an artist who wants to see clients or host an open studio and display artwork. What’s more, the units lack individual slop sinks, and the property is pristine. With elegant beige walls and fine wood finishes, the spaces are not what you’d imagine when you think “artist studio.” There is nothing raw about it. The Pews could work as a call center business, an old school internet cafe with customers renting different video games in each room, or as a shared digital office space. The building is right on Main Street, which inspires ideas. However, there is no dedicated parking so a business would need not rely on customer turnover. The listing says: “Debuting as a unique residential conversion prospect, this revenue-generating property is zoned Residential (R-2), permitting a single-family dwelling and leaves plenty of room for upside potential.” So the business operated in a residential zone and failed? Now, for just under a million dollars, you can demolish the recently completed renovation and do your own. Maybe the new owner will figure out how to park their Tesla on the roof. ### Hose House [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/12-N-Main-St%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM64901-47987?ref=lambpage.com) 12 N. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![an old firehouse next to a gas station on main street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/firehouse.webp) N. Main Street ### Price Reduced, For Sale: $850,000 This cool old firehouse has views of Main Street and Sunoco. The MLS listing describes it as a “THRIVING AIRBNB BUSINESS,” which it may be right now. However, under Lambertville’s short term rental ordinance, the new owner can’t run it solely as an AirBnB unless they also use it as their primary residence. It was originally listed at $995,000, but the price was reduced in October of 2024\. It has a roof deck, historic character, a retail space, stairs, and car traffic. ### Corner Castle [listing ↗](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/46-S-Main-St-08530/home/182520169?ref=lambpage.com) 46 S. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a mixed use brick building with a florist on the first floor and an apartment above](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bricker.webp) S. Main Street ### Flip Alert! For Sale: $895,000 This charming two-story brick house was heading towards foreclosure when someone swooped in and bought it for $472,000 in 2023\. Work was done inside and out. A feminist book store opened in the retail space, but it got egged and quickly closed. A florist now operates in the shop. There’s an apartment on the main floor behind the store, and another living space on the entire second floor. The listing says it is not in the flood zone, but locals remember how the shed on the property across the street floated into their pool during the last big storm. ### Singing Sanctuary [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/71-75-N-Main-St%5FLambertville-City%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM93385-35043?ref=lambpage.com) 71-75 N. Main Street, Lambertville City, NJ 08530 ![an old three story building on Main Street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/opera.webp) N. Main Street ### Price Reduced, For Sale: $3,150,000 Listed in April for $3,300,000, this former opera house’s price got reduced in July. It’s located on Main Street so it gets a good amount of car and foot traffic. The building houses six modern rental units: a studio, four two-level lofts, and a three-bedroom, and an office with a kitchen and conference room. There is a shared outdoor space, laundry, basement storage, and a dedicated parking lot. ### Former AirBnB [listing ↗](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/57-N-Franklin-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38849817%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) 57 N. Franklin Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![stucco covered facade on a two-story Lambertville row home](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/franklin.webp) N. Franklin Street ### Listing Removed: $399,000 This two-story row home was taken off the market on August 4, 2025\. It was originally listed at $410,000 in October of 2024, and the price was reduced soon thereafter. The property has been listed and removed several times since then. The house is very walkable, but it lacks curb appeal. It was flipped a few years ago when it received new paint, bathroom upgrades, and a new (looks like Ikea) kitchen. It has a very small yard and no parking. The foundation and the bones are old, and it’s covered in stucco. There’s potential: the living room has a fireplace. ### Taupe Trinity [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/10-McCready-Aly%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM53261-20319?ref=lambpage.com) 10 McCready Aly, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a modern duplex on an ally in Lambertville, NJ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/ally.webp) McCready Aly ### Pride Reduced, For Sale: $699,000 This 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhouse is a modern [trinity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity%5Fhouse%5F%28Philadelphia%29?ref=lambpage.com) that might also qualify as a [laneway house](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laneway%5Fhouse?ref=lambpage.com). The fixtures and finishes match, and the attention to detail stitches an earth-toned theme throughout the dwelling. Everything is new, making it a low-maintenance way to enjoy living in historic Lambertville. The house has a useable outdoors space, and there’s a dedicated parking spot. However, the back faces towards Route 29 so some street noise may be heard, and you’d better not mind going up and stairs to do absolutely everything. The house was originally listed at $800,000, then the price dropped to $750,000 and then down to $699,000—all since May of 2025\. The lowered price brings the home into a competitive range for this quirky, modern, downtown residence. ### Highway House [listing ↗](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/30-N-Franklin-St-08530/home/36559900?ref=lambpage.com) 30 N. Franklin Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![an old house on the edge of a busy street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/highwayhouse.webp) Route 179 ### Sold: $235,000 Located right on Route 179, this dilapidated dwelling was listed in March of 2024 for $315,000 and sold on July 23, 2025 for $235,000\. The house is in need of a complete and total rehabilitation. It could be a good project for a consulting, construction, or real estate business that wants to operate out of that location. The large area in the back is suitable for parking and the visibility on 179 can’t be beat. Time will tell if they rehab, rebuild, or retain the land for a future sale. ### Mineral Mansion [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/56-58-N-Main-St%5FLambertville-City%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM93136-80085?from=srp-list-card&ref=lambpage.com) 56-58 N. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a brick house painted turquoise](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/turquoise.webp) N. Main Street ### Price Reduced, For Sale: $549,900 Everyone in town knows this house, because it looks like it was dipped in food dye. It’s a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home with 1,066 square feet of living space. The inside has been cleared out, and the floors and walls are dated, and in need of repair or rehab. The home was listed at $599,000 in June, and the price was reduced in July. The lot has a large back yard with plenty of space for parking. This house won’t be turquoise for much longer. Goodbye old Lambertville. 😢 ### Weird White Wall [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/79-Wilson-St%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM97916-66523?ref=lambpage.com) 79 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a new, large, townhouse with white siding ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/wilson.webp) Wilson Street ### Listing Removed: $1,248,000 This house was listed in April of 2025, and then taken off the market on August 5, 2025\. Maybe it’ll get listed again with a new price, because sometimes sellers remove their listing and relist it to avoid drawing attention to a price reduction. It last sold for $935,000 in 2023\. The listing said it included all of the furniture, which begs the question, who sells their house with all of the furniture? Also, the house is apparently not in the flood zone, although it has the canal behind it and the homes across the street are in the flood zone—so go figure. All that said, the interior of this house is much more fun and stylish than the outside. Looking out from the back windows gives you woodsy views of ducks and water. There’s a path to the towpath right next door, accessible from the deck or from the cozy, private back yard, and there’s also a garage for one car. ### Purple Palace [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/97-N-Main-St%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM67595-54555?from=srp-list-card&ref=lambpage.com) 97 N. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a dark purple house with light purple trim](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/purple.webp) N. Main Street ### For Sale: $749,000 Originally for sale by owner, this property was listed in April of 2025\. The price has remained steady, and seems appropriate for a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom house with exposures to the east and to the north. However, the house is rustic inside, and it is on a busy street. The second floor porch is open and bright, as are the white rooms inside. It has no dedicated parking, but the back yard is large enough that a small parking spot could potentially be installed. ### Someplace Suburban [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5-Arnett-Ave%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM65940-43909?from=srp-list-card&ref=lambpage.com) 5 Arnett Avenue, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a semi-attached house with a front porch and aluminium siding](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/whitehouse.webp) Arnett Avenue ### Price Reduced, For Sale: $375,000 This 2-bedroom 1-bathroom home has 1,371 square feet of living space. If you wonder why it is priced so much lower than similarly sized homes, it may be because this house sits squarely in a flood zone. On the inside, it has new floors and a modern kitchen. It’s got a nice back yard, and parking on the block is easier than in other parts of town. A quick walk gets you to ice cream, groceries, a fitness studio, pharmacy, and many other businesses. This is a deal if you can live with the fear of flooding, which is why homes like this often become rentals. ### Magical Condo [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/151-N-Union-St-6%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM62448-63311?ref=lambpage.com) 151 N. Union Street #6, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a rainbow flag hangs outside the front door next to a large bush](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/condo.webp) N. Union Street ### For Sale: $675,000 This unique condo has stain glass windows in the kitchen, modern bathrooms, angelic light, and a spiral staircase that leads to a huge master bedroom suite. There’s no yard, but you get a porch with enough room to sit and eat. If you get along with your neighbors you’ll be fine. There is a $345 monthly HOA fee. ### Southern Charmer [listing ↗](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/65-Church-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/324966219%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) 65 Church Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![an attached townhouse with a balcony on the third floor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/churchtownhome.webp) Church Street ### For Sale by Owner: $769,000 This Church Street townhouse brings to mind houses from [The Fan District](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan%5FDistrict?ref=lambpage.com) in Richmond, VA. It’s a center unit in a row of three, so it might be less expensive to heat, but it could also mean noise from the neighbors. The third floor has a large, bright, modern master bathroom, tall skylights, and balcony. The location is walkable to everything, and it includes one off-street parking spot as well. ### House on the Hill [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/201-Hancock-St%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM60476-03245?ref=lambpage.com) 201 Hancock Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![an old, unkempt ranch in need of many repairs](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/shortsale.webp) Hancock Street ### Short Sale: $299,900 The property is located on a quiet street on Connaught Hill, and it is in need of everything. Images in the listing show mold, indicating the home is ripe to be torn down and rebuilt. Septic and well will likely need to be replaced. The house was listed in February of 2025 for $304,000\. The price has fluctuated since. ### Remarkable Ranch [listing ↗](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/58-Belvidere-Ave-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38868160%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) 58 Belvidere Avenue, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a small, old house on a grassy lot with a tree in the front yard](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/flip.webp) Belvidere Avenue ### Flip Alert! For Sale: $620,000 This house needed everything. It originally listed for $240,000 in June of 2024 and sat for almost a year. It finally sold in April of 2025 for $160,000\. It was listed three months later with a brand new kitchen, custom cabinetry, butcher block counter tops, stainless steel appliances, refinished hardwood floors, new windows, new central air, and a new septic system on this tiny 2-bedroom ranch. Hopefully they tested the well for PFAS, and installed a POET filtering system. ### Acme’s Neighbor [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/17-21-S-Union-St%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM95212-16664?ref=lambpage.com) 17-21 S. Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![an old, abandoned building with a FOR SALE sign on it](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/nexttoacme.webp) S. Union Street ### Pending: $850,000 Next door to Acme Screening Room, this place has been sitting for years. A developer could build three (or four) town homes here, or they could put up one building across all of the lots if the current structures can’t be rehabilitated. ### Towering Townhomes [listing 14 ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/14-Lambert-Ln%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM92924-54492?ref=lambpage.com) [listing 16 ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/16-Lambert-Ln%5FLambertville%5FNJ%5F08530%5FM94194-92769?ref=lambpage.com) 14 & 16 Lambert Lane, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a vacant lot with a large pine tree in it](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/lambert.webp) Lambert Lane ### For Sale: $1,399,000 Two new town homes are coming to Lambert Lane. The structure will replace the tall pine tree seen in the image above, and might be the same height. The homes will be four stories tall, with three stories of living space on top of a garage on the bottom floor. Both will have an elevator and a rooftop deck that looks across the canal, perhaps at [the Coryell Hotel](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/changes-are-coming-to-coryell-street?ref=lambpage.com). The developer is a [local](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/planning-meeting-april-2-2025?ref=lambpage.com). ### Cozy Cottage [listing ↗](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M6644651059?ref=lambpage.com) 34 Clinton Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 ![a tiny cottage with a separate garage](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/clinton2.webp) Clinton Street ### Sold: $575,000 This beloved little 1-bedroom house has quaint curbside rizz. It sold in 2021 for $380,000 to local owners who turned it into a successful AirBnB. They did a lot of renovations including a new kitchen, new bathroom, and improvements to the roof, garage, yard, and more. The home quietly sold in June of 2025\. The sale was managed by local real estate agents, and wasn’t advertised online. ### Burgertown: Your Guide to Finding a Delicious Hamburger in Lambertville URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-hamburger/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:56:41.000Z Burgers, for me, are my death row meal. For many years, I had a specific steak place that made a burger that topped my list—that is, until I moved to Lambertville. Now I don't have a spot because there are too many to choose from! In deciding what qualifies as a great burger, it's all about the beef. The burger should stand alone, meaning if you had nothing but the burger and a bun, that would be all you need in life. It doesn't mean toppings can't enhance the burger, but if you don't have a good foundation to start from, it can never truly be great. Bountiful, exciting toppings, a tasty bun, or excellent sides can really add to the total package and often will differentiate the various options in town, but rest assured, whichever place you try on the list below, the burger will be the star of the show. I’m not just a foodie, I’m a full fledged nerd as well, so I’ve totally geeked out here to bring you metrics to better understand the burgers you can get in town. For each restaurant, I’ve added a chart to show the values each burger possesses. Each value is rated from 1-5, with 5 being the best. **Beefy** \- This is the amount of beef-forward flavor **Juicy** \- Depends on the fat to protein ratio **Caramelization** \- When cooked on a flat top, the burger can form a deep, savory crust **Char** \- When cooked over an open fire, like a grill, a smoky flavor will be imparted to the patty I honestly do not have a favorite because I love them all for different reasons, so I'm going to name the options heading from the south side of town to the north. Also note, the food was purchased by me, and none of the restaurants were informed of my visit. ### The Hawke As one might expect, a steak place will have a thick burger with a char on the outside. Come hungry because this patty is 10oz of prime cut meat which makes a difference in the flavor. It’s priced lower than other options on the menu and is a solid choice for a place that is now on the pricier side than its predecessor. Served on a brioche bun, the default order comes with cheese (fontina, yum), red onion, lettuce, tomato, and shoe string fries. The Hawke is a modern steak house with most items served a la carte. They have some lovely cocktails and valet parking. It’s great for a light lunch or a more fancy dinner if you’re in the mood. ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔🍔 Caramelization: 0 Char: 🍔🍔🍔 ### Swan Bar Swan Bar is a whiskey bar behind Anton's at the Swan. If you’ve walked by and smelled something amazing in the air, but never stopped in, you’re missing out. This burger is also the big fat patty style with a big bold char flavor but it feels a little different than the others because it’s so fat. It is reminiscent of what hand formed patties look like at outdoor cookouts, though the flavor is far beyond anything I’ve had at home. This burger stands out in that it gets a beautiful char that is more flavorful than many other places and has a thick patty full of beefy, savory flavor. The simple potato bun may not seem exciting, but it does its job by stepping aside flavor-wise and letting the burger shine through. Comes with potato salad and chips but you can change up the fixin’s to your preference, including a seasonal salad as a side (watermelon salad pictured here). ![a fat burger with a side salad, and ketchup on the side, on a white plate](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/swan.webp) a burger at Swan Bar The Swan Bar has limited seating, but what they have is cozy and comfortable. Inside, the bar is old school with dark decor, a cast iron stove for warmth in the winter and floor to ceiling windows for a lovely view of the courtyard outside. Parking is not always easy, but it’s on the south side of town so if you find a spot, it will most likely be free. ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔🍔 Caramelization: 0 Char: 🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔 ### Liv and Charlie’s The smash burgers here are not to be missed. When I’m at Liv and Charlie’s I come specifically for the burger. If you crave a patty with an outside that is perfectly caramelized, this is the one for you. Cooked perfectly to maximize the caramelization, the burger is savory and stand-alone, but to make sure you don’t miss the flavor, you get two luxurious patties on your sandwich. I admit I have not tried the Classic Smash burger because the Mc Smash is pure perfection. With the mix of salty pickles, creamy cheese, and the special sauce, I never knew how good a famous fast-food burger could taste if you made it with 2 high quality smash style burgers and a whole lot of love. Comes with homemade tater-tots or sub out a salad for a truly craveable meal. ![a hamburger with bun, lettuce, tomato, and a side of sauce on a white plate](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/livcharlie.webp) a burger at Liv and Charlie’s Liv and Charlie’s moved not too long ago from what used to be Annie’s (Ennis before that) on Union St, to its new location on the main strip of bustling Bridge Street. It’s an easy stop on foot, but will require meter parking. It’s now located in what used to be Sneddon’s and their decor has been brightened and modernized with booth seating and some bar seats if you're on the go. ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Caramelization: 🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔 Char: 0 ### Bridge Street Burgers New to town, Bridge Street Burgers has a standard smash burger style burger similar to Liv and Charlie's style. With many topping options named after streets in Lambertville, you'll be sure to find a favorite. Everything is a la carte here so order with onion rings or cauliflower wings to round out your meal. One of the few locally owned fast food places in town, food is ordered cafeteria style and orders are brought to your table with take out in mind for a cheap quick bite. Enjoy a sweet drink and the murals while you wait. ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔 Caramelization: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Char: 0 ### Giuseppe's Ristorante Did you read that right? Did I just tell you to get a burger at an Italian restaurant? YES! This is one of the best burgers around. Big and juicy style, the patty is a mix of short rib, brisket and prime chuck. With a base like that, how can you go wrong! The mix of meats makes this burger stand out. The default comes with American cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion on a brioche roll. It comes with a side of fries. This is my “I-just-tanked-an-interview-and-now-I-need-a-pick-me-up” meal. It's also my “I-just-want-to-celebrate!” meal, so happy or sad, this is the burger for everything in between. TRY IT!!! ![a cheeseburger on a bun with onions, tomato, lettuce, and a side of crispy fries on a white plate](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/giuseppes.webp) a burger at Guiseppe’s Ristorante Giuseppe’s has an old school Italian Bistro feel and is located on the corner of Bridge and Union making it ideal for foot traffic but tough for parking. Order under the menu at the right and pay after you eat on the left, and you’ll make the hard working staff very happy! ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔🍔 Caramelization: 0 Char: 🍔🍔 ### Revolution Woodfire Grille I try to bring you food that is easy on the pocket, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention Revolution Woodfire Grille. As the name implies, they use a wood-fire grill to create the main flavor you will find on this burger—the char. A mix of brisket and sirloin gives this burger such a not-too-dense, savory bite that I had to include it even with its high price tag. The bun is light and fluffy, not like most burgers I’ve had, but it adds a nice touch. Hand cut french fries accompany this decadent treat. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/revolution.webp) a burger at Revolution Woodfire Grill Revolution is a fancier restaurant with a luxurious atmosphere right on the canal with amazing views. Next door is the Boathouse, a famous watering hole where you can order a drink and bring it to your seat. Parking is not provided, so expect to find a street spot with a meter. ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔🍔 Caramelization: 0 Char: 🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔 ### Chive Café & Catering This burger is a big, super juicy style, full of beefy flavor. No matter what temperature you order this burger, it will be so juicy, it will drip down your hands if you’re not careful. This patty is softer than a lot of the other burgers around, with less attention to char, but a perfectly even full forward beefy flavor throughout. This one is the closest to my desert island burger as you can get. It’s filling and savory. This burger proves that you can indeed buy happiness. Straight off the menu, this burger is served with cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onions on an onion brioche roll, though honestly, I prefer to order it on a plain roll, no bacon because the patty in this burger is so flavorful, I don’t like to cover it up with these extras. Comes with a side of house cut fries at lunch (my favorite in town) or sometimes the potato wedges at dinner. ![a burger on a bun with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a side of potato wedges](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/chive-1.webp) a burger at Chive Café Chive is the closest place in town to an old school diner feel, with seating at the bar, though they also have a nice communal table in the back which is special and different from many places around. Added bonus, it has its own parking lot, so I find myself here often. ###### **Burger Metrics** Beefy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔 Juicy: 🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔 Caramelization: 0 Char: 0 ### Which Burger is Best? You cannot get a bad burger in Lambertville. I've lived in larger cities and found far fewer decent burger options than the many amazing burgers you can find in town. Every restaurant that serves a hamburger in town is not just a good burger, but a great one, which is not something I can say about any other place I’ve traveled to. Try them all if you can. But, if you only have the time to try one, don’t worry too much, you really can’t go wrong! ### Lambertville: July, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-july-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:34:44.000Z “There is no ‘we’ in summer. Only ‘u’ and ‘me’.” — Unknown July was another hot one in Lambertville. We avoided dense rains that passed north of town and heavily flooded parts of northern New Jersey and New York. Air quality was poor for a few days due to Canadian wildfires. However, none of that stopped Lambertville from thriving and surviving for another month. ### Cavallo Park Closer to Reopening ![the entrance to Cavallo park blocked by barriers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/cavallo.webp) Cavallo Park, but not this summer City officials are shooting for an October remediation, but expectations are that the park won’t be back in service until the end of the year. Nobody has an exact date, but the city is working on it, and steady progress is being made. ### New Hope Fireworks Were a Blast ![people in a parking lot enjoy fireworks exploding over the Delaware river](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fireworks-1.webp) New Hope fireworks On July 11th, the New Hope Chamber of Commerce sponsored its monthly summer fireworks and drone show over the Delaware River. A large crowd watched from the Lambertville Station parking lot. People were also on the bridge and on the New Hope side. There are only [two more fireworks nights](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/06/2025-new-hope-lambertville-fireworks-drone-show?ref=lambpage.com)scheduled for the rest of the year. Summer is passing quickly, enjoy it! ### Lambertstock Rocked ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lambstock1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lambstock2-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertstock music festival The annual Lambertstock summer concert happened in Ely Field on July 12th, and featured music by The Inflexibles and All Winter Long. It was a hot day, so the audience relaxed under the shade of the trees at the edge of the grass. ### High Society was Smokin’ ![a rock band playing on a patio outside](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/highsociety.webp) High Society at the Legion Also on July 12th, High Society performed at The American Legion on the north side of Lambertville. Although it was hot out, the crowd relaxed in the shade and enjoyed food and drinks from the Legion’s kitchen. It was a good day for music. ### The Public Art We Didn’t Know We Need ![a black ad white photo tackked to a phone pole in town](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/photo-1.webp) public art on Bridge Street An anonymous artist has been posting black and white photographs on phone poles in the center of town for everyone to see and enjoy. Please, more of this! ### Pumped for This to Be Completed ![a large tractor parked next to a construction site](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/pump.webp) pump station construction Construction crews continue to work in the north part of town, and it has been noisy. Generators have run all night, but hopefully the work will be done soon. ### Signs, Signs, Everywhere Are Signs ![an anti Coryell Hotel sign along the canal path](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/soulstop.webp) S.O.U.L sign in Lambertville [S.O.U.L. (Save Our Unique Lambertville)](https://www.save-our-unique-lambertville.info/home?ref=lambpage.com) signs have sprung up all over town to remind everyone who lives and visits Lambertville that local residents do not support the large hotel campus poised to replace the former Finkles proprties. ### Ready for Halloween ![thick spider webs on the bridge railing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/spiderrail.webp) spiders on the bridge Local spiders have moved back into their homes after the renovation of the Lambertville-New Hope Bridge. The new LED runway lights in the railings along the bridge’s walkway attract bugs of all kinds, and the spiders are drinking it up. ### Lambertville’s Next Flip? ![an old building with a for sale sign on it](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/unionsale.webp) 17-21 Union Street It didn’t take long for [17-21 S. Union Street](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/17-21-S-Union-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/451813988%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) to sell. With an $850,000 price tag, the property was clearly targeted at developers. Three townhomes could easily fit on the property, but it’s too early to know what the new owner plans to do. ### Meet the New Townhomes ![two under construction townhomes](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/wilson-house.webp) new construction on Wilson Street Two new townhomes are nearing completion at 17 Wilson Street. Both are under contract. Townhome [#1](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/17-Wilson-St-UNIT-1-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2053076547%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) listed for $975,000 and [#2](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/17-Wilson-St-UNIT-2-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2053076525%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) listed for $995,000\. This style of housing is the new norm for Lambertville due to flood zone requirements. ### The Lambertville Library is Back ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lib2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lib1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lib4-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/lib3-616x616-crop.webp) re-opening celebration at the Lambertville Library The Lambertville Library reopened on July 28th after having been closed for several months due to renovations. The building’s exterior has been painted. Inside has new carpets, freshly painted walls, a new mural in the kid’s room, and an improved ambiance that makes meeting, reading, and learning even better. ### DIY or Die: Self Publishing Thrives at the 2025 Lambertville Comic and Zine Conference URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-comic-zine-con-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:55:04.000Z The 2025 Lambertville Comic and Zine Conference was held at the ACME Screening Room on Saturday, July 26, 2025. The annual [Lambertville Comic and Zine Conference](https://www.instagram.com/p/DMd6Qx6S86z/?ref=lambpage.com) drew DIY artists, writers, and creators, as well as comic and zine fans from around the tri-state area. Over 25 vendors were in attendance to show, share, and sell their original creations. Attendees were zine and comic book readers, writers, artists, and lovers of alternative or subculture genres who were looking to buy from their favorite makers, and discover new work. The event was free, and open to the public. ### What’s a Zine? Zines are short, independently-created publications and that are typically about subjects that get overlooked or ignored by commercial media publications. The organizers described the conference as a gathering of “cottage industry, esoteric, sub underground & d.i.y comics, zines, art, and other physical media.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/crowd-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gwenntalk-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/anitatalk-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/trevortalk-616x616-crop.webp) artists making connections (and sales) If you’re a certain age, the idea of zines might evoke chapbooks, lapel pins, music posters, tie-dyed shirts, or underground VHS and cassette tape swaps. Before the internet, zines about literature, art, music, and movies were how culture consumers discovered work that existed beyond the mainstream. ### Why Zines Matter in a Digital World The desktop publishing boom of the 1980s essentially transformed the mimeograph machine into a digital printer. In the 1990s, Napster, My Space, Real Player, and BitTorrent made streaming and downloading the norm, which forced traditional literature and music publishers to shift business models. Today, companies such as Spotify, BandCamp, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and Substack have positioned themselves to act as middlemen who distribute content that might have never been published—or that otherwise would’ve been shared through alternative methods such as zines. The “democratization” of media hasn’t been without its hiccups. Commercial distribution platforms are corporate entities that can help artists, but they can also hinder them through moderation, censorship, or controlling algorithms. Conference co-organizer, T Penn, explained: “Zines, cassettes, and independent publishing circumvent algorithms. For example, some websites limit how long your songs can be, or they decide if it’s even music or not. If you just hand a comic or recording to someone, you don’t have to deal with those limitations.” ### Selling, Networking, Connecting Items for sale at the conference ranged anywhere from free to expensive. Original works of art, for example, were priced higher while stickers, magnets, buttons, folded paper zines, tiny drawings, small paintings, t-shirts, cassettes, LP records, CDs, and other items were priced in the $3 to $25 range. Many of the creations were micro runs that were printed or duplicated in small batches. Below are some of the artists that tabled and shared their work. ### Anita Hayden ![Anita stands behind a table that holds her display of art items for sale](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/anitatable.webp) Anita’s table Anita, who defined a zine simply as, “an accessible piece of artwork that an artist can create and share,” drove from Yardley, PA to participate. For sale at Anita’s table were original graphic lino prints, postcards, magnets of cats with button eyes, tiny 2x2” and 2x4" artworks featuring cute rabbits, cats, owls, chicks, and rodents, and foldy zines with titles such as “Kiwi the Cat,” “Different Worlds,” “Cave Creatures,” and “Encouragement Buddies!” Anita said that making zines is, “an easier way to share my artwork and also share my comics that I write. It’s less complicated than normal printing, because it’s more accessible and able to be shared at a lower cost.” The conference, for Anita, was “a place where artists can meet each other, sell things, and connect with the local community.” Learn more about Anita Hayden’s work: **instagram** [@anita\_nother\_coffee](https://www.instagram.com/anita%5Fnother%5Fcoffee/?ref=lambpage.com) **instagram** [@ahdesignsandart](https://www.instagram.com/ahdesignsandart/?ref=lambpage.com) ### T Penn ![T sitting behind his table, which has LP records, CDs, cassette tapes, and t-shirts for sale](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/trevortable.webp) Trevor’s table T is a local musician who’s been publishing songs from his collective, Human Adult Band (and related artists) through his label, d.i.h.d. records, since 1999\. For sale on T’s table were t-shirts, LPs, CDs, and cassettes with hand-drawn graphics and imagery that featured titles such as “Hearing Damage Sessions,” “Last of the Movers,” and, “Live in Lambertville.” T values the very local and personal nature of self-published or micro-published media, because it creates an art experience that you can hold and look at. “Mainstream media and larger avenues—the things that everyone hears when they turn on tv, radio, or social media—have so much reach,” T explained, “and that squashes the self/indie stuff, making it harder to find this information. If you dig for it, it’s there. Freeform college radio is a great alternate route of communication, like indie music spaces where they’re not playing covers.” Learn more about T Penn’s work: **website** [dihd.net](https://www.dihd.net/?ref=lambpage.com) **bandcamp** [dihdrecords.bandcamp.com](https://dihdrecords.bandcamp.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **instagram** [@humanadultband](https://www.instagram.com/humanadultband/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Gwenn Seemel ![Gwenn sitting behind a table that has books, stickers, prints, cards, and more](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/gwenntable.webp) Gwenn’s table Gwenn is a Lambertville artist who has been painting colorful artworks, writing books, and publishing a blog and website by hand for over 20 years. For sale on Gwenn’s table were original artworks, prints, postcards, stickers, and self-published books with titles such as “Crime Against Nature,” “Crime Against Nature: the coloring book,” “Everything’s Fine,” and “Baby Sees ABCs.” Conference attendees signed up to join Gwenn’s subscription-based sticker club, which mails out a new, unique art sticker every month for a small donation. Gwenn tabled at the conference, because, “too much creativity these days is behind a screen, or on a screen, and heavily curated for marketability. The zine conference is a celebration of all of the other kinds of creativity.” Learn more about Gwenn Seemel’s work: **website** [gwennseemel.com](https://gwennseemel.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **sticker club** [gwennseemel.com/stickers](https://gwennseemel.com/stickers?ref=lambpage.com) ### A. T. Pratt ![A. T. Pratt poses with two pairs of scizzors behind his table, which is covered with his handmade comic zines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/atpratttable.webp) A. T.’s table A. T. is a cartoonist, professor, and paper engineer who traveled from Brooklyn to table at the to Lambertville Comic and Zine Conference. For sale at A. T.’s table were colorful cut out comics that opened into complex and surprising three dimensional pop-ups and fold outs with titles that included “I Love NY Matinee,” “Ink Toby,” and “Miggy Mouse's Sweets & Treats.” A. T. defined a zine as, “printed material with more than one page, or really any independent publication,” but ultimately his definitions for both were broad. “I try to make each one a new weird different shape,” he said, speaking about his work. “So even saying that a zine is like more than one page stapled is not true, because then you’ve got your accordion zines and your foldy—so you don’t need staples. I think more than one page is essential, because you don't just want prints, but I’m more interested in publications and comics narrative, and how a publication is sequenced and designed.” Learn more about A. T. Pratt’s work: **instagram** [@atpratt](https://www.instagram.com/atpratt/?ref=lambpage.com) **website** [atpratt.net](https://atpratt.net/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Jacques Davide ![Jacques sitting behind his table, which has original artworks displayed on it](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jaquestable.webp) Jacques’ table Jacques, who is often seen making art in Lambertville, defined a zine as, “A homemade periodical where the creator has total control over the content.” For sale at Jacques’s table was original comix art, including his new character, “Pardon the Wanderer” along with his other titles, “The Magic Slices,” and “The Cavity Cavaliers.” Jacques was also promoting the comic-anthology, “Hunch.” The Lambertville Comic and Zine Conference, for Jacques, was “a vital place to connect, promote one’s work, and meet others interested in the arts.” Learn more about Jacque’s work: **website** [jacquesdavideart.com](https://jacquesdavideart.com/?ref=lambpage.com) **instagram** [@jacques\_davide\_art\_studios](https://www.instagram.com/jacques%5Fdavide%5Fart%5Fstudios/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Behind the Zines ![T, Henri, and Mike stand in front of the official 2025 Comic and Zine Conference poster](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/organizers.webp) Comic and Zine Conference organizers: T, Henri, Mike Thanks to T, Henri, and Mike for making this year’s Lambertville Comic and Zine Conference happen, and for keeping DIY publishing alive in Lambertville! \* The 2025 conference poster was created by [Kyleen](https://www.instagram.com/electricheartcomics/?ref=lambpage.com) / [electric heart comics](https://www.electricheartcomics.com/?ref=lambpage.com) ### Shade Tree Commission Meeting: July 28, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/shade-tree-commission-meeting-july-28-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T00:40:05.000Z The Lambertville Shade Tree Commission (LSTC) met at 7:30pm on Monday, July 28, 2025. Commission members Dan, Debra, Susan, Matt, Cynthia, and Art were present. With one minor spelling correction, they approved the minutes. They opened public comments. Nobody spoke. They closed public comments. ### SDL 2560: Parking Lots Trees The public parking lot at 14 N. Union Street has brick planters that are going to be removed and new infrastructure will replace them. Councilman Stegman and Michael represented the city. The current trees are large, and the city wondered if they can be saved. They asked the commission what kind of trees should go in if the city ends up taking the current trees down. The LSTC discussed bringing in an arborist to look at the current trees. Michael said that the city has a tree guy on contract and the Mayor said the tree guy would look at it. Stegman requested flowering trees, if they need to be replaced. The commission looked at images of the trees. They’d like to save them, if possible, so they tabled the item until after an expert has looked at the trees. Michael will send a letter with a report from the arborist so the commission can make an educated decision. They discussed the timing, and they want to do it before winter. The motion was tabled until next month. ### SDL 2557 Sondra’s neighbor wanted her to cut a big branch off her tree, but she and her neighbor resolved the issue after the SDL was submitted. Sondra showed up, because she didn’t want to leave the commission wondering what happened. The LSTC thanked her for coming in. Sondra also pointed out that the trees by the library parking lot had died from the salt on the sidewalk. The LSTC then discussed how close a tree must be to a house for it to be trimmed. They made a motion to clarify the distance, so they can better help residents in the future. ### Request Granted They approved a resident’s request to trim a tree. ### SDL 2558 A resident wanted advice about where and how to plant two trees in her yard. Art suggested locust trees. The resident wasn’t sure where to put the trees and was concerned about the sewer line. The LSTC determined that she’d have to do a mark out, and only the owner can get a mark out. They made a motion to let her know she needs a mark out, and they tabled the issue until that gets done. ### SDL 2559 The LSTC approved the request from a resident on Perry Street who wanted to trim three trees there. ### Punch Out Judy thought she might have a city tree. Art told her they’d get clarification. Dan said even if the city planted the tree, it’s on her property. The LSTC looked at images. Art will tell her that’s her tree and it’s her responsibility. ### Send a Letter A tree on Jefferson Street was knocked over. A letter will be sent tomorrow. ### Church Street Tree A tree on Church Street hangs over into the neighbor’s property, and the owner prefers to have an arborist make the cuts. The residents worked it out. ### Leaning Tree Jim’s tree is leaning towards the Kalmia Club. It’s not that big, and perhaps is leaning towards the sun. The owner lives on York Street, and asked if it’s something he should worry about. The LSTC looked at images and talked about the trees in the park, which may be blocking some of the light. The commission wanted to be careful in advising the tree owner, and suggested he chooses a licensed arborist look at the tree. The commission didn’t believe it’s a significant danger, but they wanted the owner to have an expert look at it. ### Subcommittee Reports Art reported that he spoke with Loren, who is writing up the final report for a grant. She wanted to make sure all trees in the inventory are in the same database. The commission tracks street trees, but not park trees. Loren helped write the inventory grant, and will talk with Mary Anne about park trees. They discussed iTree and Arbor Pro, and how each system has different features for keeping records. Loren will send the final grant report to the state. ### SDL 2561 A resident on Lambert’s Hill wanted to remove and replace a dead tree, but they have to get approval from the homeowner’s association before they do so. The committed said it’s okay if the HOA is okay with it. They tabled the issue because the owner doesn’t yet have HOA approval. Once the owner has that, the owner can resubmit the SDL and they commission can pick it up from there. > Announcements There were no announcements. ### Etc. Matt said someone on Union Street requested a tree. He said he’d have her submit a request. The commission discussed Saint John’s Church, which removed trees without permission and left stumps after redoing their sidewalks a long time ago. The commission asked the church to replace the trees. The landscaper for the church said he would have to talk to the pastor, because the church doesn’t have any money. Art said they’d give the church two trees if the church also put in two. The meeting adjourned. Sue reminded and warned everyone that ticks are especially bad this year. ### Fighting for the Future: Jeff Tittel on Contamination, Community, and Caring URL: https://www.lambpage.com/jeff-tittel/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T00:42:08.000Z The flowers on Jeff Tittel’s front porch act as a visual metaphor for his life’s work: if you care for something, it will flourish. From a young age, Jeff Tittel saw firsthand what he describes as, “the impacts of environmental racism, sexism, and classism.” When he was a kid, he and his friends would visit a nearby stream so they could throw matches into it, and watch it flare up. “Some days it would be pink, some days it was purple, and other days it was iridescent blue,” Jeff recounted. Born in Newark and raised in Hillside, Jeff came up in federally-built housing. His grandparents were old-time radicals who threw rent parties when someone in the community got threatened with eviction. His father was a factory worker. There was a foundry on the other side of the woods from his childhood home. When it was active, Jeff could write his name in the pollution on his dad’s car. In contrast, Jeff worked summers in rural Ringwood, NJ where his family helped run Camp Midvale—New Jersey’s first interracial camp. There he could fish, swim, breathe fresh air, and safely drink water directly from a stream. Guests at the camp were trade union and farm union members, and conservationists. Influential people such as Cesar Chavez, Joan Baez, Ossie Davis, and James Baldwin visited the camp to write, retreat, speak, or perform. “It gave me that ethic,” Jeff said about his time there. Though he credits the camp, it seems that good ethics ran in Jeff’s family. His first protest was a sit-in at a Woolworth’s in Newark to resist the company’s continued segregation in their southern stores. He was just 4 years old. “Environmental justice is not about justice,” Jeff clarified, “It’s about fighting discrimination when it comes to pollution, because poor and minority communities get the overburden of pollution. They don’t build incinerators in Short Hills or Alpine, but they put them in Newark or Elizabeth.” ### Too Pro-Environment Jeff met his wife, Barbara, over 35 ago at a planning board meeting in northern New Jersey. Barbara was the chair of the board, but she ultimately got kicked off for being “too pro-environment.” The couple enjoyed living in Ringwood, but they ended up spending a lot of their time “fighting local politicians who were trying to ruin the place.” Jeff formed Skylands Clean, the Highlands Coalition, and Strong Forest Coalition—all to battle the big development boom of the ’80s. Collectively, they blocked the construction of a power plant that that would’ve stored oil right next to the reservoir. They stopped 1,200 condominiums from being built on Ramapo Mountain. They also thwarted a quarry, uranium mining, and they got state and federal money to buy Sterling Forest, which prevented it from being turned into a city of 35,000 people. In the ’90s, Barbara took a job in Trenton and Jeff began working for the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club. That’s when they relocated to Lambertville. While house hunting, their locally-based real estate agent wouldn’t show them any properties on Connaught Hill, so they ended up buying a place downtown. Jeff described Lambertville at the time as being kind of sleepy, but he felt lucky to have river trails, restaurants, bars, a bookstore, and the Acme supermarket (which was still in business at the time) all within walking distance of his home. “The people who worked in the shops and restaurants could afford to live in town, and most of the local businesses were owned by people who also lived here,” Jeff said, adding, “It’s not the same now. Now you’re getting hospitality companies coming in, and the restaurants are more expensive and not as good.” According to Jeff, there weren’t many controversies in Lambertville when he first moved in, and so he stayed out of things. Since he was traveling a lot for work, it was a relief that he didn’t have to fight any battles at home. “All that changed,” he said, “when \[former\] Mayor Fahl suggested building a $14 million dollar municipal complex in the parking lot behind the Acme, and then sell our historic library and city hall to developers to build boutique hotels, and then sell the police station to a developer to build a five-story apartment building in the flood zone next to high density power lines next to a stream on a site that’s probably contaminated, because it had been an auto body place.” Though he implied otherwise, Jeff was always active locally. He helped former Mayor DelVecchio write the plastic bag ban in town, which was used in part for the state plastic bag ban bill that Jeff also helped write. He lobbied to get Goat Hill purchased. He protected local streams, and ten years ago he fought the Penn East Pipeline, which would have gone right through Connaught Hill. In 2021, Jeff retired from 23 years of serving as Lobbyist and Director of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club. However, he didn’t stop being Jeff. He’s now caregiver for Barbara, and he still finds time to care about the community. ### Contamination on the Hill Nearly three decades after a real estate agent steered Jeff away from buying on Connaught Hill, many of its residents have begun to discover that their well water is contaminated with PFAS, which are also known as forever chemicals. The source of the contamination is currently undetermined, but locals point to an old town dump that operated in the neighborhood during the 50s and 60s—if not longer. They also suspect the former Taurus Electronics factory location to be a culprit, because locals say the company made parts using Teflon. As Connaught Hill residents wrestle with the fallout of drinking contaminated water—potentially for decades—K. Hovnanian Homes recently won a builder’s remedy lawsuit against Lambertville that enables the company to build on 20+ acres of undeveloped woodlands in the same neighborhood. Jeff has a lot to say about this. For months he’s been a vocal critic at City Council meetings. He argued that Lambertville’s legal defense wasn’t tough enough, and he made recommendations about how to strengthen the case. He’s been regularly sounding the alarm with lengthy and informative posts on the [Lambertville Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/lambertville/posts/10162642577514725/), and he often uses attention-getting rhetoric and titles such as, “[The Houses on Haunted Hill – The KHov Disaster](https://www.facebook.com/groups/lambertville/posts/10163046081494725/).” He was featured in an [article in the Jersey Vindicator](https://jerseyvindicator.org/2025/04/17/a-community-left-behind-pfas-environmental-crisis-unfolds-on-lambertvilles-connaught-hill/?ref=lambpage.com) about the impacts of the contamination, and another about how [Connaught Hill is still in jeopardy](https://jerseyvindicator.org/2025/05/30/a-year-of-living-dangerously-connaught-hill-still-in-jeopardy/?ref=lambpage.com). Jeff hopes every well on Connaught Hill will get remediated with filters, but he also wants to find the source of the PFAS so the contamination can be removed. “PFAS itself is used in many different products, but it's very carcinogenic and it bioaccumulates. It can be in the drinking water, or it can be inhaled. If it’s in the soil it will keep leeching and spread. The more it spreads the more it ends up in the streams and reservoirs, so finding the source is really key,” he said. Jeff speaks from experience when he talks about how K. Hovnanian plans to build 200 townhomes and a 40-unit affordable apartment building on the hill. “I was involved in the EPA lawsuit where they found them responsible for violating the clean water act at 540 projects around the United States, including 54 in New Jersey. They've also been cited numerous times for illegally piping streams that were blue line trout streams that were high quality waters, and they've been cited for filling in wetlands, and for stormwater violations.” “Piping streams” means the developer puts in a culvert and builds over it instead of leaving the stream open and untouched. “They’ve also been cited for building developments on top of contaminated sites without them being cleaned up. Hickory Manor in Union is one of the examples. They did it Jersey City. They did it in Newark. They did it in many other places. They’ve also been cited for using faulty plywood that caused roofs to buckle. They were cited for using wood that was leaking formaldehyde. They’ve been sued and sued and sued so many times.” Jeff feels that the responsibility for the city losing the lawsuit to K. Hovnanian falls squarely on Mayor Nowick. “Was it incompetence, or sabotage? I think the mayor wanted this project all along and he’s very satisfied with the outcome. I shouldn’t say ‘think,’ because I don’t know what he thinks, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... I think this is the outcome he wanted. He seems to be very pro development.” ### Hardware to Hotel Jeff is a vocal opponent of the planned 49-room Coryell Hotel campus slated to replace the Finkles properties on Coryell Street. He’s also a founding member of [S.O.U.L.](https://www.save-our-unique-lambertville.info/home?ref=lambpage.com) (Save Our Unique Lambertville), which is organizing to fight the project. “The Finkles battle is the symbol of a greater battle,” Jeff explained, “It’s the battle between maintaining the character of the community, its historic importance, and the neighborhood feel versus the Hamptonization of Lambertville.” Jeff is, of course, referring to the Hamptons on Long Island, which used to be where New York City artists and writers would relocate, because it was a beautiful and affordable place where artists could earn live on their creativity. New Hope and Lambertville have similar artistic origin stories, but now artists are increasingly unable to afford to live in either town, let alone in the region. Jeff is not unrealistic. “It’s one thing when it’s Lambertville Station and they have their own parking lot. They’re at the edge of the business district, but they’re not really in anybody’s neighborhood. This is just right in front of people’s homes, and the problem is that it’s just too big and too dense.” It’d be easy to say Jeff is anti-development, but that’s not the case. He knows the Finkles properties are changing, and he’s not opposed if it’s resonable. “Nobody is saying that site shouldn’t get developed, but it should be in perspective to the community. It shouldn’t overhwlem the community. It shouldn’t gridlock the area traffic. It shouldn’t cause a lot of pollution and noise, and so it’s really about scale.” ### Lambertville Lobbyist Jeff’s firebrand style of communication gets attention, and sometimes pisses people off. It’s difficult to know if that’s by design or not, because Jeff doesn’t seem fazed by others’ opinions of him—he has a bigger picture in mind. Over his career, Jeff helped pass a constitutional amendment, worked with politicians on every level, was named one of the Most Influential People in New Jersey by the Star Ledger, and was listed on the New Jersey Politics Power List. As a lobbyist, Jeff was involved in every major peice of environmental legislation passing in New Jersey since 1998\. Some of his achievements include the passage of the California Car Law, the Highlands Act, New Jersey’s Global Warming Response Act, New Jersey’s Fertilizer Law, NJ’s Electronic Waste Recycling Law, and the Indoor Smoking Ban. Jeff was also behind the open public records act, because, as he said, “the only way we can fight special interests is through an open process.” His career is a reminder that our community’s livibility is the result of past battles fought and won, or problems passed on by careless predecessors. If you really listen to what Jeff is saying, and you realize who he’s fighting for, then it’s hard not to stand with him. That is, unless you don’t care. ### Mold, Mice, & Mismanagement: What’s Happening at Heritage Village Apartments? URL: https://www.lambpage.com/heritage-village-apartments/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:36:08.000Z First you spot the welcoming foliage. Then you notice the rust. After that, the situation quickly becomes overwhelming. When you walk up to the front entrance at Heritage Village Apartments in Lambertville, New Jersey, one of the first things you’ll see are the well-kept hydrangeas flowering in pink, purple, and white near the main entrance. Heritage Village is a non-smoking, affordable apartment community with 100 senior rental units. The building opened in 2011, and is owned and managed by Community Investment Strategies (CIS), which is based in Lawrenceville, NJ. If you were drawn to the flowers, you might not have noticed that the car parked in the disabled spot closest to the front door is actually abandoned. ![an old Subaru wagon with a flat tire is parked in the accessible parking spot](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/handicapped.webp) abandoned car in the accessible parking spot The rubber on the flat rear tires is dry, and the interior is strewn with trash. Residents say the vehicle has been sitting like that for months, if not longer. Inside the building’s foyer is the Fire Code Certificate of Inspection, which is legally required to be displayed. It was granted in 2020, but expired in 2021. ![a certificate of inspection that expired in 2021](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/fireform.webp) expired certificate of inspection for Heritage Village Apartments It’s entirely possible that the building’s certificate of inspection is up to date, but the management just hasn’t gotten around to posting it—for four years. Inside, plywood sub-flooring lines the hallways, and the drywall has been cut out from along the bottom of the walls, exposing several apartment’s interiors. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hallway-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nostep-616x616-crop.webp) stripped hallway, sign on the floor Near one of the fire doors, a small sign taped to the floor reads “DO NO STEP.” The edges of the tape have curled and collected enough dirt to make it clear that people have been stepping there—for months. All of that is unusual enough, and then the elevator adds another disorienting contradiction: floor 3 is the ground floor, and floor 1 is at the top. ### What’s Happening? One night in January of 2025, the fire suppression system at Heritage Village turned on, pouring water and fire foam into residents’ apartments. Not every unit got impacted, but of those that were, significant damage was sustained. The water that came out of the sprinkler was brown and rusty. It soaked several floors, ruined tenants’ possessions, and displaced many of the residents. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/guts-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gutted-616x616-crop.webp) damaged apartment unit: July, 2025 After the emergency, ServPro came to do remediation. They ran industrial dehumidifiers, which sucked moisture from the apartments though rubber hoses and deposited water into plastic garbage containers in the hallways. One tenant could afford to move away, and did so immediately. Other affected residents were relocated into temporary apartments inside the building. ### Renata’s Temporary Apartment Renata didn’t want photos taken inside of her interim residence. “It’s my sanctuary,” she said. Located on an upper floor, her living room has two windows that open to a view of green leaves and tree branches. Renata’s cat, Miss Cordelia Tabby Shoes Proper, sleeps curled up in a ball of sunlight on the edge of the couch. Antique dolls and religious statuary decorate the space. Although she’s been living there for months, Renata has been told that her current housing situation is only temporary. As a result, she’s hesitant to completely settle in, so her bedroom wall is stacked with packed moving boxes. Renata is a student who generally keeps to herself. She loves living in Lambertville, and wants to stay. The problem is that her active lease, which has approximately eight months left on it, is tied to her former unit. Getting her lease transferred to her current unit hasn’t worked out. Renata keeps trying, however, because her previous apartment shows no signs of being repaired, and she’s not sure if or when she’ll be asked to move back there. At one point, someone reviewed her request and sent a new lease, but the apartment number on the document was still for her old unit. She’s taken to emailing the management company every day (except weekends and holidays). Her communications are polite and professional, but it hasn’t made a difference. In an attempt to get help, Renata has gone to the Lambertville City Council, the news, the health department, and to the police. Everyone she talks to points her to another agency and/or suggests that she try a different approach. In the meantime, she’s developed a strange cough that she can’t quite shake. Renata is prone to depression, but she said this whole situation has only strengthened her faith, so she keeps trying, and she’s helping others too. She wanted Linda to share her story, because Renata felt Linda was really suffering. ### Linda’s Old Apartment Linda was in bed when the sprinkler sprayed water and foam on her, her dog, and her belongings. Her $600 computer was ruined, her furniture had to be broken up and trashed, and she had to throw away her deceased father’s ashes. It’s been seven months since the incident. Rust-colored stains mark the old unit, and mold grows freely on the ceiling, walls, and carpet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/pointing-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/closetdoor-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/closet-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/boxes-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/mold-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/wood-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/carpetmold-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/moldspores-616x616-crop.webp) Linda’s old apartment Linda got moved from upstairs to a temporary apartment on the ground floor. Currently she pays rent only for one apartment, but her lease is still tied to the moldy living space upstairs. Given the situation, Linda has taken extra care to pay her rent on time. However, she said CIS Management told her they haven’t been getting her monthly rent. Concerned, Linda stopped payment on the missing checks (paying a $33 bank fee for each). After that, CIS Management returned her canceled checks to her, all of which were postdated in the envelopes in which they had received them. “They told me they had to sort through 3,000 checks to find my cancelled checks,” Linda said, “so they did get them.” ### Linda’s Temporary Apartment Nearly everything Linda has in her current space—a vacuum, a TV, some furniture, and a large mattress—was donated. She didn’t have air conditioning until just recently, and the hot water doesn't get hot until 10pm. She said a man sometimes stands outside of her window at night while she is trying to relax in bed and watch television. Also, there are a lot of spiders in her temporary space, and she’s woken up with trails of itchy bites. Linda’s current unit is one of the apartments that had the drywall cut away by the floor in the hallway. The backs of her kitchen cabinets are exposed to the corridor. No insulation is visible, and you can see the light from in her kitchen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hallhole-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/poop-616x616-crop.webp) the corner of Linda’s kitchen cabinets as seen from the hallway “Something has been scurrying through that opening,” Linda pointed out. On the floor, under the cabinet, appears to be mouse poop. Linda has asked CIS Management to put boards up to block the pests from coming into her kitchen, but so far the landlord hasn’t responded. Linda suffers from ADHD, and can’t lift her left arm higher than shoulder height. She needs a shower head on a handle like she had in her previous unit. Although she has requested one, management hasn’t provided it. After finding out that she has a spot on her lung, she cut her smoking habit down to two cigarettes per day. She missed a CT scan appointment recently, because she’s having trouble managing everything alone. The Department of Housing system uses a bureaucratic maze of paperwork, websites, emails, and forms—all of which Linda navigates using only her smartphone. Watching her finger the tiny screen on her Android device made it clear that securing housing is no easy task for an inexperienced tech user. She’s even tried to get legal help, but can’t find a lawyer that will take her case. “I’ve been dealing with this for seven months,” she said, breaking into tears for a moment, “I’m exhausted.” Linda is diabetic, and is increasingly having trouble getting medicine. She would like to move back to Flemington, because she relies on the bus to get around, but she’s having a hard time finding a rental that’s within her budget. Meanwhile, her lease at Heritage Village is coming to an end. She’s gotten a couple 30-day extensions, one of which she credits to the help of Mayor Nowick. Now, with her deadline looming, Linda is beginning to panic. “I don’t want to end up homeless,” she cried. Renata encouraged her not to give up. “You have to have faith and hope. Pray every day,” Renata advised. “If this is happening to us, it’s happening to other people too.” ### Behind the ‘Seens’ In the back parking lot at Heritage Village, an open hole spans two parking spaces. Behind it, a sign reads, “Fire Sprinkler Tank 40,000 Gallons.” Residents say a pipe broke—they think—but they’re not really sure about what happened. They say the hole was dug after the sprinkler system went off. ![a hole in the parking lot that takes up two parking spaces](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/lothole.webp) a hole in the parking lot Heritage Village Apartments in Lambertville is managed by CIS Management. CIS Management is part of Community Investment Strategies, which owns [thirty apartment buildings](https://www.ciscommunities.com/find-an-apartment?ref=lambpage.com) in New Jersey. According to their [website](https://www.communityinvestmentstrategies.com/what-we-do?ref=lambpage.com), CIS Management “provides comprehensive and responsive property management services,” and, “is committed to a hands-on, around-the-clock approach.” The Founder and CEO of Community Investment Strategies is Christina Foglio. Foglio’s career path has revolved in and out of the public and private sectors. She was executive director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, chaired the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing, and was president of the New Brunswick Development Corporation—all while she amassed a portfolio that includes 3,775 apartments valued at over $600 million. Foglio is married to Douglas Palmer, who is the former mayor of Trenton, NJ. In 2023, [NJ 101.5 news](https://nj1015.com/incredible-estate-owned-by-several-nj-power-families-is-for-sale/?ref=lambpage.com) reported that Foglio and Palmer listed their house in Stockton, NJ for $2.2 million. According to [Zillow](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/155-Lower-Creek-Rd-Stockton-NJ-08559/38839836%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com), the listing was removed. In 2021, The Trentonian [reported](https://www.trentonian.com/2010/06/22/paul-mickle-trenton-mayor-doug-palmer-was-a-master-at-spinning-the-story/?ref=lambpage.com) that Foglio purchased the property “through her development company, Community Investment Strategy, for $1.44 million.” In 2024, Foglio was [named commissioner](https://re-nj.com/foglio-named-commissioner-with-mercer-county-improvement-authority/?ref=lambpage.com) with the Middlesex County Improvement Authority, which is her second appointment to the MICA. ### No Ill Will Renata adheres to Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence, and therefore wishes no ill will on anyone. She simply wants safe and secure housing for herself, and for her neighbors. Unfortunately, that means complaining to the landlord about the landlord, and appealing to institutions that have a lot of power over their lives. “People say ‘you have a choice,’” Renata explained, “but that’s not always the case. Sometimes people don’t have a choice.” ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: July 17, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-meeting-july-17-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:14:19.000Z The Lambertville City Council met at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center at 7pm on Thursday, July 17, 2025. **Please note:** This is not official documentation. All efforts to ensure accuracy are taken. Some of what was said might be summarized for readability. Important meetings like this one get more attention with extended transcription. See the [Lambertville municipal website](https://lambertvillenj.org/?ref=lambpage.com) for official records or watch the [video here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoZHPmOBsAo&ref=lambpage.com). --- The Mayor made some general announcements. The Justice center was painted. Landlords who were late in registering paid $2,300 in fines. Parking revenue last month was $50,000\. The council accepted the administrative reports, and then the Mayor announced that they were going to do things a little bit differently, and he proposed that that they would work through the items in the agenda first, and then discuss the judge’s order. ##### Public Comments They Mayor asked people to keep public comments to a maximum of 3 minutes. 🗣️**Mike R.** said he was surprised that the Mayor went into direct talks to sell the homestead market. He felt that the Council has a fiduciary duty to sell the property to the highest qualified bidder. The Mayor said he’d discuss it when they talked about that ordinance. 🗣️**Karen A.** thanked Jeff Tittel and Councilwoman Kominsky for helping people on the hill. She then directed a question at the Mayor. “What do you envision for the future for Lambertville and why did you run for mayor?” she asked. Mayor Nowick said he was happy to answer, but reminded folks that comments are not to be directed to any one person, because the Council works as a team. “I ran for Mayor because I thought I could do a good job,” he said, “and I have been working full-time as the Mayor, and I show up everyday at 8 o’clock in City Hall, and I work until 4 or 5, and I also work on weekends. There’s a lot to be done over the course of the day...” Mayor Nowick continued, saying he and his husband raised three boys in town, and he explained that being Mayor was a way for him to express his gratitude for the community in which he lives. “As far as the community,” Karen replied, “it seems like you don’t listen to what we have to say. You know, it’s kind of like your way or that’s it. I mean maybe I’m wrong.” “I don’t want to get into a back and forth here,” the Mayor responded, “I’d be happy to set up a meeting and have a conversation with you.” “Well, I just want it on record, because a lot of stuff is being done and it’s not on record, so I just wanted to know your opinion of what your thoughts were for the future of Lambertville,” Karen clarified. The Mayor said he couldn’t discuss all of his thoughts for the future of Lambertville right then, because they were not all on his mind. He reiterated that he was more than happy to have a conversation. 🗣️**Jeff T.** objected to the change in how the Council was addressing the agenda. He said it’s, “more manipulation to silence and confuse and keep the public from being heard.” He said that Lambertville was one of the only towns he’s ever dealt with that limited speech to three minutes. He argued that the limitations were stifling dissent, and he objected to the government having closed-door meetings, especially with developers. “This week, we saw horrific floods in New Jersey. Last week we saw hundreds of people die, because of flooding. The reason that flooding happens is because you cut down the mountains, you cut down forests, you pave over open space and you can’t control the water,” Jeff said, clearly upset. “What I’m saying is, not only don’t you listen to the people, you’re setting us up for a tragedy.” The room applauded. 🗣️**Susanne D.** tried to speak directly to the Mayor, but the Mayor objected to her addressing any one person on the Council. Susanne continued anyhow saying that she believes Mayor Nowick had the town’s best interest at heart when he began as mayor, because he used to do walkabouts, “which were wonderful.” She said the Mayor was very responsive, but that things have gotten darker. “How are these redevelopments going to enhance and enrich our little town that we love so much?” she asked, “Those are my thoughts, not directed to you.” 🗣️**Judy G.** was sorry about the decision to change the way the Council was doing the public comments. She felt that the last minute announcement was not a good way to communicate changes in the public agenda. She said she looked up the role of mayor, and was concerned, because she has seen the council take positions contrary to the Mayor, and she’s seen the outcome be something that was not supported by the Council. “We live in a world where people are doing things that do not fall within their duties and powers at high levels of government, which has caused everybody concern,” Judy said. “I did not expect to have that concern in this little town.” 🗣️**Sean E.** said it doesn’t seem like council is working as a team. He felt that there’s “a routing around democracy,” and he was concerned there was an undemocratic resolution, as if the Council is being thwarted by one person. 🗣️**John H.** spoke about Cavallo Park. He mentioned how in the 1970s, when the city converted the park, he and Jim Hamilton gave a presentation about what Cavallo park should look like. John said he did all the paperwork himself. “When I saw $150,000 dollars minimus \[sic\] for Benzopyrene,” he exclaimed, “You’ve got to be kidding me, and I’m using light language here.” It appeared John was referring to a recent cost estimate for remediation. “Uh, that’s real beef. The worst being chicken fat. Beef not so bad,” he said, “so every property here—in Lambertville, not in the world—has got Benzopyrenes \[sic\] on it. And $150,000 dollars to clean it up?!” John was angry, “I hope you got paperwork. Folks. From the Green Acres. Because Green Acres knows nothing about it. At all! And I’ve got the paperwork that says they don’t.” He continued, “if this $150,000 is spent to clean up chicken fat and beef, then I think we’ll have to take it to the next level.” John explained how, every day of his life, he looks up at the hill by his home, and it’s slowly losing its trees. He said illegal blasting in the middle of the night might be contributing to the contents of buried tanks getting into our aquifers. “So we have a very serious problem here,” he said, “Benzopyrene better go away. We do not want to get involved with the folks in Newark. You know who they work for before, and they probably still do now.” He then talked about trees, how the town cannot tolerate a heavy rain fall, and he blamed indifference for causing that problem. “And if we’re the ones involved in getting injured, I will take it to the highest level,” he declared, “you’re forcing us to go into the enemy camp.” The Mayor said that he, the attorney, and the LSRPs have been in regular contact with Green Acres. “Who?! Give me a name. Attorney, give me a name,” John demanded. The Mayor and the city attorney told John the name of their contact. “I’d be more than happy to send you a long line of emails that show that we’ve had regular communication with them,” the Mayor replied. John said, “I have a person who is a compliance officer who has no clue what you’re talking about. That could be the issue here. There’s nothing wrong with Cavallo Park. We don’t have to spend $150,000 dollars to clean up chicken fat.” “We have a well established record of what’s happening at Cavallo Park,” the Mayor countered. “So do I. I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” John retorted. “You gotta be able to talk to justice blindly.” John thanked everyone for their attention, and returned to his seat. --- #### Resolutions **119-2025 & 127-2025** was for the redemption of a tax lien. The motion carried. **128-2025** Resolution to update the bid threshold. The motion was adopted. **129-2025** certified the 2024 audit. There were no recommendations this year, it was a perfectly clean audit. They accepted the motion and it carried. They paid the bills. The motion carried. --- #### First Reading Ordinances **18-2025** An accessible parking space on Clinton street ordinance was accepted. Amendments to **19-2025** were special regulations for major motion pictures, which brought Lambertville’s movie code in line with the state of NJ. It carried. --- #### Second Reading Ordinances **15-2025** was for an accessible parking spot on York Street. There were no public comments and the ordinance was adopted. **16-2025** is about the **Holcombe Farm redevelopment plan**. It was found to be consistent with the master plan, permits the sale of land to Fisherman’s Mark, and makes space for six Habitat for Humanity affordable housing units. ##### Public Comments 🗣️**Paul S.** felt strongly that any activity related to the sale of the Closson property should be put on hold until they figure out the high school site. He said that selling the property one time will bring in money, but not ongoing future revenue. “And there’s a good chance we’re gonna need it,” he added. He said it’s the only property that the city has that it owns right now where it controls the future of what goes on there. He suggested that the entire property might have to be developed with affordable housing, because Fisherman’s Mark has plenty of money according to their own financial reports. Paul also suggested that Fisherman’s Mark could think more creatively, and perhaps put affordable housing units on the second floor of their building. Then he pointed out that Fisherman’s Mark is in violation with zoning, because a food pantry was not one of the permissible uses for that location. 🗣️**Peter H.** was curious and concerned about the process that brought the city to designating the property for redevelopment. He thought it was questionable and completely wrong. He said the criteria was not accurate, and pointed out that the minutes show the Mayor stated the reason for doing it was to enable the city to use the property was for stormwater management, which he found curious. He said there is no mention in the plan of any extremely consequential project going on at that property. ”Maybe I’m the only one who likes to look at stars,” Peter said, “or have the only view in town looking over the city. That was the only place that you can do it.” He said the hill was going to be obliterated and so will the sledding. “I’m astounded that this is something that’s moving forward without question, especially in light of what we’re seeing with Hovnanian,” Peter concluded. The Mayor said the city is working with a $22,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which is ongoing and has been very well vetted. He said it will add green infrastructure in the park, and sledding will not be compromised. “That project is continuing, and it will have a beneficial impact to houses across the street, for example, and for stormwater in general,” confirmed the Mayor. “So the project will not do what it is stating that it is going to do?” Paul asked. “You can call me and set up a meeting,” replied the Mayor. 🗣️**Mike R.** said, “There’s a lot of contention going on in society right now. We abuse language in our society. Suggesting that the Closson Farm is an area in need of redevelopment is a lie. It’s an abuse of language.” He talked about the ‘spirit of law.’ He explained how when the government buys, it should buy from the lowest qualified bidder, and when it sells, it should sell to the highest qualified bidder. “I actually think the council members have a fiduciary duty to the tax payer to ensure that that happens. Thank you. I appreciate any thoughts and comments.” **Mayor Nowick** said the Council had talked about it a number of times before in public meetings. He said the property had been appraised in multiple different ways so they could fully understand its value, and Fisherman’s Mark has agreed to pay above the valued price. **Councilwoman Lambert** said the comments have given her pause to reflect. She remembered specifically advocating for putting the bid out to the highest bidder, and she wanted to go on record saying she supported that stance. “It doesn’t matter if we sell the property to a benevolent organization at a discounted price or a highly qualified bidder at a slightly higher price. We would still have the opportunity to pay down the debt with that money, so I just want to go on record as saying I do support the reservations that are being put forward tonight,” she said. **The Mayor** said that she could express it as she wanted in the vote. 🗣️**Jeff T.** said the reason they make an area of redevelopment is to get around bidding and zoning, “so just so you understand that this was done so that they do a private sale versus doing a public bid, and I’m not necessarily against the private. I just want to make sure people understand.” He said nobody knows what the infrastructure improvements will cost. “This is not going to be a money maker. This is going to be a money loser,” Jeff said. “That site is supposed to get five units of affordable housing in round three, the former mayor took it off and moved it to the police station, and then they wanted to put the police station in a flood zone. But those five units that stood out there is one of the major reasons we lost the lawsuit to K. Hovnanian, because we could not get certified because we had no place for those five units. Had we put them back on Closson Farm after we bought the property, we would have had a different outcome. This has been a tragedy, a major mistake, or in the army we called it another word that starts with ‘cluster.’ I’ll leave it at that.” 🗣️**Dave B.** said the sale of the market should go to public auction. He felt that the city would do better that way. He said, “With the court case, we don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s not gonna be good. To tie up any of our properties that now belongs to us—us the taxpayers—I think it would be a dereliction of duty, to prepare for whatever is coming.” 🗣️**John H.** said he presented a presentation as a professional at the past planning board meeting. (Editor’s note: John was not sworn in as an expert witness at that planning board meeting. The board repeatedly tried to swear him in, but John spoke over them and said he was just reading facts and wasn’t giving any opinions.) “I’m a historic preservation specialist,” John said. He mentioned that he read through his qualifications at the planning meeting, but he forgot to mention that he and his wife got a call from then President Reagan, who thanked them for work they did on a project. Reagan added, “but more importantly, I want to thank you for what you did for America,” John said. “And that’s what I’m gonna do right now.” “The Holcombe Farm is on the state and national register of historic places. As soon as it’s purchased by a municipality,” John slammed his hand on the podium, “it comes under the control of the historic place council.” He said demolition of a contributing structure, taking property from a historic resource, or alternation of listed properties is illegal. “This. Is. So. Illegal!” John exclaimed, clearly upset. “Encroachments are reviewed in a meeting with the historic sites council.” He continued, “A blighted property is a property that is exactly that: ugly, neglected, run down, conditions of urban decay... Holcombe Farm is trying to be developed under 40a12\. That is not in any way something that occurs... So this property here, in order to be developed, it’s got to go before the Historic Sites Council. It’s got to be an open public meeting. And that’s the law of the land.” He asked if we have problems in New Jersey with affordable housing, and said 15-20% of homes in New Jersey are valued at one million or more, “so it’s economically driven and not anything else at all.” He reiterated that anything that happens must be approved by the Historic Sites Council in an open, public meeting. He said he told the planning board that a man in town with 3.5 acres went to the former mayor to be considered for a deal for affordable housing on their property. They wanted to do trailers or tiny houses on land that didn’t get flooded during Ida, but the ideas was rejected. “I’m very concerned about living in what I call an alcoholic family, where I’m afraid to tell the truth so I don’t bring us out in the open with some of the stuff that’s going on around here. But sooner or later, and hopefully later, we are going to be having people looking at Fisherman”s Mark as a ICE target, if I might say so, and you can’t restrict people from speaking here. It’s called the constitution, and it amps up when you get to sections 241, 242\. Your attorney here will tell you that. It gets pretty nasty.” 🗣️**Paul S.** said, “There have been appraisals on that? The only thing that I know of in public meeting were the appraisals that were done for Green Acres and they did not include an appraisal of the exclusion zone. If there is an appraisal of the exclusion zone could you please send it to me. Thank you.” 🗣️**Judy G.** wanted to thank the people who have knowledge and experience and information they were able to share in this public hearing. She asked the Council, “Please, take this seriously and don’t feel like you have to do whatever it is you’re being asked to do tonight. There’s obviously more going on here. Maybe at the end of the day you find out that there’s no need to do anything differently than what was thought would be out there, but there’s been really important information shared with the whole room, not just with the council. That means everybody here knows the stuff that is at issue and in question. Members of council have in the past stood for this sort of thing and said ‘okay, we’re gonna hold on, we’re gonna do whatever we’re gonna do’ so I know, having watched this council since its election in various years, this is a group that’s willing to look and take careful attention. So just please, I didn’t give you any good information, but I heard good information and I’m asking you to please take the time and not feel like you can check off something by going at it tonight when there’s clearly more to it now than is 100% clear. Thank you.” 🗣️**Sean E.**, thought Paul had a good point. He asked, “If there are appraisals, assuming it’s taxpayer money, is it possible to make that public?” The Mayor said there were two or three appraisals and there were a lot of proposed ideas about what to do at the site. Then he deferred to Bill, the city attorney. Bill confirmed that there were three appraisals and said his opinion was that making the numbers public would compromise the bid. “So it was made with taxpayer money, but the public can’t actually see that?” Sean asked. The Mayor replied in the affirmative, and comments whispered across the room. 🗣️**Camille L.** came up to speak, and the Mayor asked if she was going to comment on the \[Closson\] redevelopment plan. “The one on the hill? Is that the one we’re doing?” Camille asked. The Mayor explained that they were going to get to that. Camille apologized and said she’d come back up. The Mayor asked, “Is there anybody online who wishes to speak to this?” 🗣️**John H.**, who already gave public testimony, stood up to speak again. The Mayor said, “No, John. I’m sorry, we’re gonna—” Council President Lambert cut the Mayor off. “Mayor, people have the right to speak. They shouldn’t be shut down and they shouldn’t be told they’ve spoken too much. I’m sorry,” she said. The room applauded. John said, “If I might say so. Compliance. Does the local government certify what you folks passed? They request the authorization of the commission of environmental protection prior to encroaching upon a resource listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, and you put your John Hancock on it. You had agreed to it, and now you’re turning your back on it. It all don’t work that way.” Nobody online wanted to speak, so Council closed public comments. **Councilman Stegman** said, “Given the information that we received tonight, which is actually maybe the first time I’ve heard about it, about additional approvals we need to potentially sell parts of the Closson property. I would be hesitant to take action before we did a little bit more due diligence. I could be wrong, but I have questions whether the Holcombe Farm is actually singled out. Because not many properties are singled out for protection.” John H. said “It is.” “But be that as it may,” Stegman continued, “I would rather we wait until we get official word whether what we’re doing with the property...” The Mayor said, “We have talked about this in at least one public meeting. Anything that we do on that property is going to have to go before a state historical preservation office and the Historic Sites Council. We have talked about this in public meetings. There’s not a single thing that we can do up there—the reason why the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant is taking so long is because we needed to do an archeological survey and that took a very long time. They found a thousand objects, which are in City Hall. If anyone is interested in seeing them, they may. And then they required that we do a second survey of a separate area of the park. There’s not a single thing that we can do up there without talking to the D&R Canal Commission, without going to Historic Sites, and SHPO.” “Am I correct Michael?” the Mayor asked. “Yes” Michael responded. “Did I miss anything?” the Mayor asked. “No” Michael confirmed. “Okay. So this has been talked about in public meetings before. I don’t want there to be confusion about it. Anything we do there is a multi-layered process, and I have found that out better than anybody, with Green Acres. Anything we do up there, it’s taking—we’ve owned the property like four years and everything requires a lot of bureaucratic applications. I could talk about this for half an hour. So I just want to make sure that everybody is clear. It is true. John is correct and nobody was disputing that at any point. The Historic Sites Council will need to be seen. SHPO will need to be contacted. Applications will need to be sought and approved by the state before we can do the Habitat houses, before we can do potential work on the site that’s related to Green Acres.” “And that will be an open public meeting?” a person asked. “Those meetings are as public as the state makes them. This Historic Sites Commission I think is open.” Bill said he knows SHPO is open. “Well we would like these to be open, because that is a very historic site,” the person said. “and for us to carve it up in a way that you’re talking about would not be appropriate for it.” “We already closed public comment,” the Mayor informed. “Sorry. I’ll take it later, but you know fully well what that site is,” the person replied. The Mayor said, “We all do. I have a deed from 1705 in my office. I look at it every single day. I’m very keenly aware of the historic significance of that site.” The Mayor asked if there were other questions from the council. **Councilwoman Lambert** said, “I just want to second Councilman Stegman’s comments about getting some good information for tonight. It does give me pause that we should maybe take further discussion on how to approach this. Maybe we missed some opportunities and that would be part of the discussion and the public would be privy to that discussion and that would be a good thing. But really, what are our options and what are the things we can accomplish? What’s the reason we’re not moving forward with this? That’s number one. What else could we possibly do? I’d like to maybe carry this forward, and see if there’s an opportunity to do a little bit of extra bidding.” The Mayor said “I strongly feel a different point of view from the Council President. I think that the expectation, the last couple of years worth of work and conversations in the public about this have taken place, and we have worked in the public forum to discuss this many times. We have talked about debt, we have talked about the mission of Fisherman’s Mark and what an important organization it is to the character and the very support of our residents. So I would be opposed to moving this to a different date. We’ve already done so much work here and it feels as though we would be doing a last minute complete change of heart.” **Councilwoman Kominsky** said, “I think given the situation we are probably wise to carry it, because we don’t want to go back and start all over again. Since we already know how some of the Council members feel... there needs to be some further discussion, particularly the failsafe in a redevelopment plan of ‘Well what if it doesn’t sell in the way that they said? What if we wanted to convert the building into affordable housing and we needed to?’ Is there anything else we need to put in the redevelopment plan to give some surety to that? Maybe it does go ahead and go with Fisherman’s Mark, but the food for thought here is some of these desires that failsafe, because what the sale—I’m privy to the sale negotiations, but it hasn’t happened yet so we’re adopting a plan. We don’t really have a buyer, we’re gonna have a plan with a plan that may not be the use, so carrying it may be, you know, the wisest move to be able to move ahead with a product that everyone can agree on. There is no point in having a showdown over it. I would rather work it out to compromise, you know.” **Councilman Lide** said, “I didn’t think we were going to be having as much of a discussion on this, honestly. I thought we were going to be talking about the K. Hov. So I do agree with Councilwoman Kominsky about the wise thing about it being to carry it at this time, but I do want to say I do support selling to Fisherman’s Mark, and I think that there was an agreement that this property would not be sold unless it was sold over the appraisal value.” He continued, “So obviously when that vote happens I want people to understand that yes, we’re gonna honor that. That was not honored when the property was bought. I wasn’t on Council when the property was bought—I didn’t support it—but I am now and my job is to do what’s best for the city of Lambertville. Also, for the last couple of years we’ve had people coming in here saying ‘why isn’t this property sold?’ so now we’re pulling back and let me tell you there were a lotta lotta comments and a lot of the people who made those comments are the same ones now saying ‘let’s slow it down.‘ “You know, look, more information changes everything, but I do support the project. I certainly don’t want to start all over again. I think the wisest thing is to make sure the city attorney can look at this information and carriage it and hopefully be able to proceed very shortly. I do have a question though. Part of this resolution is for our affordable housing with that project. Is that gonna cause problems if we don’t move forward?” The Mayor asked council to address that question and pointed out that the city’s third round of compliance is tied into a Habitat for Humanity MOU. He said, “If this is not approved what that says is that we do not have the mechanism to move forward with Habitat for Humanity. It’s going to put us, I think—and I want Kelly to give her expert legal opinion—put us in legal jeopardy that we do not need.” **Councilwoman Kominsky** said, “That is great information. That is why we have this sputtering of stuff, so carry on.” **Kelly** said the city has been working with Habitat for Humanity to develop an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding). She said the city had represented that to the court several times including in recent litigation. Because they made a swap from the police site, they negotiated this parcel. She said it’s been put to court, and to Fair Share. “Not moving is not moving, and it’s on an agenda so it’s not very difficult for folks to see it wasn’t approved at this time at a public hearing,” Kelly said. **Councilwoman Kominsky** said, “In order to keep our good faith with the court since we don’t have immunity, that the recommendation, that we have talked about before, is that we need to move forward with this as part of the package to try and move to get our immunity back.” **Councilman Lide** said, “So we’re not selling anything. We’re just—” **Councilwoman Kominsky** continued, “We’re just adopting the redevelopment plan, which includes the six units that is part of our round three, which now doesn’t have immunity, but we are working towards getting our immunity back. The judge removed our immunity and it’s a very precarious place with the city. This is one of the steps that we need to take towards getting our immunity back.” Kelly said she would agree with that characterization. **Councilwoman Kominsky** said, “That’s an aspect of the plan that we weren’t really talking about, because we were talking about the ability to put, uh, if they didn’t buy the farm market, we would have that space to put another affordable housing unit. So I guess the bottom line is that we need to adopt this with a different bit of a wrinkle to protect us, because we have to keep those six units moving.” She said if there is an issue and they need, they could go back and amend the plan if we need to build affordable housing on the property. **Councilwoman Kominsky** said, “We have to protect our immunity but we also have to commit to looking at it down the road if we want more affordable housing there or whatever. But tonight if we can do that it really is to the betterment of the city that we protect ourselves from this immunity. We’re getting a little ahead of ourselves but I will say that you don’t want to have no immunity and then have anybody be able to come in and build whatever they want on any parcel here whether or not it’s redevelopment or on vacant land in the name of affordable housing. You lose control of your zoning that way, and if this is the price that we’re paying for doing that in my rethinking of even carrying it, you know let’s move forward tonight. We’ll do something later on and I swear to god I’ll never make anything a redevelopment plan again.” People laughed. **Councilman Lide** said, “I think the six units is why I should be moving forward with this, and we’ve heard the concerns that we’re not going to address those concerns, but as Councilwoman Kominsky said, the immunity is critical.” “We don’t have immunity!” someone called out. “Exactly. And that’s the problem,” **Councilman Lide** replied. A bunch of people began to talk all at once, and the Mayor said, “Please, one person speak at a time.” **Councilwoman Lambert** said, “Councilwoman, and the Councilman, I really appreciate your dialogue and Kelly, thank you as well. That helped clarify for me about immunity. Okay, yeah, we don’t have immunity, but this would make us have even less immunity. That’s what I’m hearing. Like, there’s a lot of different things and steps we need to do to move forward. This would be one of them, even though we didn’t anticipate having this type of discussion—I certainly didn’t, but I’m glad we have. We could theoretically comply with the judge’s order with regard to the high school site, but not doing this, eh, we’re still out of compliance. We don’t like it, but it’s the way it is.” **Councilman Stegman** said, “Right before we bought the property, Ben and I—and we weren’t in office yet—Ben and I met with Julia and we talked about using part of the property for Fair Share housing. And at the time, the constraints were so hard with Fair Share that building a small property did not qualify for any points or any credit. “We talked about the Closson Farm, the farm market, many times at many meetings. We even put a notice out if there was interest if anybody wanted to purchase it, and it was pretty well circulated. And we got two responses. One was for a restaurant,” he said. The other interested party was Fisherman’s Mark. Councilman Stegman did not say how much Fisherman’s Mark had paid, or what the appraisal was, but he did confirm that they are paying more than the appraised value. He said that information will come out when they have a contract. “I was in favor of Fisherman’s Mark being willing to pay to purchase it..” he said, “I did not want an outside entity that was going to set up a strip mall there. I didn’t want something that didn’t serve the community on land that was city owned.” He explained that one of the ways they considered doing it was to have Fisherman’s Mark purchase the property. “That’s why the redevelopment plan is very specific to what happens on the property and also where the log home is,” he explained. “I have to remind people that before Ben and I got on council, that property was going to be the police department and it wasn’t until I had a shouting match with the former mayor that I was not going to approve the purchase if it was going to be developed for a municipal purpose. That’s why I voted to purchase it, and that’s why we can now use it. That’s the reason Ben and I ran, to make sure that property is viable. If the proposal goes forward and we accept the redevelopment plan we have sewn up the use of that property where the farm market is until some other council in some other future decides to do something else and change the use of it. So this is just another step in moving forward with a use that I support on where the farm market. Everybody here knows the good work that Fisherman’s Mark does. And now we’re getting Fair Share that takes us back into compliance with the third round of Fair Share agreement. So that’s what it does. I will say this: before a shovel goes into the ground on any of these projects, it’s gonna be reviewed by the necessary entities to approve it. So there’s a failsafe in here. That’s why I’m going to support this.” “In addition to that, I know how fragile our relationship is with Fair Share. and if we want to shoot ourselves in the foot,” Councilman Stegman said, “and put the city into a worse position it is not a reason to not approve the redevelopment plan as it is now. John, I’m glad you brought it up, all those loops we have to go through, and we still have to go through those loops. The redevelopment plan does not affect it, because it’s just a plan now.” The Mayor made a motion to take a vote on 16-2025\. They adopted the plan and it carried with Kominsky, Lambert, Lide, Stegman, and Nowick voting yes. **17-2025** Renewing the cable company’s contract with the city. 🗣️**Sean E.** requested that the ordinance include a narrative from the Lambertville Broadband Cable and Telephone Services Advisory Committee that outlines the committee’s recommendations. “The city did not change the contract or ask for anything other than what we’re getting. I think that should be shared with the public,” Sean said. Cindy said the narrative is attached online. There was no further public testimony, so the Council closed public comments and adopted the ordinance. --- #### Lambertville After Hours The Mayor reported that people said the Lambertville After Hours event was a lot of fun, went really well, and cleared out right at 9pm so folks could go to the fireworks. Councilman Stegman was there. He originally had concerns with the day and which street they wanted to close, but he had great conversations with people and they didn’t close North Union Street so he felt it was a success. He said the event really focused the businesses on Church Street, and, having once had a business on Church Street himself, he felt it was great to focus on the fascinating businesses there. He said the juggler was great, and worked with kids. They chalked the streets. He said he’s ready for the next one. Councilman Lide thought they did a good job working with the area businesses and notification. Councilwoman Kominsky said there was a lot of creativity and it was wonderful. --- #### Announcements The Mayor received a letter saying the D&R Canal will be dredged at some point, but he does’t know when just yet. The Mayor announced the second annual Teddy Bear Picnic, which is sponsored by the Clerk’s Office and was scheduled for August 2, 2025. #### K. Hovnanian Lawsuit Court Order The Mayor read a statement about the court order, and then let Kelly speak about the process, to give information to the public. Then Council opened for public comments. Then the council spoke. The Mayor asked everyone to be mindful and let one person speak at a time to let everyone could say what they needed to say. ###### Statement Regarding Court Order The Mayor read, “On July 7th, the court entered an order revoking the city’s immunity from Builder’s Remedy lawsuits, and allowing interested parties to file such a lawsuit to address any or all of the city’s affordable housing obligation. This order also directed the city to amend the Lambertville High School redevelopment plan to allow for a 200 unit inclusionary residential development to be constructed at the site. Upon adoption of this redevelopment plan amendment the city would be eligible to apply for a final judgement of compliance from the court. The city reviewed the July 7th order and will follow the court’s direction. The ordinance to approve amendments to the high school redevelopment plan consistent with the court’s order will be introduced at an upcoming council meeting likely as soon as the next meeting in August.” **Kelly** explained that when the city is stripped of it’s immunity that means that it is exposed to Builder’s Remedy Lawsuits, which means that the city loses control of zoning not only on the high school site, but also on every other site in the city’s plan. The high school site was in third round plan, which expired June 2025, and the city is into the fourth round. With no immunity, it leaves the city open and exposed to developers coming in and saying they have a site they’d like to zone at a higher density than is currently zoned. “And that’s the gist of a Builder’s Remedy Lawsuit,” Kelly said. The decision to comply is important. The next steps is to inform the parties in the litigation that the city is seeking to comply with the court order. Compliance with the court order will put the city back in a position to seek immunity to prevent other developers from coming in and attacking our plan. **Mayor Nowick** said Council will seek to introduce amendments to the ordinance at the August 21st meeting, then it will go to Planning board in early September, and then return to council on September 18th for a second reading. ##### Public Comments 🗣️**Karen A.** said I’ve been up there for over thirty plus years. In the past, I have worked with several different mayors from Lambertville and the City Council. I have worked with West Amwell Mayors and their city councils. The residents up there, and when I say we that includes everybody I just said, West Amwell and Lambertville residents, we cleaned up that hill. It was a forgotten hill. We, the residents, took over 2,000 tires off that hill. We the residents go the people involved, got Habitat up there, cleaned titles up there for abandoned homes. We the people also got that park done that was done in Lambertville and West Amwell. Back then, everybody worked together to listen to what we had to say. Worked things out. This time, I don’t understand how this happened up there. It took one person from what I’m—it took one person, and I’m not pointing fingers, but it took one person to push this development through and not give us a considered opinion about any of that stuff up there. It’s like a slap in the face with a hundred some homes up there that people live up there. We cleaned it up. We took care of that neighbor. We took care of everybody up there. And to have somebody come in and just ignore us is a slap in the face. I didn’t appreciate it and I don’t like it, and you did a hundred some homes up there. So I’m glad you got what you wanted. Be careful for what you wish for.” 🗣️**Camille L.** said, “I haven’t come to the last few meetings because this is kind of an emotional topic. I moved there seven years ago. My husband died. I wanted a nice quiet place. I moved up there. Since I’ve been up there, I’m in a detached unit. No matter how many times I complained about the unit next to me, overcrowded, this and that, the guy’s a slumlord, he rented it to people who burned it down. So since then, they’re building two houses behind me. I don’t know if you guys know what a scraper sounds like. It goes across the ground, and removes every piece of life, totally scrapes out a lot. No life at all. The animal, you can hear them scream. Now you might be looking at me like, ‘oh she’s such a tree hugger.’ We care about the nature and the area. We just want to sell it to a builder and make money and tax base and blah blah blah. It’s horrendous. And anybody who approves 200 units on that lot should be tied to a chair and made to listen to the scrapers. For ten years the people here are going to have to listen to the beeping of the trucks backing up. By the way, I called zoning because these builders behind me are so hideous and ill informed and such bad neighbors and I said ‘you know, by the way, are there any hours or days that builders are not allowed to build in Lambertville?’ and she said ‘nope.’ You can do whatever you want. There are no rules in Lambertville at all. I can show you the email. She has never given me one second of any kind of anything. When I call back, anything. They dug that house too deep, they dug it like 20 feet deep, it had to have a finished basement, okay. They dug up the edge of my yard, which technically belongs to the city, but they haven’t touched it ever. They dug it up. They left it a complete mess: piles of rocks, wires, I mean you name it, right. And I cleaned it up. 65 years old. I’m out there picking up the rocks, this and that. The builder would never do anything about it. And the city would never do anything about it. So the night that they go and they almost hit the gas line out there. Lambertville has no rules whatsoever about builders. You could do anything! You’re talking about ‘oh well if we don’t do this then we open ourselves up to builders doing whatever they want.’ They do it anyway. Right behind me, the other lot’s in West Amwell. There has been a twenty foot hole in the ground for weeks. Children could fall in it. Pets could fall in it. Does anybody care? No! So, my understanding is that you’re going to take away the ability for people to walk into town when you do this development that only benefits the builder. I don’t want to hear about affordable housing. It’s a joke. For ten low-income families in the poverty-trap of renting for their whole lives, you’re going to scrape an entire ecosystem out of there and sacrifice everyone on that hill. We have no curbs. We have no sidewalks. And you’re gonna send four hundred cars a day up there. You don’t care. I don’t even believe in democracy anymore. You’re not representing me, you’re representing the builder! There’s no arguing about it! Just answer me one question. I know this question’s been answered before. Why are they not considering that site, there’s an empty apartments by CVS, for affordable housing. Affordable housing—the poverty trap. The boon for builders. Is there an answer to that question?” **Mayor Nowick** told her that there is a developer for the Village Apartments site and that they are in process to build the same amount of apartments that currently exist. He outlined how they will have to elevate the property, and how that triggers regulations, and it’s a slow process. “And that does give you some affordable housing units?” Camille asked. “Well, that would give us nine, out of 44” the Mayor replied. Camille continued, “There are HUD homes on that hill. Why not just put 40 HUD homes on that. I know it’s privately owned. But they don’t even care if we put 40 HUD homes up there. And the last time the last I heard ‘we’re gonna put in another 139 units.‘ That’s bad enough. Now it’s back up to 200 units. It’s ridiculous! And you’re gonna send all those cars. Our houses are like this far from the road. You don’t care. You’re sacrificing the entire hill. And everybody up there is poor anyway. So you’re doing your whole, like, ‘I want to control more people in this one little box, we don’t care about the rest of those poor people.’ They’re gonna lose all the equity in their houses. You don’t care. Just the poverty trap. That makes more sense, right? There’s just no excuse for it, and you’re gonna be remembered as the Robert Moses of Lambertville. All of you. People 30 years from now ‘Oh remember them? They’re the ones that ruined Lambertville.’ Are you gonna make, like, an elevated highway down Union Street because the ‘poor people’ \[she made air quotes\] need to get from one end of the town to the other quicker? Separate neighborhoods. Thanks,” **Council President Lambert** said, “I would just like to make a comment, Camille. I have publicly stated on multiple occasions my objection to the project and I want you to know that I did what I could to not have this happen, okay? Um, we presented a case, because we had to. We had a motion from the developer. We presented a case. It was weak. It could’ve been stronger.” “So I heard,” Camille said. “Recommendations.” Council President Lambert said. “None of the environmental things were brought up,” Camille interjected. “I’ll just say, you know what was in there and what wasn’t. So I just want to assure you that I, for one, did not support this project—once the environmental issues became clear,” said Councilwoman Lambert. Camille asked, “I did hear a rumor that they would have to run water to the whole hill if they were gonna do this project.” “I can’t speak to that,” Council President Lambert replied. “Well, that figures,” Camille said. “If there’s anyone on this council that supported this project they should speak up,” Council President Lambert said. 🗣️**Abigail L.** asked, “Who is council for Lambertville?” Kelly said she is the affordable housing attorney. “You are the affordable housing attorney. So who is representing the people of Lambertville, and more specifically Connaught Hill and their interests? Is anybody here? Anybody at all as an attorney representing Lambertville and especially the people of Connaught Hill as an attorney representing Lambertville and especially the people of Connaught Hill in the courtroom right now or do we have to obtain council ourselves?” Councilman Lide asked, “So you’re talking about in the affordable housing case, right?” Abigail said, “In terms of representing our interests in making sure that our land is not raped and pillaged like K. Hovnanian exactly plans to do, and as you, not you obviously \[she gestured to Council President Lambert\] seem to be in support of, and by the way, you should be ashamed of yourselves for laughing at such a depressing matter, because you have so many people here who are at risk of losing their livelihood. And you are laughing! Everyone is going to lose their house. You are poisoning people! K. Hovnanian is going to go bankrupt and poison us. I’ve seen it. The house behind us, they, that man has abandoned the house and nobody cares. They have a hole in the ground. It flooded and flooded and flooded. Nobody cares. Not a single one of you cares. You stand up there and you laugh. You are city employees and you are laughing. You are laughing. You are laughing. And I think it’s despicable, and I think you should be taken out of office, because you are receiving taxpayer money and you are not being transparent. If you receive a single penny from the people of Lambertville you need to be transparent otherwise step down!” 🗣️**Jeff T.** said, “For over a year, myself, members of the public, some members of the council, have said this was a bad site. This was the wrong development in the wrong place. It’s too big. It’s gonna cost too many environmental problems. And then we found out about PFAS. We found out that the landfill was never lined. And then we found out that there was an electronic factory that probably used PFAS and wells have tested 40 times above the standard. And yet we go forward. People asked for other locations. We didn’t do, we never did real due diligence, and I will say that because I watched those committees. We never got experts to back up problems that were laid out by the public, by council people. We have experts on the council. You have a planner and a former deputy DEP commissioner. I spent 40 years dealing with affordable housing issues and over 50 years on planning boards. I’ve never seen such a shameful case in my life, were we went out to lose. Mayor, and I’m going to point at people. I’m sorry, I have a first amendment right!” “You’re out of order,” the Mayor said. “I have a first amendment right to say things. You can’t say I’m out of order when I have the first amendment. And I’m going to go on to say you supported this project from the beginning. You directed the planner and the lawyers and we lost so this is on you. When we get flooded, stormwater collusion, traffic, pedestrian safety where someone gets hurt, where we have one problem after another and then we have to spend millions of dollars to build a new stormwater system, to put a light on 179, to widen streets up on the hill. We’re gonna be paying for it. Not the developer. When it comes to cleaning up that site, it’s not gonna get cleaned up. Hovnanian has a record. Go to Union near where I grew up. Hickory Heights. They built on a toxic site they got caught with. They got caught in Newark! They got caught in Jersey City! They got caught in many other places! I was involved! They violated the clean water act 540 times for 540 projects. And this is who we’re putting our future and trust on. Every time something happens, whether it’s gonna be flooding, pollution, buildings coming down the hill, because they’re gonna have to build big retaining walls and that happened up in Oakland when I warned the town about that. It’s gonna be on this body and the people who pushed it, who supported this all along, who met with Hovnanian, who made sure we lost this case. And now we can’t appeal, because it we appeal, we can’t get immunity. So we have been put in a box and unfortunately we were put there by our professionals, and by our Mayor, and this is the future of our town. And it’s online and for the people here who think this is gonna change anything it’s not. It’s the same crap that happened here will happen with Finkles if we’re not careful so we better organize. We’d better fight, and we better stand up for our town, and for our homes, and for our neighborhoods.” People in the room applauded. 🗣️**Beth O.** said, “For over a year, I’ve been speaking at and attending these meetings, raising concerns about redevelopment on Connaught Hill. Tonight I want to express my deep disappointment in the K. Hovnanian lawsuit and in the leadership that brought us to this point. How did we get here? Unfortunately our mayor and the city’s legal team failed us at every critical step. Residents raised concerns, opportunities for stronger legal arguments were ignored. The city’s own planner called the site suitable, provable, and developable, and no counter evidence was ever submitted to the court. No environmental studies. No expert reports. No mention of PFAS contamination. Nothing. Let me repeat that. Despite warnings to the residents and City Council members about PFAS, steep slopes, flooding, poor storm water management, a former electronic factory, and an unremediated landfill, none of it was included in the city’s legal filings. That silence was not an oversight. It was a decision. They mayor’s intensional inaction, silence, and delay are just frustrating. They’re negligent. They are a betrayal of the people he was elected to serve. One man should not determine the future of our town. This is not what democracy looks like, and yet here we are. They mayor has helped pave the way for a 200 unit development on contaminated land, in the farthest edge of town on small, dangerous roads. He has chosen to check a box on an affordable housing obligation by placing people directly in harm’s way so that the rest of town, and tourists, never have to see it. I support affordable housing, but I will never support sacrificing public health, safety and the environment to benefit a developer. I was going to ask you to appeal the ruling, I guess that’s not happening, but we must demand accountability from our leadership for what they did, and what they chose not to do. Thank you.” ![a man holding a sign that reads, “the mayor sucks”](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/07/city-council-meeting-july-17-2025/92e2a89c47-1772594445/mark.webp) Mark V. protesting at the meeting 🗣️**Paul S.** said, “When I first heard about the decision my immediate response was ‘we should immediately work to get a stay in the decision’ and we could base that on the need for the DEP to finish the evaluation of what’s going on up there on the hill. Alright? It needs to be done quickly, because in the end you don’t even get a repeal. My thinking was that we have to know what... before they start doing work to construct 200 apartments up there. It’s only going to make things worse. The city, why aren’t we—Sean got up here, I got up here months ago saying ‘why aren’t we getting West Amwell involved in this too?’ We could still get them involved in getting a stay. Their residents are up there at the same risk as ours. I can’t believe that they would want to have this suspicious stayed so yes... we never questioned the assertion that 200 units got 137 units, well that’s not economically viable for K Hov, alright. So that’s why we’ve got to now go ahead and make it 200\. I don’t understand, and I don’t understand when I come here tonight why we have to roll over and play dead. Can someone explain that to me? Why are we doing that? Why aren’t we trying to fight this at some level? I really want to know. I need to know. Thanks. Council President Lambert said, “Kelly, maybe you could clarify.” **Kelly** said the judge found the city’s actions to not be consistent with affordable housing. Appeal is a viable option, but a stays take time and a decision was made to comply with the order to get immunity back as soon as possible. 🗣️**Judy G.** Said, “I’m an attorney and usually when judges tell you flat out what they looked for, what they needed, what they could have decided on, you realize what you left out in your submission so when this judge said a couple times, ‘no change circumstances information, no factual submissions.’ I’m not privy to everything that goes on between Council members and the Mayor of course, but I’m gonna bet a lot that there were efforts on the part of the people on this dais to say ‘include things! Include the things that tell your judge what you need to know about what’s going on on that hill.’ The environmental stuff, the PFAS stuff, all the rest of that stuff. I’m pretty comfortable saying, ‘I’m pretty sure council members were concerned that that information was not included.’ I don’t know why it wasn’t included. I can’t imagine why, but here’s what I know the consequences are of that: the public has now learned after trying to trust being nice, after trying to trust being apparently interested, trying to trust somebody who really pays attention to them, that actually when it gets right down to it, the trust was misplaced. The trust that was put on the senior members of the organization was wrongly put there, because the decisions that were made not to include, not to argue, not to fight for, took that trust, which was carefully honed over all this time, and told people, ‘you can’t trust who you thought you could trust’ and we will now pay for the fact that the 200 units will be there and the trust that was placed wrongly, as it turns out, will never come back. As we face the next development idea, nobody knows what’s in it for anybody who doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain, but we can all assume there’s something that’s in it and we don’t want it anymore. So I think that the time has come that people are now gonna be saying, ‘no no, no no no. I don’t pretend. I don’t trust nice. I don’t trust nice words. I want to see what’s really going on. And closed meetings all the time will not protect people from finding out what’s going on. So the disappointment is beyond disappoint because it’s in the face of ‘trust me’ it turns out misplaced, no result that says I will honor your trust. That’s not gonna change, and that can’t be won back after this happened.” 🗣️**Sean E.** said, “Just from the point of holding back the evidence, and from what it appears to be I think that is something that is if not illegal, you can get disbarred for it. And I would like to know if evidence was asked to be included that was then not included.” Bill said it’s attorney client privilege conversation and he would not talk about it. “You work for Lambertville,” Sean said. People in the room started talking, and the mayor asked everyone to please speak one person at a time, and he said that Sean has the floor. Bill said, “the city is the client.” “You haven’t been giving any answers this whole time. You’ve been asked many times, actually, many things, the stormwater recharge, do you have an answer on that yet? the ground water recharge in a contaminated area. We asked you multiple times you said you’re gonna look it up. No response.” The Mayor said they responded. Sean said, “You said ‘I don’t know I’m going to have to look it up.’” “I think I sent an email a couple months ago,” Bill said. The Mayor said “The last time you brought this up Sean—” Sean said, “Yeah, it was not an answer. You said he didn’t know.” “And then Cindy found an email that specifically answered your question from Mr. Opal,” replied the Mayor. “I never saw that email. I never received it. Can you please tell me what was in that email?” Sean asked. “Not by memory,” replied the Mayor, “That was months ago so if you want us to find it, we’ll find it and send it to you again. There’s public record of this conversation. If we go back into the meeting recordings you’ll hear that we’ve already talked about this at least once. I’m not gonna figure out which meeting it was.” “But nobody remembers what the answer is,” Sean said. “Uh, sorry,” the Mayor replied. “Can you recharge ground water in a contaminated area?” Sean asked. “I’m not an engineer,” the Mayor replied. “You don’t know. Exactly. He doesn’t know either,” Sean said, gesturing to Bill. “And he’s getting two hundred fifty dollars an hour to sit there and be\*mdash;maybe three hundred.” Bill shook his head no. “My other question was gonna be for Michael Sullivan,” Sean continued, “but I see that he has conveniently left the building, because he is one of the three main reasons from what I can tell, why we lost this case, and he should be fired.“ Sean was clearly agitated, “There was his testimony that the site was suitable and developable. This was after we knew about the contamination. Um, how does he know it’s developable? Does he know how to remediate that contamination? We didn’t know the answers to the groundwater recharge issue I mean I still don’t know the answer to that but there are things that how can he speak with any authority if he does not know how it’s going to be remediated? And how much money it will cost? And does that mean they come back and say, ‘oh it’s too expensive because we have to remediate all of this contamination. We need to build 600 units.’ You know, I mean it’s just a farce. It really is. And my last comment is following up on what Karen A. said about the people on the hill taking these challenges into their own hands, removing all the tires, you know, helping to create the park, um, and helping each other sort out the titles and the deeds and everything so things could be built up there and people can live up there and I’ll just say one other thing that we’re helping each other with, because the city is not, or I should say the Mayor is not interested in helping residents.” “Please don’t interpret what is in my brain. Don’t say ‘the mayor is not interested,’” said Mayor Nowick. “I went on public record two meetings ago—” Sean began. “You’re out of order, so please—” the Mayor said. Sean continued, “You said two meetings ago that you were going to make an announcement about the residents that were struggling with PFAs, many of which are your own employees who still can’t drink their water, by the way, and you turned the knife a little bit more by basically being the sole person refusing to help residents. If that is not humiliating to you I don’t know what could possibly be.” The mayor asked that Sean speak more generally. “Yes. Yes, it’s generally unfathomable that a mayor—every other municipality has helped their residents—that a mayor would refuse turning the knife, pouring salt in the wound. You should be ashamed of yourself,” Sean said. Cindy, the City Clerk, found the email. She said Sean sent his question in December of 2024, and Bill send a response on December 4, 2024\. 🗣️**John H.** said, “Good evening. I wanted to thank that lady for the information about tires. We live at the base in a little stone house that intersects the Rock and Quarry Street and the kids used to roll the tires down and they would time it so they hit a car and the cops had to come, so by cleaning up took away a problem. On that very hill across behind public works I recall even as a kid seeing Peter and the Wolf and the wall back there used to spontaneously combust. And even when we moved in ’73 to 41 Quarry street, the fire department would come up and say, ‘oh the dump caught fire’ and it would spontaneously combust. And so there’s some really terrible nasties in that ground up there and that really needs to be taken care of but there are ways in which I’m still confused. I talked about three and a half acres here for five damn years that a guy wants to be taken a look without putting a knife to his throat but his wife and to see Julia Failed \[sic\] and was supposed to go see Donny Heart. There’s the facts. She wanted to be able to at least find out what builder’s solution might do to the property and maybe they can get one. Then I said that’s kinda fair. And I still think they’re talk-able. Is anybody going to go over there and talk? It’s three and a half acres. I guess not. And we begin to look at what we used to call Village Apartments, which is right across from Holcombe Farms. That does come under the historic sites council as well, kinda clear on that one, and I think if we take a step back and begin to consider the potential of some different thinking, that we can perhaps can put parking for double layer underneath it and go up a couple stories and be able to have more expensive views pay for the less expensive views that are down below and overcome the drainage situation, because the parking can be pumped out and down to the stream. There are ways in which you can do things if you want to be a little bit creative and that might be it. Begin to look at verticality in some areas, not overwhelmingly Trump towers, but we have to at least get a little more creative and of all places, they have affordable housing in Monaco and the expensive people go in these door, and the less multi-millionaires go in these doors but it’s affordable for those folks and they’ve been able to solve it with verticality. and like I said I’m not talking about a tower situation. It’s just looking at it differently. I know that if we go up—we figured it out, Barbara and I—that you put the two stories of parking underneath, go up, and then be able to make it something that would so proud to come home and go there. Just take a chance and look at it. Also, the term ‘blight.’ The Chief Justice, Zazzali, was one heck of a great guy and he used the term blight when we began to look at the determination of the need for redevelopment and he went on to say the term has evolved. The term retains its essential characteristics of stagnation negative effects but there’s no showing here, he observed that if you take a look at blight is that the properties are not developed as quickly as other property then those properties in the state would be blighted. When I bought 41 Quarry Street—Barbara and I—we had to pay clean up the property, outside, at our expense to get insurance to close. So here I’m not owning this property but I’m cleaning it up and the only reason why we got that deal with New Jersey manufacturing is one of the officers of New Jersey Bell. Now it’s the boutique street and so it just takes time and I doubt very much if we take a look at the area on Cottage Hill that in time, I see some new houses going in up there some of them are pretty damn nice then in time it too will develop and then that term that got us into this at the first time might go under control. Things don’t have a way of going away, but control is every bit as good, so I thank you very much. This has been a tough time for all of us, particularly since the reason why I have problems with my breath and breathing is that I’ve been poisoned, and so now it’s been referred to the FBI, who we refer to as the Federal Bureau of Indigestion. I can tell you right now, when you begin to suffocate on your own blood it’s an eye opener. And we have another issue that right now as I speak, at quarter of two in the morning, quarter to three, we have blasting going on in opposition to the state law which is 8:30-4:30 Monday through Friday. They are cleaning off all of the vegetation. They’ve used very strong chemicals and I, from a past life, happen to know what arsenic smells like. It’s uranium of all things. The smell is strong that I reported it to the DEP. I reported a number of things to the DEP that there’s been some very heavy use of herbicide up there to kill things and if it rains very very hard, and we get flooded, we’re gonna have a lot of problems down below where we are. Now we also know that up on Douglas Street PFAS have got into the aquifers and that perhaps because of the blasting in the off hours that they unburied 55 gallon drums they can’t find may be contributing and it’s time for us to take control. Have a good evening folks, thank you.” The Mayor said he wanted to make sure that people online had an opportunity to speak, so they turned to the people online for comments. ###### Online Comments 🗣️**Susan R.** “It is so heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking, as people are coming forward and talking how deviating this development is gonna be to their lives, to their health, to their safety, to their wellbeing. To feel like the forsaken ones is just so awful and I have to say that I came into this with an open mind and without any preconceived notions and I sat through the meetings and spoke and asked so many questions over time and just really felt consistently pushed off, consistently smoke and mirrors, consistently like things were not clear, but things did not feel right. There was something that was so off, like there were efforts to obfuscate. That’s what it felt like and I understand why people are so enraged and why people are so devastated with this process. It’s the process that has been really very questionable. I think it has, the ultimate thing where we had the opportunity to go before the court and that it seems like that opportunity was squandered. That’s not a rumor, I mean, we can read the judgement. We can see what the defense was and how poorly it was done. It was almost, it really looks as though it was done poorly on purpose in order to lose this case and I really feel so strongly that this has been mishandled and that the mayor has been consistently unempathetic, has been consistently come across as uncaring, had consistently seemed to turn his back on trying to help the people and I have seen the council members object. I have seen the council members trying to express varying views, and I have seen the mayor be ultra controlling of the process to the point where people are frustrated beyond belief and some of the rage that you’re seeing is a direct response to the way that you’re handling this, and the way that you’ve been handling the meetings themselves. I understand why the folks up on the hill feel that they’ve had their backs turned on them, uh, that you’ve turned their backs on them, and I really, I don’t really know what else to say except that this has made me feel like what’s happening here is almost like a little microcosm of some of what’s going on out there and I never felt that way about Lambertville and I feel very very sad tonight about this. And that’s all that I really want to say. I’m so sorry to the folks who are dealing with this directly. I think we’re all going to be dealing with it because I think it’s going to effect the entire town and I think it’s going to be devastating but I know for you guys it is just horrible and I am so so sorry, my heart goes out to you.” 🗣️**Abigail L.** returned to the podium, “I apologize I stepped out for a moment so let me know if anybody asked this already. What is the tax credit or tax incentive being offered to K. Hovnanian?” “None right now,” Bill answered. “None? They don’t build for nothing. Affordable housing is one of the biggest money makers right now,” Abigail said. “We have not been approached by K. Hovnanian with any request for, or numbers related to, tax exemption,” Bill said. “Nothing yet,” Abigail said, “Again, I have yet to hear an answer for what is the plan when they go bankrupt. It’s very obvious they’re going to go bankrupt so what is the plan when they abandon this property?” “I’m not gonna speculate,” the Mayor said. “We have to be able to go after them. We have to be more aggressive in terms of holding a bond,” Abigail said. “Those are good questions,” Council President Lambert said, “and I will answer or try to answer and speculate on what we could do to protect ourselves you know in the event of that.” Bill interjected, “So if the council approves the ordinance, and then the amended redevelopment plan, the step after that would be the city would have to enter into an agreement with K. Hovnanian that controls the construction of this project. It’ll set forth all the requirements that they have to get, governmental approvals, whatever governmental approvals they need for example the planning board, probably many others local and state, and then one of the other provisions in that agreement would govern what would happen if they were in a situation where they became insolvent or they were foreclosed on. Their mortgage lender would have to take over the property—” “But that’s the mortgage lender, that’s not the city,” Abigail said. “The city doesn’t own the property,” Bill said, “so the city would not have the right to foreclose on them.” Abigail asked, “But what about the damage being done to the surrounding properties? And what about the road being closed to help K. Hovnanian with this disgusting project? What is, does the city have a minimum bond that needs to be held in order for K. Hovnanian to proceed in order to protect people on this hill in the most measly of ways?” Bill answered, "When they make their planning board application they’ll be required to post performance bonds at that time and that’s based on their construction costs, among other things, and then for two years after they get approvals, if they get approvals, they’d be required to post a maintenance bond in order to maintain whatever was approved up there and constructed up there. There are those measures in place that would provide some security to the city on one end, um, and then insure that if they have an issue with, um, bankruptcy or whatever other financial issues that they have that someone would essentially step in their shoes and be required to fulfill the obligation.” “Alright, so, uh, have any other builders made bids for this site other than K. Hovnanian?” Abigail asked. Bill replied, “No, because K. Hovnanian is first link to the property owner so weren’t privy to any of the conversations that—” “And no one on the Council speaks to the property owner?” Abigail asked. “That relationship is not great. It’s a little bit acrimonious,” Bill said. “Sounds like that relationship should be improved so we could encourage him to accept someone who is more ethical and maybe not going to completely decimate the land,” Abigail said. “We can’t control who he’s selling to,” Bill said, “I will say that the property owner has sued the city a number of times over the last twenty years so there’s a reason. It’s not an arbitrary reason why the relationship has not been a workable—” “And so can the people of this hill vote down something if we don’t feel the bond is appropriate? Abigail asked. “It’s a performance bond so they’re—” Bill started to answer. Abigail continued, “It’s a performance bond. You said also it’s a maintenance bond, and I remember K. Hovnanian in a previous meeting had mentioned some very very low numbers, and again two years is not a very long time for maintenance bond, because things will probably start to collapse in more than two years, hopefully you know things aren’t blown down by the first storm that comes through. So two years after, when we’re all being poisoned by our wells, and the houses are starting to crack through, what does the city, does the city just say whoops we didn’t think this through.” Bill said, “The municipal land use law sets the requirements for what kind of performance bonds and what kind of maintenance bonds, and the amounts that they need, and there’s a statutory. It’s laid out in the municipal land use law about what those amounts will be.” Abigail concluded, “I just want to note that this whole affordable housing and rental thing is exactly what everyone’s going with. They want you to no longer be a homeowner. K. Hovnanian and the like are going to take—they want to make homeownership a rarity. They’re going pushing out the poor population, the people on this hill, and they want you to go out and rent. They’re saying, ‘just go find another place, go rent somewhere.’ That’s their solution. They don’t care about us. They don’t care about us. You have to fight the K. Hovnanian. You have to fight the relateds, the RSR, the Goldman Sachs, the Blackstones. K. Hovnanian is a drop in the bucket. You have to fight them, because they are going to keep scooping up this land until we stop them. Foreign and national companies like K. Hovnanian are just one of many that are going to keep developing our land until we say ‘enough is enough.’ You have to stop them from buying our land, because they shouldn’t be allowed to. We can all see from this process, K. Hovnanian and the like should not be allowed to buy big tracts of land like this. And again, they’re a tiny little piece of fluff in the nut, in everything that’s going on.” 🗣️**Dave B.** said, “This is a question directly or the attorney of affordable housing. Could you give us thirty seconds on the stay? What would be the basis of requesting a stay, and what kind of time and money is involved. Okay, thirty seconds. We don’t know anything about it, so.” Kelly said “So I can speak in generalities. I don’t want to speak towards this case, number one, because that’s a litigation strategy. Number two, I represent you so I could tell you no different than what you might read online, very basic. What a stay means in general is the judge issued an order and, as I said, the compliance or effectiveness of that order begins immediately, so July 8th or the next day in general. A stay asks, the judge made the decision, the underlying initial decision, to let the parties keep status quo. No movement while another court evaluates that underlying decision.” “And that’s basically it?” Dave asked. “Alright, good. And nothing that we’ve done so far would preclude us from applying for a stay?” “There’s a timeline, a court ruled outline where the stay must be filed just like other motions and litigation,” Kelly said. “That was very helpful, thank you.” Dave said, “I’ve lived in Lambertville, West Amwell all of my seventy six years. Alright, although I look like I’m thirty nine. I’ve sat up at the front, okay, when I served on city council, uh, and I spoke about the importance of working as a team. Sitting out in the audience, and I think others may feel the same way, it’s pretty apparent, okay, that there’s not a team of five, alright. That, because people have expressed concerns, people have made suggestions and whether we look at this document sent to the judge and we get all that information, okay, and when I saw his judgement, okay, I’ll tell ya, I was sick to my stomach. Alright, because it should not have happened. And the five of you have to set up and say, ‘why did it happen’ and now get a stop, alright, and do something about. Mayor, and I’ll take that back. They Mayor voted we work as a team, alright, there’s something wrong with the team, alright, and something’s got to give because the community is going to be in big trouble. Thank you.” 🗣️**Karen A.** returned to say, “I just want to respond to somebody that talked about West Amwell. I am a West Amwell residence. My friends to the house next to me is a Lambertville, that’s how close I am, and I am in that section that has the highest, um, contamination. I’m like fourteen percent over, a hundred and forty over the limit. West Amwell, I have talked to all of them. All of the ones that are on the committee. None of them support this, but unfortunately, because it’s in a different municipality, they cannot do anything. They cannot tell Lambertville don’t do it, try it this way, but understand they do not agree with what you’re doing. That is not a place to be putting in that many homes, and I just want to clarify that for somebody.” 🗣️**Eva W.** said, “We’ve only been here for three years, so I’m here asking questions for my own edification. our council, not our council, our lawyer for the city, Mr. Opel, are you a resident?” “No,” Bill replied. “You’re not, and I can’t remember your last name,” Karen said, gesturing to Kelly. “Grant,” Kelly said, “No, I’m not.” “You’re not a resident. And the gentleman who is part of the planning over there, Michael Sullivan. Is he a resident of Lambertville?” The Council answered, “No.” “So this is from somebody that’s only been here for three years, but our forty one hundred people, half of them are lawyers and it seems like some of them would be really good council for our city, because they live here and whether the decisions that are made would be very personal and that’s some of the disconnect we’re feeling. We’re feeling shut out and that our personal lives are not being taken into consideration with the future of this town that we love so much. Thank you,” Eva concluded. 🗣️**Bob N.** said, “A lot of people are commenting tonight about all the problems up on the hill and why it shouldn’t be done. Is it over? Are we just spinning our wheels here? Or are you seriously considering alternative sites? I know you talked about the Village Apartments, I know there’s some kind of talk going on with them. Even if that went through, you’re still gonna have to build up on the hill, right? That won’t, that won’t solve anything. So are there other alternative sites being considered or have you basically given up and this is what we have to do?” “It’s not a question of giving up, but I’ll let Kelly answer this,” said Mayor Nowick. “I don’t meant giving up, but are we gonna lose the site?” Bob clarified. “The high school site was part of our third round mechanism, so Kelly, why don’t you take over,” said the Mayor. “Specifically the court order is to comply with the development of two hundred unit residential homes and apartments up on the high school site, so um, I’m not sure.” Kelly said. “That’s what the Council decided, they said they were going to comply with that, otherwise right now we have exposure to other developers coming in seeking builder’s remedies for higher densities involving parcels in the city.” Bob said, “So it sounds like we have no choice according to the judge. We have to go up there.” “Oh,” Kelly said, “Yes. correct The K. Hovnanian folks sued the city to do that.” “So we have to pursue that, we’re not looking at alternative sites.” Bob asked. “They’re currently the contract purchaser for that site and they have a plan and the judge has said the city needs to work with them to create this,” Kelly said. “So our plan would basically be to try to prove to the judge why they can’t do it up there,” Bob said. “Because we never sent them the data,” Jeff T. interjected. Bob continued, “Then if he agrees, then you can’t build up there, because of all the groundwater pollution, then what?” Jeff T. said, "It’s not in our case" “We still have to provide the affordable housing, right?” Bob asked. “One person at a time, please,” requested the Mayor. Bob continued, “We still have to go forward with affordable housing even if the judge tells everyone ‘you know all the people down here are right I’m not gonna let you build anything up there,’ so what do we do then? Do we still have a plan? I mean, I mean, the Village Apartments but that won’t be enough. What do you do?” Council President Lambert said, “I think those are separate, um, it’s conflating separate, um, I don’t want to use the word projects, let’s just use the word project. So my understanding is the high school site is a private sale, the city has no part in the sale of the property. It’s part of an agreement that the city was, um, had with the court which gave us something called immunity from this builder’s remedy. Um, the developer, K. Hovnanian, was unhappy with our decision not to continue their project, if you will, for the two hundred units and they sued us. The judge agreed with them. So other sites, they’re kind of, they’re just other sites. Like you can’t swap one out for the other. The 295 N. Main Street Village Apartments, that’s got its own trajectory, you know, road map if you will. And as any other redevelopment or affordable housing project would have its own path. This order from the judge really just applies to this specific property and we are in a corner. Okay.” “It’s like a catch twenty two, if we fight and win up on the hill, which would be great for the people that live up there, but we’re not out of it.” Bob said. Council President Lambert replied, “Well, even if we fight, as Kelly mentioned earlier, we would, we have lost our immunity from this builder’s remedy, which basically means any developer can come in on any piece of property, or any piece of vacant land, and buy the property and build whatever they want and call it affordable housing.” “You said any piece of property, any piece?” Bob asked. Council President Lambert said, “Vacant land, well, any developable land, so—” “But they can’t go to somebody’s existing home and say ’we’re going to take that,’” asked Bob. “No,” Councilwoman Kominsky said, “but if you wanted to build on a site that already had a building you could say, ‘hey, I’ve got a great idea’ and do more. So in a way I guess what we’re trying to say is, and like we’re not happy about it, is that they forced our hand up there so there’s no swap up there.” Council President Lambert added, “And if we dig in our heels and try to fight this order, we expose ourselves to this whole builder’s remedy. It’s a risk, okay? Because it’s basically, it’s like the wild west. They have a lot of latitude to do what they want on property that they own wherever it is in the community with like, no rules. So that is probably something that would be worse than where we are. I’m not saying that where we are is good, but it can get worse.” Councilman Stegman said, “If I could just chime in. If we have no protection, then a developer could buy a row of houses, knock ’em down, and build a high rise.” “Wait you just said they couldn’t,” said Bob. “Buy them from owners,” confirmed Councilwoman Lambert, “Nobody is taking anything from anyone, but, you know, I live in a house, right. A developer can come and say ‘hey you’ve got a cute little one and a half story cape. I’m gonna buy it from ya,’ then apply for builder’s remedy and put up a high rise in my neighborhood.” “But you can tell them no,” Bob said. “I can’t, because I sold the property to them,” Council President Lambert said. “Oh, but you agreed to sell it, yeah sure, yeah yeah” said Bob. “Yeah, I agreed to sell it and then they applied to the court and the court says ‘well ya got no immunity so knock yourself out.’ So that’s the risk.” Council President Lambert said. Someone seated in the room said, “But you had a stay in the meantime, and you were introducing new evidence that had not been included.” “But listen, it’s the immunity, and we’re at risk as long as we do not have the immunity,” said Councilwoman Lambert, “So it’s like how long do you want to be in a room full of people with Covid without a vaccine?” “The most important thing too is,” said Councilman Lide, “there’s no guarantee for a stay, and it’s a very high standard. The appeal is 14-16 months right now before you have a decision if you don’t get the stay, so there’s a lot of risk.” 🗣️**Sean E.** said, “I just have a follow up question to that so, because we lost our immunity, tomorrow the Village Apartments developers could sue us and build whatever they want there. And then what happens if they say, ‘well we’re gonna fulfill your whole obligation and we’re gonna get it done, you know, before K. Hov’ then is that the wild west and they can do that, and then K. Hov is out?” “K. Hov doesn’t own 295 N. Main Street,” Council President Lambert said. “No, but a developer could,” Sean said. “Would one cancel out the other?” said Councilwoman Kominsky. “That’s like stuck to the judge’s order,” Council President Lambert said. 🗣️**Jeff T.** “I don’t know why you keep going around in circles. The reason we can’t appeal is because we lost the case, because we didn’t put the evidence in front of the judge, we didn’t do the studies, we didn’t bring in the experts, and we lost and we have no grounds to appeal. That’s the reason we lost and that’s the reason we can’t appeal. We’re caught between a rock and a hard place because of that. The other point that I wanted to make is that you’re making builder’s remedy bigger than it is. Yes you could get sued, but you also have a guide. The reason that the appeal would be a problem is because Hovnanian could go to court tomorrow and then have their judgement—the chances of someone coming in right away isn’t gonna necessarily happen and even if it does, K. Hov will be the first one in the door. But the main reason is because we lost the case, because we put in a—I’m not gonna curse, I am pulling myself back—because we didn’t put in the evidence that we needed to do, to have a chance. And that’s the way it came out. We didn’t have alternatives, we didn’t have our experts. We lost. And now we’re going to be looking at two hundred units on top of the hill with twenty foot high retaining walls that’s gonna be visible from here to probably Bowman’s Tower. And we’re gonna be looking at storm water coming down, because you can’t control stormwater on that slope. You’re gonna clear cut twelve acres. You’re gonna lose the absorption of that water. I have my friends who live over on, um, on South Main and Ferry, they’re gonna see more flooding, as will I and that’s the bottom line. And then we’re gonna go broke paying for the infrastructure improvements to try to fix the stormwater problems, to try to fix the traffic problems, to try to deal with all the other issues that this is gonna raise, plus all the school kids. That’s the bottom line. And then for the woman who mentioned, Hovnanian’s not building affordable housing, it’s Michaels. And Michaels is a subsidiary of Apollo, which is a hedge fund, and so that’s the big corporation. And the hedge fund, they’re the surviving partner of Drexel Burnham Lambert. Remember those crooks? And Drexel Burnham Lambert was the biggest provider of junk bonds for K. Hovnanian, so it all comes full circle, and we’re the ones that are being circled.” 🗣️**Sandy H.** “If we did a stay, I just have some simple questions, and we then provided the information that was left out of the original presentation—” “You can’t,” Jeff T. interjected. Sandy continued, “Will that not at least give the judge the ability to see that the land is contaminated? Or can we call the feds and ask them to evaluate and shut that land down? Is there any possibility of that? Those are my questions.” Bill answered, “The standard for a site is that it’s based on the record below, so it’s not the time to introduce new evidence so that’s one issue. You can’t create something for an appeal that wasn’t, that didn’t exist and that wasn’t part of the record below. The second question: NJDEP has, they’re investigating the property.” Mayor said, “All of those papers were submitted to the judge...” Bill continued, “The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is the one looking at it right now. I’m not aware of whether the EPA is aware of the site or isn’t involved, but to our knowledge that’s not the case right now. It’s a state level matter. ” “Can we move it forward to the federal level?” someone asked. “It actually is on the superfund site on the federal EPA site,” Cindy said. Bill continued, “Since this has all come up we haven’t had any conversations with them, but remediation’s going to have to comply with, whatever remediation takes place up there is going to have to comply with, you know, state regulations, federal regulations that are applicable, so all that’s going to have to be considered. This project’s gonna go forward and they’re gonna be required to remediate any portion of it to residential standards.” There were no more public comments. #### Council’s Final Thoughts **Councilwoman Kominsky** said, “Before I get to the matter, there’s a lot to say here, but the one thing that I want to start off with just a little gratitude, because, you know I firmly believe that we as a town have got to stop asking our citizens to defend themselves and not get down in the weeds with them. And Karen and Sean and Beth have taught me that, Sandy too, more than ever, because what they’ve done up on the hill with the PFAS problem—I got into it late, you’re the generals and you really solved the problem that was totally embarrassed that we weren’t in on more and, and you have a great community. Some of, you know, you know, but we cannot like leave people out there on their own all the time and then ask them to defend themselves to the developer that comes in to the guy who’s given them a problem, but we gotta stop doing that. You’re asking us to lead, right? And look up staying with you on DEP we understand what’s going on now, but it’s not because we’re up there, it’s because you all did the work and created it. We need to partner with West Amwell. Thank god they sent a letter to the commissioner and, and, you know we’ve talked with them—Karen and I have talked with them up there—and it’s just so important now more than ever to be able to do that but I, I just can’t see us doing that we can’t continue to do that and I committed not to do that and I learn from you, but we cannot do that. We can’t send people out, ‘oh you go meet with so and so and come up with a solution.’ No. We are supposed to defend, you know, be putting our finger on the dike for you guys, you know. Um, you know, I think you know where I’ve stood on this, like I’ve stood a lot with you, we were at the planning board together, we have done a lot of work on this, you know, and, look, I’ve offered my analysis of the issues. I have not, you know, been happy, not happy with the, with a lot of the suggestions that, you know, we’ve had as Council people, I have had that were quite, I feel have falled on deaf ears. You know and I feel you know that’s not, it’s not an excuse on my part. It isn’t, because where we are, um, and and we’re here, and we kinda got trapped here and, and um, and you know, I’m, you know I have to hear from you. I, I can’t say I’m happy about it but we, the case needed to be better and it wasn’t. I don’t know that we would’ve been there but you know, I’ll, you know, take ownership of that but I want to say that I I’ve tried and I hope that I’ve been responsive and I want to be like more responsive, because some of the best work and the best times I’ve had have been hanging out with you solving problems, it’s been really good. but what I head people saying in this is that you really want to see a different kind of leadership, right? And I am totally, I am with that, because we need to follow up on this PFAS problem hands on, right? None of this, ‘oh tell me what happened’ you know, you really, it’s a, it’s a day to day thing. There are people with individual needs that, you know, it’s like whack a mole. But without our generals out there, believe me, we weren’t doing the job and you know I’m happy to be on the job and assist you at your direction. We have to be able to take a hold of this stormwater system issue that we have had. We talk about it. Okay, we didn’t do a stormwater utility, which would’ve taxed you more. So but what we need to do, what I have asked, and again, talk about, like, kinda the damage part of it is we need to do an RFP, we need a bigger engineer to come in and evaluate the system, and tell me where the problems are, cost out projects, and then so you can develop a capital plan how to deal with it because how can we have, we have people coming to this town that want to do things that haven’t been done before in a stormwater system that we moan and groan about being, like, inadequate. Well Jesus, like you do, like I said to my son, you’re going to complain about your car about the air conditioning, take it to Pep Boys and get it some Freon in it. You know, like, if you’re gotta take the action. We have to be preventative, you know we’re responsible for our town. We have to be the stewards, you know. We do have to review the master plan and change it. We are out of, of, of, step. And we need to get somebody else to do it who’s gonna offer some new suggestions. We can put out an RFP. That’s why they tell you and they give you some help on how to do it. We have to pass a resolution to go to DOT, which I have asked for so we can do a pedestrian safety plan on safe highways. We can’t do it without passing a resolution. Again, it just hasn’t happened. But we need to lead. We need to be more transparent, and we need to not put everything in recovery but that’s all now for another story, but we need to lead. We need to be good stewards. Um, we need to be much better stewards and I don’t want to drone on and on, it’s late, but um, that’s my two cents. **Councilman Lide** said, “It’s getting late and I don’t have too much different to offer than what Karen just said, and I agree with those recommendations that you made. I think we need to take action on that so we can make sure the city’s in a better spot, uh, but I do want to just briefly speak about the the appeal and why I, unfortunately the city’s in this position. Um, there is simply too much risk for us, uh, if it’s not an automatic stay, the order, um, you know there’s the 295 N. Main project. There’s other available spots and there’s the Coryell Street project and what if that developer says, ‘oh I want to provide affordable housing and then I’m going to build this huge hotel.’ If we don’t have immunity, we can’t stop that, so I understand why you’re frustrated. I’m frustrated. We’re all frustrated. Um, you know, this is. It’s a tough decision. It’s a decision I’m not happy with, but unfortunately I think it’s the decision that, you know, when you’re dealt a hand and this is the hand in front of you, this is the best decision for the city um, so that’s why I’m going to go ahead with it.” **Council President Lambert** said, “I agree with both my Council, fellow Council members. I think there are a lot of, um, hard questions asked tonight. Um, we didn’t get many answers, and probably never will. You know, why wasn’t the contamination information included in a brief? Um, why wasn’t a list of alternative sites prepared in advance? Um, you know, those are good questions, and I think the public deserves an answer to those things, now that the dust has settled. Um, I think I head a lot of, I want to say disturbing in the sense of not personally offensive, but just out of empathy, disturbing from an empathetic point of view about how disappointed the community is and rightfully so. How much we let down the residents of Connaught Hill by not including the things that were brought up, you know, not having them be part of our filing. But I think the most disturbing thing I’ve heard tonight was about the loss of trust and that is something that really you can’t buy it. You can’t talk your way into it. You can’t sweet talk, smile, and, and you know, you have to earn it. And once it’s lost it’s really really hard to regain. And I personally will take that feedback and think about that. Okay, um, because I think whatever I do, we do, we have to think about we have to think about being stewards of the public. We have to think about being forthright, even if we’re telling you things you don’t like to hear, but we have to be forthright and transparent about what we do. Um, you know, staying quiet on a topic when the going gets tough doesn’t help. It misleads the listener into thinking there’s tacit agreement. That need to, that can’t happen. So as people know I am not one to be in silent agreement or silent on anything, but, um, anyway, I appreciate everyone coming tonight and giving us your hard-hitting feedback.” **Councilman Stegman** said, “I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that it took council so long to revoke K. Hov’s temporary, uh, designation as temporary or designated developer. What it took many meetings with the public, which gave us input and heard your concerns and, uh, and brought them to light, uh, over the past few months, um, I apologize for not being more, uh, aggressive in ending our relationship with K. Hov and it was due to the input of those who aren’t here right now, but the input of those who are in here right now. Thusly, it has put us in a terrible terrible position as far as Fair Share and our obligations to Fair Share and K. Hov has some pretty darn good attorneys. And they proved how good they were by winning this. So the, so the question is, is, do we gamble that the court will do anything, and based on information that you’ve heard here tonight, and information that we have heard as well between us, is that the risk is very high that we won’t get a stay and that we will not win an appeal. And during that time period, starting now, we are in really—we have our, we have our protections stripped from us from any other developer who wants to come into town and that’s very frank. We took into consider—I took into consideration with the problems that the site had, and uh, I’m heartened that the DEP is now looking to see where the PFAS came from, and that the DEP is gonna be testing, eventually, testing the high school site again and there will have to be remediation done. Things will have to be done according to DEP standards and that will perhaps delay the project, but as far as us going and, and going down the path that is bad, but not as bad, and I feel for you. I feel for people of Connaught Hill. I, I, I can’t imagine what you’re going through. And I, you know, my butt’s been in this chair when we cleaned up Connaught Hill with the help of Connaught Hill and got, and cleared titles on Connaught Hill to make it a more viable community, and payed some attention to Connaught Hill, which hasn’t been paid attention to before with vehicles and tires. I know. I lived it with you guys. Um, but, but, uh, we’ll control what we control about how they’re gonna proceed and build this thing. There is still a lot of negotiating that I believe will go on. I know certain things that weren’t resolved. Um, but, I, I, I just can’t feel taking the risk that puts the city in a worse spot than it is now, and uh I hear ya and I share the responsibility for not being more vocal in public, well until towards, I did become more vocal in public towards the end my thoughts about this but I don’t want to say anything out of, out of scope to where it gets into a legal matter, but I do feel, I feel so badly for letting you down and it’s a relatively new feeling I have after all these—this is the worst, this is the worst I have ever experienced being on Council. This is the worst decision you got to make as council members, but the stakes are so high, that, that you are all in my thoughts and my prayers and will do the best that I can with the Council and the Mayor to make sure the impact is not as negative as it seems to be. I’m not justifying anything, but you have, you have a Mayor and Council that hears you now very loud and clear, and that has heard you. And going forward we know the roles we have to take in your benefit and um, um I’m standing here with you guys. Going forward I have to make sure whatever happens on the hill can, can hopefully not impact as bad as it may. So, uh, thank you for your, thank you for coming out all of these weeks, all of these hearings, all of the planning boards, the council meetings, and we’re in a position where we’ve got to through the process again. And it brea—I can’t say it breaks my heart enough. Very disappointed that it has gotten to this point in a city that of course everyone sitting here loves and wants the best for. So that’s kinda sums me up on that one there. “Can I make a quick comment?” **Karen A.** asked “No,” said the Mayor. Karen continued, “It seems like we have no choice in this, but in the future, could you involve us in some of these decisions that’s gonna be made up there? Can we have a little committee that can meet together with you guys and say, ‘this needs to be addressed, that needs to be addressed’? No more behind closed doors. Have us get involved with this.” “These are legal questions. I’m not going to answer any more questions tonight,” replied the Mayor. “Why?” Karen asked. **Councilman Lide** said, “Well I can tell you this. You all wanted as much transparency as possible and we hear what you’re saying and we will make sure we are as transparent as the law allows us.” “Or as the Mayor allows it,” someone in the room quipped. “Mayor, get behind us,” another person called out. “Ask the Mayor what he’ll allow you to do,” said Mark V. **Councilman Lide** continued, “I don’t want to make a promise now, but I can tell you we’ll be as transparent as we possibly can. We hear you.” **Mayor Nowick** said, “Um, thank you for coming out tonight. Um, I echo Councilman Stegman’s comments about loving the city. I do love the city. I remember early in 2022, when we were in a closed session meeting when then Councilman Sanders said ‘this is hard, and this is going to be hard’ and it has been hard, and it’s going to continue to be hard and it’s been painful for members of the community and members of the Council, uh, and I suspect even some of our professionals have experienced some pain throughout this process. Um, but I’m not gonna address every, uh, last thought tonight about why people may or may not trust me, um, or or uh, uh, why or why not, why why I may not speak. I don’t always speak, and some of that is because uh, I’m not comfortable speaking all of the time. I feel as though I do much better in a one-on-one conversation with people and I’ve always encouraged people for those conversations, uh, and and I have a responsibility to the city to follow the laws and to do my best to make sure that the city is running well and the Council is always informed. Uh, the idea that we don’t work as a team is uh, I, I , I would take issue with that. Um we may not always agree but throughout this process I would just remind, uh, the public and the council until we, uh, went through this there wasn’t a single no vote on anything that the council considered, uh, up to and including the, the introduction of the redevelopment. So you know the idea that we’re not working as a team I, I take issue with. We don’t always agree. We have different perspectives. We have different styles. We have different outlooks. The idea that, um, even in terms of litigation it’s not really typically common for, uh, a Mayor who works under the Faulkner act, to engage the council in matters of litigation, and yet I did again and again and again. I’m not gonna get into why, um, why some, why some things may or may not have been considered. That’s not appropriate for discussion here, but uh, you know in terms of trust I don’t know what to say about that. I’ve worked very hard and I’ve tried to be a person of integrity, uh, throughout this process. I’ve followed the law. I’ve listened to the council members. I’ve listened to the public. Um, I’ve done what I can and um that’s all I have to say, so uh, I thank everybody for coming tonight and I ask for a motion to adjourn.” The motion was sustained and the meeting came to an end. ### Joe Kaz’s Fascinating Footsteps at the Artists’ Gallery URL: https://www.lambpage.com/joe-kaz/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:53:46.000Z The Lambertville art world is full of bucolic landscapes, but, among the many lovely forest and river scenes, the paintings of Joe Kazimierczyk—or Joe Kaz for short—stand out. I first noticed Kaz’s work on one of my visits to our sweet little town, long before I moved here in 2022\. In that moment, the self-taught artist’s jewel-like paintings stunned me twice over: initially by catching my attention at all, considering landscapes aren’t usually my thing, and then with the way they reveal the painter’s love of his media, both oil and acrylic. ![a painting of a creek running through snow-covered woods](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/joekazstillnote.jpg) Joe Kazimierczyk’s **Still Note* (oil on linen) Kaz’s work isn’t painterly in the same way that a lot of art in the region is. It doesn’t emphasize large expressive brushstrokes in a typical modern-day Impressionist style. Rather, the New Jersey artist embraces the subtly different personalities of each of his chosen pigments and paints. For example, he often uses a more translucent wash of color to capture how light plays through water, as in the stream in *Still Note*, which is currently on display at the Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville. The browns of the creek are applied in such a way that the white of the linen support shows through in places, creating an almost-rust color that feels a lot like a clear placid stream on a winter day. Kaz includes touches of orangey-brown in the trees of the foreground, bringing the viewer’s eye from the far bend of the creek at the heart of the painting back to the stark vertical shapes in the foreground. And that’s all in a 6 x 6 inch composition that, to my eye, positively overflows with the joy of a painter exploring the many whites of a winter landscape. ![a painting of a body of water reflecting autumn leaves dropping from the surrounding trees](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/joekazramapoautumn.jpg) Joe Kazimierczyk’s **Ramapo Autumn* (acrylic on canvas) In *Ramapo Autumn*, like in many of his pieces, Kaz sets a pop of bright color among more muted tones. In this case, it’s the blue at the lower left that delights me. It does a good job of evoking the way the sky is reflected on calm water, but it’s the contrast between the light wash of blues and the more opaque white of the sun’s reflection on the water that makes this composition so compelling. Kaz, who keeps a comprehensive catalog of his work on [his site](https://www.joekaz.com/?ref=lambpage.com), lives on the Sourland Mountain near Neshanic Station. He finds a lot of his subject matter in the area immediately surrounding his home while on hiking and bicycling trips. The painter has been a part of the [Artists’ Gallery](https://www.lambertvillearts.com/?ref=lambpage.com) co-op for years and exhibits there regularly. Visit the space at 18 Bridge Street in Lambertville before August 3rd to see these two paintings and many more in person. Kaz’s work is in the large back room, where they’re part of a show called *Footsteps - Journeys Near and Far*. The Artists’ Gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays, 11 am to 6 pm. ### Opening Soon: Invertase Brewing Company URL: https://www.lambpage.com/invertase-brewing-company/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:37:53.000Z Lambertville: are you ready for a family-friendly, dog-friendly meeting place where you can enjoy really good craft beer? ### Beer There, (Almost) Done That Invertase Brewing Company is owned by Steve Zolnay, Karen Zolnay, and their son Stephen Zolnay. Their family-owned brewery is coming to Lambertville. How soon? That’s difficult to answer, because the people who run the business are the same folks who are constructing the business, DIY-style. Peek in the window of their Lambert Lane location, and you’ll likely see Karen, Steve, or Stephen working inside. They’re currently building out the space by hand, themselves. Soon that will change, and then they’ll be busy brewing beer and serving it to the public like they do at their Phillipsburg, NJ location. ### How It Began When Stephen was 14, he gave Steve a beer kit for father’s day. According to Steve, the first beer they made together was a “really really nasty pale ale.” Stephen continued brewing through high school. At one point he entered the Keystone brewing competition with the confident expectation that he would win gold. Although his beer was well received, he didn’t win any awards. “After that,” Steve said, “he studied for three months straight.” Stephen’s determination ended up producing a beer that turned out to be quite good. In fact, it became the basis for their flagship 1954 hazy New England. ### Going Pro Stephen kept brewing while he was in college, where he majored in engineering. After graduating, he got a job as a design engineer. One day he looked down the line of cubicles and thought, “I could be manager... when I’m 59.” Stephen called Steve and pitched the idea that they start a brewery together. It didn’t take much convincing to get his parents to hop on board. “We sat down and ran the numbers, and it looked feasible,” Stephen said. Using his mechanical engineering skills, Stephen built his own brewing system, which saved thousands of dollars in startup costs. Then the whole family took a commercial brewing course in Vermont, which is where they learned about the value of consistency. Ever since, Stephen keeps detailed brewer logs so that their various beers come out identical no matter when they get made. Now in his mid-thirties, Stephen is the brewmaster at Invertase. With a decade of beer brewing under his belt—and almost an equal amount of operational experience—he wakes up every day at 5am, because he’s happy to make beer. Inverstase’s Phillipsburg location has brewing and packaging capabilities. In October, it will turn six years old. They have live music, trivia, and other events there. The Zolnay family expects to host events in Lambertville, but they have to open first before they figure out how they’ll serve our local community. ### They Care About Beer “We’re a brewery,” Stephen declared, “so beer has to be the most important thing. We don’t do food. We don’t do mixed drinks. I don’t want to make cheeseburgers, I want to make beer.” “But we encourage people to bring in food,” Karen said. Karen and Steve live nearby, just up the river from Lambertville. Karen is a microbiologist. She manages the yeast program and the sterility program. She also handles social media, and coordinates servers, events, and activities. Steve is a biochemist who spent years working in biotech business development. He is clearly the unofficial ambassador at Invertase. “If you come in, the first question I’m going to ask is where are you from and what do you do, and then we have conversations,” he explained. “If you sit quietly in a corner, I will come and pull somebody over and say ‘hey, this guy does this and this.’ It’s a community.” “It’s not just ‘sit in a corner and drink your beer quietly,’” Stephen added. “There is some of that, and that's important too—you might want to really analyze this beer—but the rest of the story is it’s a community. It’s a family. It’s ‘bring everybody together and have a great time together.’ We try to be inclusive to everybody. Even bring your dog.” Karen agreed, “We’re family. We want you to feel like family too.” Invertase plans to gather menus from local restaurants so people can order and have food delivered. They also do community-oriented activities such as collecting donations for Morris Animal Foundation K9 cancer research. “We had two guys come to our place in Phillipsburg,” Steve explained. “They were pilots for Swiss Air and they came to check out our brewery when they had a few days off. They said, ‘You could put this pilsner into any German brew house and nobody would be the wiser.’” Karen smiled, “You don’t come in and just get a beer. You come in and hear a bunch of Steve’s stories, maybe meet the brew dogs, or meet new people.” Steve knows people, so he has lots of stories to share. Ask him to tell you about how they source their chocolate... or about the time Sir Paul McCartney *almost*called their house... or about Meatloaf... or about musicians and goat poop. ![tools line the empty floor inside of Invertase Brewery in Lambertville](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/progress.webp) inside Invertase: getting closer to opening ### Something Is Brewing Although the Lambertville operation will be smaller than the one in Phillipsburg, it will still be a proper brewery. They’ll bring sterile wort from Phillipsburg to finish in the fermentor in Lambertville. (Lambertville-themed beer, perhaps?) “We’re scientists,” Karen said, “It’s called Invertase, because invertase is the first enzyme in the brewing process. It actually splits the sugars so that the yeast can make alcohol.” Sterile wort is basically sugar water with hops. It goes into the fermenter, which is a stainless steel tank. Yeast gets pitched (added) and then it “chews up the sugar molecules, imploring the invertase yeast enzyme, which is the first enzyme that the yeast uses to split up long chain and short chain sugars...” Invertase makes a variety of beers—pale ales, stouts, wheat beers, Belgian beers, German lagers, and more. Their core lineup is an American pale ale, a Belgian triple, their flagship New England IPA, an imperial breakfast stout, a bohemian style pilsner, and a Belgian wheat beer. They anticipate having 12 taps in Lambertville to start, with the rest of the tap list being seasonal offerings. In the fall they do a pumpkin beer, and then a Christmas stout with chocolate and peppermint. They make rotational IPAs and a line of fruited wheat beers that includes raspberry, mango, peach, and blueberry—all with actual fruit. Their late-summer peanut butter and jelly sour beer also uses real ingredients. “No syrups. No goops,” Stephen confirmed. "He’s a purist," Karen said about her son, “so he does everything real.” The Zolnay family’s focus on community includes a house root beer (Stephen makes it using a super-secret recipe) so that there is something to drink even if you’re a kid, if you’re pregnant, or if you’re acting as a designated driver. “The vast majority of our products we package. If you love something in our tap room, I want you to be able to take it home too,” Stephen said. The Lambertville location will have canned beer (and root beer) available for purchase from their walk-in refrigerator, which will be installed soon. They plan to open as quickly as possible, but they’re not completely sure when that will be, because they still have to finish the build out and pass inspections. Once they are up and running, they’ll be open Wednesdays through Sundays. Visit [Invertase Brewing Company](https://invertasebrewing.com/?ref=lambpage.com) at 80 Lambert Lane in Lambertville NJ. ### Parks and Rec. Meeting: July 9, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/parks-and-rec-meeting-july-9-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T01:11:43.000Z The Lambertville Parks and Recreation Committee met at 7pm on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Mary Anne Borge, the board chair, called the meeting to order. Jim, Missy, Jenn, Mary Anne, Mike, Carol, and Barry were in attendance. They approved the minutes from last month with two small corrections. ### Public Comments **Peter** was interested to find out about the Closson Farm property. The board said they’d get to that topic soon. ### Updates Mary Anne said prices have gone up on benches and memorial plaques. Missy was still interested in donating a bench. They did the weeding at the Cherry Street fence lot, and the board said it looked good. ### Mary E. Sheridan Park Mary Anne submitted the final report for the grant for Mary Sheridan Park. She is looking to do other stuff there in the fall. ### Music Mountain The Music Mountain storm water work is essentially complete. Mary Anne was surprised that the workers just seeded, so she wants to plant some trees in the impacted area. She said she should know more about it by next month. ### Holcombe Park The Holcombe Park restoration project has additional work to be done. Construction is not scheduled to begin until fall of next year. They were able to weed the beds around the house, and they will get plants next week. Planting happens on July 14th. They will be at Holcombe Park at about 10:15am to move 100 plants that day, and they will do the planting at around 9:30am the following day. They expect six or seven people to participate. **Peter** asked if they considered putting picnic benches up at the top of the park, but the board said they will wait until the storm water mitigation work is done. ### Cavallo Park Cavallo Park’s soil remediation is undergoing additional testing. Composition of the soil determines how they will do the remediation. The project won’t go out for bid until (probably) August, so the park will likely be out of commission for the rest of the year. ### Park Stewards The Park Stewards continue to do weekend clean ups around town, and there has been trash in public places overall. ### Ely Field Signage A board member took photos of signs at Cavallo Park so the board can better figure out how they want to post a sign at Ely Field. They kept the verbiage of the sign simple: no alcohol, no glass bottles, adult supervision required, no dogs, and park hours. Mary Anne said that, to get signs approved, they have to come up with verbiage, and she will check with Cindy Ege for more information. The county could make the signs, so they will compare prices with private and county sign makers to see which is cheaper. Any verbiage has to be approved by the insurance company. They want the signs to be concise and not too wordy. Mary Anne said the entire process is that they try to find out what they need to include, then they run it by the insurance company, and then it also goes before the HPC (Historic Preservation Committee) as a courtesy. Mike said that in Mexico they use pictures in their signs to make them more universal. Another board member pointed out that Lambertville has a multilingual community. The board thought that using images was an interesting idea. They also considered having the sign be written in English and Spanish. They will look for universal symbols to see what’s possible. ### Website The website has not been updated. People have been emailing wildlife sightings to the city. They got an email about a flock, and about a muskrat. Many of the sightings were on the towpath in Lambertville. There was some discussion about posting the information on the website. “We are not positioned to display them anywhere to say these are what people are seeing,” said Mary Anne. ### Nature Programs They made significant progress with the Hunterdon County Park nature programs and wondered how many programs they wanted to run. Missy suggested they start small and scale up. The board discussed holding two events for older kids and four for younger kids. They discussed which programs would best suit which age groups and they talked about trying to list at least one program that has a full age range. They deliberated about dates and topics. The insect program was not available. Simple Basket with Beads or the Birdhouse? Each program costs $70\. Some have an additional fee of $4.50 for supplies. “A lot of hammers will be whacking with second graders,” Mike warned. They talked about dates, topics, and logistics. Missy suggested they just do stuff for the little kids since the little kids don’t have a playground. They decided to focus on the younger kids with two summer dates for younger kids and they’d hold the two later dates for older kids in case they want to do that. Missy said she would get back to Mary Anne the next day about dates. Jim asked about charging money for the workshops. Missy suggested putting out a “passive basket” for donations. Mary Anne said she’d rather offer the events for free. Holcombe House might be able to host the programs, but if not they planned to use City Hall as a backup. Mary Anne said Andrew was checking with City Council about the location. Ultimately they chose ‘Insects and Birds’ for preschool, and tentatively ‘Leaves and Seeds’ for preschool. Mike said all of the programs look awesome. Mary Anne said there will be preregistration since there is limited room, and they discussed how to handle that. She said she would know by Monday if it’s at Holcombe House or City Hall. The four programs will cost $280\. Carol said that’s a significant portion of the budget, but Mary Anne said it’s okay. The board approved the first two workshops and tentatively approved the latter workshops for the fall. ### Downed Trees Mary Anne said there were downed trees on the Chestnut Oak Trail. There were even more than there is now, but DPW removed a few. The Park Stewards might take on some of it, because DPW is limited on what they can do outside due to OSHA requirements. “If the Park Stewards do it, it’ll be a while before it gets done,” said Mary Anne. ### Lambertstock Lambertstock was getting a lot of likes on Facebook, but it might rain that day. A promotion for the event will go in Lambertville Matters. If it rains, the event will get canceled. If it gets canceled, Barry said he would call it by 3pm and a notice will go out on Facebook. ### Butterfly Festival A Butterfly Festival is planned for September 13, 2025\. It was a native plant sale, but they are turning into a Butterfly Festival. The event will have face painting, story time with Miss Danielle, a scavenger hunt, and it will likely be held at Ely Field. They also expect chalk art zones on the pavement, crafts, a caterpillar crawl obstacle course, and a snack station for the kids. There might be a face board with a butterfly on it and hole to put your face and take photos. They don’t need funds for it. Mary Anne suggested a Butterfly Festival photo contest for adults where the entry photos could be posted on Lambertville Goes Wild. Missy asked who will sponsor it. Mary Anne said she was open, and suggested a gift certificate as a prize. The board wasn’t too excited about the photo contest. Barry thought it was weird to have a Butterfly Festival without any butterflies. He said they can purchase Monarchs and caterpillars—he used to raise and release them in his classroom. Mary Anne said “you can spread disease that way” and she pointed out that the North American Butterfly Association doesn’t encourage doing that. Missy suggested that they could teach how to make a habitat for butterflies. Barry said if you plant milkweed, you will get eggs laid in them. Mary Anne questioned whether they could get it in place by September. They discussed how to make space for butterflies, and what they could teach in a day. They wondered where in Ely Park could they do these things. Mary Anne said, “do as much as you can,” and they’ll look into creating a butterfly garden. The board hoped that since the plant vendors knew it’s a butterfly festival, that they will bring butterfly-centric plants. Mary Anne said they have pussy toes, which attracts butterflies. They further discussed, and then nixed, the photo contest. Missy doesn’t feel it would generate a return for the time and output. ### Mary Sheridan Bench The Mary Sheridan bench should ship around July 14th. ### Cherry Street Plantings There are three dead trees at Cherry Street that Mary Anne wants to replace. The board hoped the sewer authority will replace the trees they yanked out. It could cost as much as $2,500\. Mary Anne made a motion to approve spending $2,500 if they can’t get donations. They would do it in the fall. They approved the motion. Mary Anne said they might also do some supplemental gardening, and the board approved $250 for plant replacements. They can take it from the budget for this year. They want to mulch the beds to minimize the need for weeding. The board passed a motion to approve $375 to deliver and spread mulch. ### Junior Stewards Jenn talked about a Junior Park Stewards program where they would get kids to help with clean ups and the Butterfly Festival, and give them some voice in the decision making. Everyone thought it was a terrific idea. Barry criticized the copy on Jenn’s proposal. Jenn said anyone who wants to look it over and give feedback can. She suggested that they can all lead a station. Jim asked who sponsors it and how does insurance play into it. The board worried that they might not be able get this kind of program up and running by August. They discussed having to check it out as far as insurance, and also pointed out that it’s almost back-to-school time. Mary Anne said they need insurance and parent approval with every event. The board loved the idea and wanted to move forward with it, but they recognized that it will take time. Missy said looking at next year’s budget as a whole is beneficial, and they discussed introducing it in the spring around Earth Month next year, and they will talk more about it to find out about insurance. ### Fans in Ely Park Pavilion Missy suggested installing fans in the pavilion at Ely Park, because it’s so “ungodly hot.” Barry said they are bringing fans for the band for the concert. Missy said Cavallo was shady and parents are missing that park. Mary Anne said Cavallo being out of commission is just temporary. Missy asked if anyone is open to the fans. Board members pointed out that there is only one outlet out there, and they wondered how it would work. “Who turns it on and off, and when?” a board member asked. Jenn imagined kids hanging on it. Jim said the fan will not last. It was suggested that they plant more shade trees. Mary Anne said she gets emails from equipment companies all the time, and they sell shade tarps, but it was pointed out that it could cause trouble in storms. They said they stopped doing camps there, because they don’t have an indoor space and it’s too hot outside. Mary Anne didn’t think a fan was a viable idea. Missy said she will do some investigating to see what other places do. “How can we put something there that won’t be destroyed?” Jim asked. Missy said she will work on trying to figure things out. She said the heat in Ely park is a really big problem. Jim said it’s a tough park to put something nice into. “Ely draws all ages,” he said. It was mentioned that Cavallo draws a younger crowd. ### Pine Tree Thinning The Pine Tree at Mary E. Sheridan Park has to be thinned out a bit, because it’s still dropping branches. Mary Anne will look for more information for next meeting about the landscape plan. Mary Anne suggested that she and Jim should walk the Ely Field canal and see if there might be funding sources to do work there. ### Facility Requests A temporary bicycle station that requested to use Ely Field moved their request to Mary E. Sheridan Park after learning there was already an event booked at Ely Field. The board approve all of the park use requests. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. **Corrected on August 13, 2025:** a previous version of this story had attributed Barry’s comments to Mike and vice versa. ### Is Veolia Water the Solution for Lambertville’s Contaminated Wells? URL: https://www.lambpage.com/veolia-water/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:39:28.000Z It could cost Lambertville well water residents $25,000 or more per household to connect to city water. Is it worth the price? At 7pm on Monday, June 30, 2025, approximately 17 people gathered inside the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center in Lambertville, NJ. Others attended online. They were there to hear Jim Mastrokalos, Senior Director of Operations at Veolia Water, present a very early estimate and overview of what it would take, and what it would cost, to connect Cottage Hill residents to the city water grid. #### Why City Water? Residents of Lambertville’s Connaught Hill have found—through the testing of their wells—that the water they are drawing from the ground contains dangerous levels of PFAS, which are also known as “forever chemicals.” Ingesting forever chemicals is shown to have negative health impacts including reproductive problems, weakening of the body's immune system, disruption of the body’s hormone system, and an increased risk of cancer. Connaught Hill residents of all ages have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as well as testicular, liver, and pancreatic cancers—sometimes with multiplate cases in one household. Many pets in the neighborhood have died from cancer. Residents on Cottage Hill have begun to test their wells and some have discovered that their water is also contaminated. Of the wells tested in both neighborhoods, over 70 have shown positive for excessive levels of PFAS. Connaught Hill is home to an old town dump with rubber tires, old appliances, spent building materials, and all kinds of trash left there for decades—and the site was never capped. Nearby, an old factory used Teflon to make electronics parts. Neither site is currently active, but the stains remain. #### It’s Complicated As testing continues, the contaminated area grows. Residents have filed tort claims against the city. Torts are lawsuits designed to get money for damages caused by someone else’s negligence. The city, in turn, hired legal defense. Meanwhile, Lambertville City Council is trying to figure out the best plan of action for helping citizens, but they have to be careful about what they say and do since many of the residents they are trying to help are now legal opponents. Impacted citizens want things to move faster, and with more humanity. Some folks are angry at the Mayor, and City Council meetings have been contentious. There’s a disparity between residents in the effected areas. Some folks can afford the latest home water filtration systems to remove PFAS from their drinking water. Others cannot. Some residents can navigate the paperwork required to apply for grants and assistance. Others are overwhelmed. Neighbors have banded together, created a communication thread, and they support one another when filling out paperwork and getting estimates for filtration systems. The NJ Spill Act may cover some or all of the expenses for plumbing and installation, but what do residents do in the meantime? Moving is not a viable option. It’s costly, and getting full price for a house that’s located inside of a contaminated area can be challenging. What’s more, many of the residents have lived in their homes for decades and they want to stay. #### City Water vs. Well Water Water, being a utility, is highly regulated by the government with an intention that its distribution is equitable, affordable, and reliably safe. **City water** means the water coming into your home is sourced by a company, and sent to you through pipes under the street. You pay a monthly fee to the water company for your water usage. Downtown Lambertville uses city water. The water company, which in this case is Veolia, is responsible for providing clean water. They are also responsible for up-keeping the testing equipment and meeting the latest governmental regulatory requirements for acceptable drinking water. Government regulation also keeps prices affordable. With city water, private residents only need to maintain the plumbing on their own property. The water company maintains the water distribution system. **Well water** is often used in rural areas where fewer homes are farther apart, and where the laying of pipes for a centralized water system is cost prohibitive. A well is simply a line drilled deep down into an underground water source. Some residents in densely populated areas still prefer well water, because they can tap into the Earth and not have to pay a company every month for use. Just because your neighbor’s well is contaminated doesn’t mean yours will be too. However, if your well tests clean today it doesn’t mean it will stay that way in the future. Wells can run dry, or become contaminated as the result of a natural occurrence, or by human pollution and industrial negligence. #### Connecting the Community Since Lambertville’s polluted area is community-wide, a possible solution is to connect the neighborhood to city water. However, that’s easier said than done. Some folks can’t afford to pay the cost of installing new pipes and capping their old well. Other residents prefer having their own water source. Not everyone has to connect, but the more people that do, the cheaper the overall cost. There are potential grants available to help residents defray the costs, but there are a lot of steps to get to the place where residents and the city are in agreement about how to collect and manage those funds. #### Is Veolia Water the Answer? The process for bringing city water to town is that the city and residents have to form a legal entity, request service, receive an estimate, and make a deposit. Once the work gets done and the service is activated, the actual price gets reconciled against the estimated price. Revenue monitoring lasts for ten years after the installation, and refunds are based on water use over that time. ![Jim standing at a podium next to a slide presentation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/presenting.webp) Jim presenting estimated figures Jim gave several estimates for common scenarios. He clearly communicated that that his presentation was part of a very high-level (meaning don’t hold him to any figures) conversation about connecting effected areas to the water grid. ![a slide with lots of text on it, explaining the overall process for installing city water](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-1.webp) silde: a loose overview of the entire process Veolia is regulated by NJ Board of Public Utilities. As such, the water company cannot expand into neighborhoods for the sake of growth. (That’s a good thing. Imagine how our neighborhoods would look if ambitious companies could prospectively run pipes, string wires, bury fiber optic cables, etc.) When a new development gets built, the developer requests water service to the new houses and the water company extends the grid to serve those homes. In Lambertville’s case, the city and the residents (in their existing homes) need to act as the “developer,” AKA the entity that requests water service. It would be up to Lambertville citizens and City Council to decide how they’d structure the “developer” entity. The water company won’t move forward without it. Since the impacted area was not considered a large area by Veolia, it’s likely that they could just install water mains. However, it’s possible that fire hydrants could be included (and possibly required), as well as other necessary infrastructure. #### Water Line Responsibilities The company is responsible for the water mains, which brings piped water to the property line for each residence. From there, it is the responsibility of the property owner to run lines across the yard and into the resident’s house. ![a slide showing a property line and underground pipes](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-2.webp) silde: resident responsibilities Connecting to city water can be costly. New pipes have to be laid underground, and are often routed through the foundation of the existing home. #### Project Scope Jim created a conceptual map for illustrative purposes. A few attendees got upset, because they didn’t see their house in the highlighted areas, but then were relieved to hear that the map was general, and could be easily updated. ![a slide showing a map with a colored overlay](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-3.webp) silde: a conceptual map of the impacted area The density of homes varies in the impacted neighborhoods—meaning some streets have more homes than others, and some houses are closer to the street. #### Cost Estimate vs. Paving Limits Pricing varies depending on if the water company can put the water mains in the dirt on the side of the road vs. if they have to rip up asphalt, bury pipes, and patch the road afterwards. If they hit bedrock, there are more considerations. ![a slide showing a grid with numbers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-4.webp) silde: water main installation estimates Jim said he tried to show various pricing scenarios. Residents that fund the project get refunds from Veolia through the “developer” entity. ![a slide showing a grid with numbers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-5.webp) silde: off road installation estimates If someone comes in after the installation and says they want city water, their individual refund goes to the “developer” to distribute, instead of the individual. ![a slide showing a grid with numbers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-6.webp) silde: full-width paving installation estimates There are grants and funding mechanisms available to potentially fund the entire project, or at least to defeat some of the costs. Veolia is willing to work with the “developer” to put them in a position to receive funding, but it's up to the developer (city and residents) to find and apply for that funding. Jim said that ‘contaminated ground water’ dictates the possible grants. “If you have 10 contaminated wells and the next community has 4,000, then they will be first in line for funding,” Jim explained. ![a slide showing a grid with numbers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-7.webp) silde:cost per home estimates (assuming no other funding) The overall price depends, of course, on how many people want to be connected to city water. The more people that connect, the lower the cost. ![a slide showing a grid with numbers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-8.webp) silde: refund estimates It is possible that the NJ Spill Act can help individual residents with the costs of hiring a plumber, running new water lines, and capping old wells. ![a slide showing a grid with numbers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-9.webp) silde: refund estimates If a resident connects to city water, it’s possible for the property to keep the well open (for irrigation—although PFAS) as long as the well and the city water are inspected and proven to be two separate systems. ![a slide showing a house with pipes and a water main at the street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/slide-10.webp) silde: homeowner installation cost estimates Costs to consider include plumber fees, purchasing a meter, city permits, well capping, digging pipelines, unanticipated supplies, and yard restoration work. #### Public Comments **Alexis**, who was participating online, said, “Veolia has faced lawsuits and scrutiny for pollution, human rights abuses, and unethical practices world-wide... Does this webinar plan to address Veolia’s well-documented human rights violations? Why should we trust Veolia, and does the city plan to also address these concerns with the public moving forward?” Jim replied, “I was here to discuss the water main extensions on Cottage Hill. Um, I’m not prepared to discuss or comment on a global entity. If you have any questions, certainly please forward them and we can get you an answer.” “Thank you,” said Alexis, “I feel like maybe those questions should be addressed prior to discussing the infrastructure plans. I know this isn’t your consideration, Mr. Mastrokalos. I appreciate you being here... if you just google [veolia water company human rights violations](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=veolia%20water%20company%20human%20rights%20violations&ref=lambpage.com), a whole slew of things will come up.” **Al from Swan Street** said, “I recently did over my well—put in a water filtration system. I have no interest in this water main connect for a number of reasons. “First of all, I think it's clearly going to cost way above what any homeowner could realistically afford... I’m 72 years old. In 10 years I may be dead. “My main concern is to keep what I have, utilize water that I can pay for basically on the basis of what I use, and I would guarantee that most of the people on my block feel the same way. “What I plan on doing is I’ll speak to every member on the street and make sure it doesn't go through. I'm not looking for the rebate. I'm looking for something that I can live here and not have my lawn impeded on in terms of a water main connect—not only running down the center of the street but towards the edges. You know, it will tie up every block here within four blocks, so I'm going to do what I have to do and good luck on your end.” Jim stuttered through his reply, “I appreciate that Al. I guess I’ve been um, what, what—and I do have some more slides I’d like to go through—what I was attempting do to here, you see up on top is ‘assuming no other funding.’ Like everyone in this room, including me, we work hard everyday. We try to make a living. We try to put food on the table. These are not numbers that are not generally accept—you know, could be tolerated to get water service.” Just then, a woman in the back of the room stood up and said, “If you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna leave, because I’m on Studdiford Street. Until that is discussed, I’m not included, so...” The Deputy Clerk pointed out that she was included. Jim scrolled back to the map in his presentation. Residents in attendance showed the woman that her home was, in fact, inside the color-tinted consideration area on the map. **A gentleman** in the room said citizens have to chase down an actionable plan rather than seeing a grid of numbers and saying no. “People might have kids there,” he said, “It’s not just about now. It’s about the sustainability of the communities. What happens if we have a community of homes that can’t be sold?” **Another neighbor** asked if the water company is allowed to expand for the sake of health, instead of for the sake of growth. Jim said they cannot deviate from the municipal code, and that they have to work and collaborate with the regulator. **Councilman Stegman** was present. He asked if Jim had done a similar presentation for Connaught Hill. Jim said the hydraulic grade line of Cottage Hill is such that they can extend the line and get water there. With Connaught Hill, the hydraulic grade line as it’s currently configured can’t provide water, because it’s too high. They would have to put in other infrastructure improvements to get a grade line like Woodcrest. “I know there’s another conversation happening on the other side,” Jim said, “a new proposed property by the high school, I guess, or something like that. That would have to be a whole new pressure zone... “I’m not advocating for anything, but from an engineering perspective, if that existed, then there would be a grade line. Then there would be the ability to provide water over to that, because it’s so much higher.” **Lisa and Diana**, who were online, asked, “Why now for this?” **Councilwoman Lambert**, who was at the presentation, explained. “Many wells are above the minimum level of contaminants... The purpose of tonight’s meeting is to address PFAS and water accessibility issues... This is just the first conversation in that step. This is something that Council will continue to be looking at, and not in a narrow way, a siloed way. That’s why this meeting came about.” ### Lambertville Planning Board Meeting: July 2, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/planning-board-meeting-july-2-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:10:32.000Z The Lambertville Planning Board met on July 2, 2025\. Two proposals were discussed, but only one was challenged. ### Public Parking Lot A proposal was heard for the reconstruction of various elements at 14 N. Union, which is a public parking lot located in the Central Business District. The proposal included the reconstruction of retaining walls, improved lighting, new signage, a bench, new plantings, a rain garden, and a rain guard. Property owners within 200 feet of the proposed project were reported to have been notified on May 20, 2025\. It was said that the proposal conforms to the bulk zoning requirements. There will be planters with decorative paving, granite, brick, a bench, and a way-finding map. They will replace the current publicly displayed map with a new city map. The signage will go through the Historic Preservation Commission. An abandoned pedestal that used to have a bicycle sculpture on it will be removed. They also plan to reconstruct the brick planters. A four foot brick wall will create a visual barrier between the lot and street to create a sitting area. New pavers will be bluestone, all surrounded by a granite paving system. They will coordinate with Lambertville Goes Wild to choose appropriate plantings. The parking lot itself will not be changed. A board member asked if there has been any consideration for making surfaces more porous. The project actually reduces impervious coverage by design. Trees that are there will be taken out and replanted, because there is no way to rebuild the brick walls without damaging the trees. If possible, they will keep the trees, but too often the required work damages the roots, and the trees don’t last long after construction. They will plant 8’ to 10’ tall trees. A board member asked who will water and maintain the plantings, and care for the trees? It was said that the city will maintain the plantings, and that Lambertville Goes Wild might do it. The rain garden was anticipated to require very little maintenance. Trees, once established, were also expected to require little maintenance. The board said the city should maintain it, or have a plan for maintaining it, rather than relying on volunteers. The only hose nearby is on an adjoining property. **John H. from Quarry Street** asked if it’s possible to put up a sign directing people to public restrooms. He said the city should provide public restrooms, and wondered if there was a way to incorporate signage that refers people to those restrooms as a public service. The board said maybe there could be some consideration, but the person presenting the proposal pointed out that the topic of public restrooms was outside of the scope of the proposal’s conversation. There were no further comments from the public. The board recommended that the proposal is to be reviewed by the Shade Tree Commission, Parks and Recreation, and the Environmental Commission. The board also recommended that the questions about maintenance responsibility, and what the watering capabilities are in the area, should be answered. A motion was made to move forward with the recommendations. The board passed the motion. ### Holcombe Farm Redevelopment Plan Michael Sullivan presented the plan, which provided for limited development on a portion of the Holcombe Farm property. Included in the proposed area is Fisherman’s Mark, which plans an expansion/addition, and six side-by-side or twin affordable units. The six units will replace the affordable housing previously slated for the police station site. The plan also allows for public access to open space and historic properties, and it preserves historic structures on the property. 5.7 acres of the 8.3 acres in total are open space that are not yet preserved. The city is working on it, and anticipate it will be fine. They have one final requirement, which is to dedicate a roadway to the back of the property, to get the preservation status. The roadway is not a change, it’s already in the plan. A board members asked about the existing buildings, and if they will expand. Michael said Fisherman’s Mark wants offices and plans for an expansion of their current building. Nothing happens to the stone building. The Mayor said the smaller barn will likely need to be removed, but that it is not a historic barn. The large barn is an 18th century barn, and that will remain. Habitat for Humanity is entering into an agreement with the city to build houses where the log cabin home is currently located. A board member asked why the log cabin can’t remain and be used or reconfigured into two apartments. The Mayor said he toured the cabin with an architect and engineer, and it is not practical due to the configuration of the building on that site. The plan is to do six units up there. Michael said Habitat for Humanity uses sweat equity, so retrofitting current construction is not part of their program. The board asked if Habitat for Humanity will come through the board again, and it was confirmed that they will. They have to submit a conceptual plan that is consistent with the redevelopment plan. They are subject to all the regulations of the city. Paul asked if the log cabin is manufactured housing—can it be taken apart, sold, or moved? The Mayor said they haven’t gotten that far, but that it has been discussed. A board member said it’s a shame to take it down if it can be moved or used elsewhere. The Mayor agreed. **John H. from Quarry Street** made a public comment. He said he was going to read existing documents, and that nothing he was going to say was his opinion. The board advisor told him that if he was going to be giving expert opinions, he must be sworn in. John read a list of his accomplishments, professional experiences, and history relating to Lambertville. He said he and his wife work from original documents as antiquarians. John explained that George Washington sat under a tree on the Holcombe Farm and made battle plans. “We have receipts,” he said. He said the NJ Historic Preservation Office included the Holcombe Farm as a site on the registry of historic places, and the Library of Congress has Holcombe Farm listed. He said something about how a National Historic Landmark designation has to be applied for verbally, because politics creeped into it. He said the Holcombe Farm site was cleared for historic designation before it was sold to Lambertville, and that Washington traveled with the Lifeguard Unit on those 8.3 acres. John read from documents for quite a while. He mentioned the Fair Share Housing blog, defined the meaning of the term “blight,” mentioned how City Council refused to consider encroachment, and said that the property is on the state and national register. “This property is not eligible for what is being proposed at all,” John concluded. “It has to go through the Historic Commission. This is an oversight over three administrations. Can you see affordable housing on Monmouth Battlefield? It should go before the Historic Sites Council.” John explained that there is a property in Lambertville near Quarry Street, and the owners want to have affordable housing on it. “They want to do tiny houses. They want to do something like Tiny House Nation. They love the concept.” John stated that none of what he said was his opinion. He mentioned that he and his wife sat down to come up with ideas \[about how to stop the proposed plan for affordable housing on that site\]. “Mrs. Holcombe was a Quaker minister,” he said, suggesting that maybe there was a meeting house there. He invited anyone who wanted to help, and said they have all the information to put something together for a National Historic Landmark designation. A board member asked if it’s the house or the whole property. John said all of the land is protected. Since it’s under public ownership now, a protective law and statute went into effect. He said the historic protections also cover the view, “which includes Village Apartments.” “This is something that should have never happened this far—at all,” John said. “How this is going to be handled is ultimately up to the state of New Jersey.” A board member asked, “When the Closson’s sold this property to the city, is that when this all came about?“ John said yes, and explained that he is more than happy to share anything he has with the board. He added, “Today is July 2nd, the date the declaration of independence was signed.” Some board members seemed moved, and asked how this information affected things. They were advised that the board just needs to decide if the plan is not being inconsistent with the master plan. Paul, the board chair, read the first sentence of Lambertville’s master plan, which referrs to the mission of historic preservation. “How can we do that if this is illegal?” another board member asked. “Does this proposed plan disturb the historic integrity of the city?” Michael said the buildings do not disturb the historic preservation. The board advisor said the first goal of the master plan was about historic preservation, and then he read more of the goals of the plan, which include a wide range of uses, and development, beyond just preserving the historic nature of the city. “The board doesn’t need to, nor does it have the authority to nix this,” the advisor said. The board simply needed to vote on wether or not the plan was “not being inconsistent.” **John H. from Quarry Street** stood up and said he did not cover all of the NJ state statutes that garner protection of the property. He said the board should, “put this before the Historic Sites Council.” The board said they don’t have the power to do that. John kept speaking, even though he was not sworn in and the public comment period was closed. He said he “offers his services free of charge.” “This should not be here is the bottom line,” John said, before he left. His wife followed close behind him. The board asked if there was anything in the purchase of the property that they need to know. The board advisor said there was no reason for them to worry about that at this time. Michael said it’s the responsibility of the individual developers to figure out how to lay stuff out. The board talked about how the Holcombe House and some of the old barns are in the process of becoming historic sites, but are not yet designated as such. All the board had to do is determine if the proposed plan is not inconsistent with the master plan. Michelle, a board member, was worried. “How can we agree that if we say yes to this that all the things that need to be done will be done? We’re moving something forward without understanding all of it,” she said. “It just to me seems like there’s too many questions.” The board talked a little more, and established that it cannot make a decision based on hypotheticals. They had to make a decision based on what was there before them. The motion passed as not being inconsistent with the master plan. ### The Meeting Ended The board announced that there will be no meeting on July 16th. They opened and closed public comments. They paid the bills, unanimously. They adjourned. ### Galleries New and Old in the Delaware River Towns URL: https://www.lambpage.com/galleries-new-old/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:53:08.000Z Two group shows celebrated local artists on Saturday evening: one in a brand new space and the other in a venue that’s been home to river town art for two decades now. The inaugural exhibit at the Sophia Stef Gallery is in what has been painter Johanna Furst’s studio for some time, an airy room on the 3rd floor of the People’s Store in Lambertville, which gallerist Sophia Stefanowski has taken over for the next year. Growing up in Bucks County, Stefanowski was always intrigued by Lambertville and New Hope. A recent graduate with a degree in art history from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, she has worked at Gallery Piquel and she’s now an art cataloguer for Rago Auctions. Stefanowski describes her new gallery as falling into place organically in a “natural extension of \[her\] life.” Though she isn’t an artist herself, she loves surrounding herself with creativity. The work on display for this inaugural show is a mixture of figurative and abstract, and it’s in a range of media, including fiber art, woodworking, painting, and drawing. ![a framed work of art with many hand drawn circles and varying colors](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/goldfedder.jpg) Joseph Goldfedder **Spirit’s Team* (oil pastel on paper) For his part, the Trenton-based artist [Joseph Goldfedder](https://www.josephgoldfedder.com/?ref=lambpage.com) uses a sgraffito technique, scratching through a thick coating of oil pastel to reveal the lightly stained paper underneath. With their layered colors and bold lines, these designs almost seem to vibrate, and that richness doesn’t translate well in reproduction. I recommend seeing the work in person. ![a sculpture of twisted black material with a light gray texture on the skin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/tavill.jpg) Judi Tavill **Enable* (fired clay, paint, graphite, varnish) Over on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware, the Rumson-based artist [Judi Tavill](https://www.juditavill.com/?ref=lambpage.com)’s sculpture makes a pleasing response to Goldfedder’s work, both because I hope you’ll go see it yourself and because it has a similar focus on energy and interconnectedness. What’s more, as part of New Hope Arts’ *Elemental: Works in Paper & Clay*, Tavill’s sculpture manages to bring the title of the show home in a witty way, with the artist building her piece from clay and then pairing it with a tool more often associated with paper: the pencil. Tavill’s graphite lines and shading lend the sculpture a certain movement, reminiscent of a dance. ![a group of people mingling in a gallery full of art](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/newhopeartsopening.jpg) New Hope Arts reception Tavill is one of sixty artists represented in the show, which was juried by Frenchtown ceramicist Lisa Naples and Bucks County painter Deborah Bruns-Thomas, and which features both functional and sculptural works. [New Hope Arts](http://www.newhopearts.org/default.aspx?pg=1576&ref=lambpage.com)’ *Elemental* is open Fridays through Sundays from noon to 5 PM through August 3rd, across the river from Lambertville at 2 Stockton Ave, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Back on the Jersey side of the river, the inaugural show at [Sophia Stef Gallery](https://www.facebook.com/people/Sophia-Stef-Gallery/61575398804733/) is on display through July 28th, with hours every day from 10 am to 6 pm, on the third floor of the People’s Store, at 28 North Union in Lambertville. ### 10 Lambertville Apartments for Rent: June, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-apartments-june-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T21:21:52.000Z You may not find this rental listing information interesting today, but it will be fascinating in the not-so-distant future. Here’s a list of ten apartments (and one house) that were for rent in Lambertville, New Jersey as of June, 2025\. Listings are arranged by price. ## Monthly Rent: $1,800 ##### Listing Description: 1 bed / 1 bath 3RD FLOOR apartment located above the CHIVE restaurant in Lambertville. Updated kitchen appliances with spacious living room that is flooded with natural light. Convenient to the thriving downtown Lambertville shops, restaurants & bars. Rent includes heat, hot water & sewer. Cats OK, No Smoking, 12 month lease minimum. Owner pays heat, water and sewer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/a3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/a4-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/a1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/a2-616x616-crop.webp) $1,800 per month rent ###### Comments: No designated parking. Heat and hot water included is a plus. Probably hot in summer. Bathroom is through the bedroom. Photos clearly show stains on floor. Zillow listing: [74 N Main St #3, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/74-N-Main-St-3-Lambertville-NJ-08530/449994707%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $1,895 ##### Listing Description: First Floor One bedroom apartment located in a Key West inspired building just steps away from everything Lambertville has to offer. Includes private front deck space, shared backyard space and shared common washer and dryer. Tenant pays electric, gas and sewer. Landlord pays water. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/b4-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/b2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/b1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/b3-616x616-crop.webp) $1,895 per month rent ###### Comments: Street level can mean noise and low light. Gas heat could significantly increase the monthly cost. “Front deck” space? Shared yard and laundry is a plus. Zillow listing: [53-55 Coryell St #A Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/53-55-Coryell-St-A-Lambertville-NJ-08530/453508743%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,000 ##### Listing Description: Bright and sunny second floor apartment. High ceilings and hardwood floors. Eat in kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bath. Walk to center of town, but in a quiet area. Heat, water, sewer, and trash included. Tenant pays electric and cable. One year lease and 1 1/2 month security. Application and credit check required No pets, no smoking. Owner pays heat, sewer, water, and trash. Tenant pays electric and cable. One year lease. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/c1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/c2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/c3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/c4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,000 per month rent ###### Comments: No laundry, and no upgrades. Decent light, hardwood floors, good walkability. Zillow listing: [undisclosed address](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/Lambertville-NJ-08530/2088826905%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,100 ##### Listing Description: 1 Bedroom | 1 Bathroom newly renovated apartment on Church Street This unit is located just around the corner from Bridge street, and a 15 minute walk from New Hope. Enjoy everything that both small towns have to offer. Minutes away from fine dining, drinks, and a variety of shops! Enter the unit into the open kitchen/living room. Towards the back of is a large bedroom with an attached bathroom. The unit features freshly updated appliances, counter tops, flooring, and fixtures. Also included is a communal deck located in the rear of the building! Amenities: Washer/Dryer In unit Stainless Steel Appliances LVT Flooring Granite counter tops ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/d1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/d2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/d3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/d4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,100 per month rent ##### Comments: In-unit laundry, nice fixtures, and good light. Bathroom is through the bedroom. Zillow listing: [43 Church St #2, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/43-Church-St-2-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2080334518%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ### Monthly Rent: $2,350 ##### Listing Description: SPECIAL: 1st MONTH FREE ON A 12 MONTH LEASE. A beautiful one bedroom apartment located in the central business district of much desired Lambertville. Offers an open floor plan with wide plank flooring, stainless steel appliances and washer/dryer. The kitchen has quartz countertops, subway tile, upgraded appliances including refrigerator with ice maker, dishwasher and garbage disposal. This central business district location places you in the heart of the best selection of cafes, restaurants & shopping Lambertville has to offer. Parks and walking trails are also within easy reach, as is the Delaware River and New Hope, PA. Qualifications: $50 application fee, $100 admin fee, credit score 650+, annual salary must be at least $85k, $300 pet fee (dog only, no more than 20 lbs breed restriction), $35 per month for pet. Tenant pays: electric, water, sewer ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/e1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/e2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/e3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/e4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,350 per month rent ###### Comments: Nice fixtures, in-apartment laundry, central location. Small apartment(s), poor privacy, no parking, outdoor stairs, $150 application fee, utilities additional. Zillow listing: [41 E Bridge St #E, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/41-E-Bridge-St-E-Lambertville-NJ-08530/452579633%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,400 ##### Listing Description: Original weathered wood floors welcome you to this third floor walk up Manhattan loft-like renovated apartment. Nine-foot windows allow for loads of natural light, and exposed beams add warmth and character. French doors lead to a unique atrium overlooking main street. The updated kitchen includes stainless appliances, quartz countertops, white tile backsplash and contemporary gray cabinetry. Upstairs, a generous sized bedroom has generous closets space and a full bath. There is also a nook perfect for a home office desk. Storage includes a kitchen pantry, oversized hall closet, and hallway laundry room. There is additional storage in the basement, a shared balcony, and dedicated off street parking space included. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/f1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/f2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/f4-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/f3-616x616-crop.webp) $2,400 per month rent ###### Comments: Nice fixtures. Likely difficult to heat and cool. With high walls, proper sound dampening is paramount or it’s a noise drum. Parking and laundry are a plus. Zillow listing: [71 N Main St #75-303, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/71-N-Main-St-75-303-Lambertville-NJ-08530/452094716%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,475 ##### Listing Description: Pet-friendly property! Find your happy place right here. This updated second-floor 2 bedroom/1 bath corner apartment features high ceilings and an abundance of windows, making the spacious main living area open, bright and airy. Take pleasure in a quiet and calm setting to unwind and relax, after a demanding workday. Additional amenities include washer/dryer in unit, updated kitchen and bath, stainless steel appliances, luxury vinyl plank flooring, energy efficient windows, ceiling fans throughout and keyless entry. Private entrance off Elm Street and free parking in a nearby lot. Great location: quiet street away from the center of town and, yet, within walking distance of center, and New Hope. Access to the tow path along the canal is only a block away for a bike ride or walk. Around the corner from Basil Bandwagon market, Owowcow ice cream parlor, various restaurants and more. Will consider small dogs and cats. Pet rent TBD, depending upon type, breed and size. \*\*Financially qualified applicants are eligible for a rental rebate with a minimum 18-month lease term. Credit score of 675 and above required; 700+ preferred. Flexible move in date. 12, 18, and 24 month lease options. Non-smoking property. Landlord pays for sewer and trash removal. This property is not in a flood zone. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/h1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/h3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/h2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/h4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,475 per month rent ###### Comments: Across from dispensary traffic. Good light, 2 bedrooms, in-unit laundry. Zillow listing: [0 Elm St #A, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/0-Elm-St-A-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2067625479%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,500 ##### Listing Description: A beautifully renovated one bedroom apartment, centrally located in the highly sought after town of Lambertville. Quartz countertops, NEW Mini-Split AC & Heat, stainless steel appliances, washer/dryer in unit, PRIVATE BACKYARD w/ patio & FRONT PORCH. Qualifications: $40 background check fee, 2 most recent paystubs, $200 pet fee, $35 per month for pet. 1 Month Security Deposit, Tenant pays 1 month Commission. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/l1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/l2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/l3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/l4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,500 per month rent ###### Comments: Nice fixtures. Basement with laundry. Backyard access. No parking. Zillow listing: [26 S Main St #1, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/26-S-Main-St-1-Lambertville-NJ-08530/377837242%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,600 ##### Listing Description: This historic gem nestled in the heart of Lambertville is filled with charm and character and within walking distance of the vibrant town center. Welcomed by high ceilings, gleaming hardwood floors throughout and a generous foyer (13' x 6') large enough to double as an office space too. Adjacent are the massive living room which is flooded with natural light and a formal dining room with a beautiful original corner cupboard and a stunning original leaded glass window. The country kitchen is spacious and offers a doorway to the rear porch for al-fresco dining. The bedroom offers a walk-in closet and two additional closets areas. The vintage bathroom has a shower/tub combo. Off the bedroom and living room there is a bonus space for storage. Located just blocks away from the heart of town and just a block away from the scenic bike path along the canal. Sorry NO PETS. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/g1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/g2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/g3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/g4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,600 per month rent ###### Comments: Garage and driveway, but no parking. Older fixtures. Utilities extra? Zillow listing: [118 N Union St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/118-N-Union-St-1-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2089682980%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $2,900 ##### Listing Description: This cozy home offers a fantastic opportunity to live in the heart of Lambertville with the added convenience of offstreet parking and a fence yard. The first floor features are welcoming layout with the kitchen, dining room and living room, perfect for entertaining or relaxing upstairs you'll find too comfortable bedrooms in a full bath, the basement has a washer and dryer for your convenience. Enjoy the peaceful outdoor setting with two dedicated parking spaces. Pets are considered on a case by case basis. Tenant pays all utilities and maintains the lawn. Driveway offers parking for up to 3 cars. No smoking. Pets considered on a case-by-case basis. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/i1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/i2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/i3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/i4-616x616-crop.webp) $2,900 per month rent ###### Comments: It’s [right on a very busy street](https://maps.app.goo.gl/3MstVG8dmM75ikWD9?ref=lambpage.com), not in the heart of town. Pay all utilities and maintain the lawn. In-house laundry and private parking are positives. Zillow listing: [123 Brunswick Ave, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/123-Brunswick-Ave-Lambertville-NJ-08530/38849685%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ## Monthly Rent: $3,400 ##### Listing Description: Beautiful industrial Style second floor apartment with a modern flare spans the entire footprint of the building. Welcomed by a covered spacious front entrance which leads to a big hallway, offering a coat closet and the rear door to the back parking lot with lots of space for bikes or additional furniture for storage. A grand stairway heads to the main level that won't disappoint! Renovated with high-end finishes and fixtures, stainless appliances, soapstone countertops, stainless hood above stove, open shelving & tile back-splash in kitchen, concrete tile, chic bathroom, corrugated metal wall detail in the office nook and repurposed vintage pieces add charm and character. The eat-in kitchen is spacious and fits a nice size table beside a big window. The open floor concept of the living/dining room is flooded with natural light. Enjoy entertaining and relaxing on the 35' long covered porch having exposed brick and overhead vintage lighting. Great location in the heart of town with off street parking , private washer & dryer & includes heat, sewer and hot water. Shared storage in the basement and exclusive attic storage. Rent includes heat! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/k1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/k2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/k3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/k4-616x616-crop.webp) $3,400 per month rent ##### Comments: Funky $$$ in the heart of town includes parking, laundry, and some utilities. Zillow listing: [14 Church St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/14-Church-St-Lambertville-NJ-08530/2128395812%5Fzpid/??ref=lambpage.com) ### Unchanged Mind Records: Hear Here! URL: https://www.lambpage.com/unchanged-mind-records/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:52:19.000Z When you get tired of listening to the same old music, this local Lambertville record store will turn you on to something new. Church Street is home to some of the best food in town, a sculptor’s studio, an art gallery, a dispensary, a secondhand clothing shop, and a record store. **Unchanged Mind** is that record store, and it sells cassettes, LPs, CDs, t-shirts, stickers, zines, old show flyers, posters, t-shirts, memorabilia, and more. ### Independently Owned Jake Gilinger, proprietor, is a longtime record collector and musician who has been involved with music for over 25 years. He plays synthesizers (mostly). He and his wife moved to the Delaware River Towns area about seven years ago after living for a decade in Philadelphia. "I've really always wanted to open a record store. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do," Jake explained. He began by buying collections for DJs. When he accumulated way more records than he wanted in his personal collection, he started selling off the extras. He said he probably sold a couple hundred of his own records to get things going, “but that's just kind of a drop in the bucket,” Jake remarked. Two years ago, while he was selling records as a street vendor at [ShadFest](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/shadfest-2025?ref=lambpage.com), he saw a “FOR RENT” sign in the window of a small Church Street storefront. “My plan to just do a couple record fairs and pop ups, and see how that was going, went out the window, because this was the perfect spot,” he reflected. Jake opened **Unchanged Mind** in July of 2024\. Since then it has become a destination for music enthusiasts, many of whom travel from as far away as Philadelphia, New York, Maryland, Delaware, and Central Pennsylvania. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery5-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery3-616x616-crop.webp) inside Unchanged Mind records ### Something for Everyone **Unchanged Mind** records carries everything from underground punk and jazz re-releases to dance music and classic country. Other genres include independent, DIY, hip hop, industrial, ambient, rare recordings, singles, and more. Jake always has a curated selection of new releases, which are rotated regularly. He also buys new and used, and is especially interested in eclectic collections. The store seems esoteric—90% of his new stuff comes from small or micro labels where releases happen in batches of just one or two hundred units—but he does stock well-known albums that will take you back to the good old days. “I try and have a decent selection of nostalgic eighties stuff that people remember. Like, I almost always have something by Wham and Madonna—nostalgic to someone who is probably in their 40s to 50s.” One thing that Jake did not expect is that there’s a much bigger market for weird, experimental jazz in the area than he ever thought. “I stocked that stuff because I like it, and the fact that it sells well continues to be a nice surprise,” he said. “There’s a lot of weird stuff in the shop that—if you aren't deep into a genre—you might be like ‘What is this?’” ### DJ Nights **Unchanged Mind** periodically stays open late and invites people to come in, hang out, and hear a guest DJ. “We have a situation where the DJs can play whatever they want, because it’s not a dance-focused environment. It’s not a bar where they are trying to sell drinks,” Jake said, describing the listening events. “The DJ sets tend to be a little weirder, because if a DJ wants to play something that’s a non-sequitur, they can do that. They can try something out. It’s nice to have a little mix, play something a little different.” ### Local Music, Zines, Stickers **Unchanged Mind** stocks recordings from select local labels, such as New Jersey’s Foul Depth Releases. You can also get “weird synth tapes” and music from local indie musicians like Lambertville-based collective, Human Adult Band. You’ll also find a lot of vintage zines, and occasionally some new ones. Jake stocks smaller zines depending on what's available at the time, and sometimes he gets in obscure zines that come through with record collections. Jake also carries Hunch Comics, which came out of the Lambertville Zine Fest, and he always has issues of Bucks County hyperlocal music magazine, [Rivot](https://rivotmagazine.com/?ref=lambpage.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/store.webp) Unchanged Mind record store #### When Classic Rock Becomes Familiar **Unchanged Mind** champions “weird” music, but Jake is not snobby about it. “I don’t think music should be a static, boring thing. It’s not like I dislike the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, or the Doors or anything like that, but, like, you can walk into record stores today and the used record section looks like how it did when I was in high school. I want to help people find stuff that’s outside of that, because everybody’s heard those records,” Jake noted. “Half of why I do this is to help people find a record that they either really wanted or that they didn't know that they really wanted, but will really enjoy.” [Unchanged Mind](https://www.unchangedmind.com/?ref=lambpage.com) is located at 1 Church Street in Lambertville, NJ. ### Lambertville Hidden Gardens Tour: 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-hidden-gardens-tour-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T01:38:57.000Z Once a year, the public is invited to wander through private gardens in Lambertville. You’ll be delighted by what you find. In 1892, Lambertville area women founded [The Kalmia Club](https://kalmiaclub.org/?ref=lambpage.com), which was designed to foster personal growth through social meetings and discussions about art, literature, and culture. In 133 years, their mission hasn’t changed. Today, the Kalmia Club is a non-profit organization that remains true to its roots, with members supporting the local community by embracing diverse perspectives, building partnerships, and inspiring shared solutions. The Kalmia Club hosts the annual **Hidden Gardens of Lambertville Tour**, with proceeds benefitting the Kalmia Club’s scholarship program. ### Hidden Gardens Tour: What to Expect ![a paper booklet with a paper ticket by its side on a desk](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/06/lambertville-hidden-gardens-tour-2025/523557c332-1772594471/bookleticket.webp) 2025 Lambertville Hidden Gardens Tour ticket and booklet The [Hidden Gardens of Lambertville Tour](https://kalmiaclub.org/events/the-hidden-gardens-of-lambertville-tour?ref=lambpage.com) is a well organized, grassroots, and volunteer-driven event that has been happening annually for over 25 years. The tour is self-guided, and easy to navigate. All of the gardens are located within walking distance of each other, and each year’s tour is unique. Some gardens are curated, meaning the owners hired designers and workers. Others are sewn by the owners’ labor of love, and some are a combination. On the day of the tour, you get a booklet containing a map with the garden locations clearly marked, and each garden has an informative statement. You also get a ticket, which gets checked when you visit each garden on the tour. ### Tickets [The Kalmia Club](https://kalmiaclub.org/?ref=lambpage.com) usually sells advance tickets on their website, but you can also purchase tickets the day of the event. If you purchase in advance, your tickets will be waiting for you when you arrive to pick them up on tour day. ### Weather The event happens rain or shine. Obviously, good weather = more people. If you don’t care about rain, get your ticket early. If rain is a dealbreaker for you, buy tickets the day of the event so you can be sure the weather is nice. ### Parking Arrive early. Lambertville gets crowded and parking spots go quickly. ## 2025 Highlights Nine gardens were on display in 2025, which was just right. It meant you could complete the tour in a couple of hours, and you could do it earlier or later in the day depending on your schedule. Below is a broad view of the 2025 landscape. ### Nancy and Jim’s Garden Surrounding a house that was featured (albeit briefly) in the movie [Echo Valley](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27052633/?ref=lambpage.com), this garden was designed to be a sacred space that heals mind, body, and soul. Some of the plantings included beebalm, cone flower, phlox, catmint, sweet spire, alvia, iris, lavender, sedum, peony, allium, and clamtis—amongst others. Details included an outdoor patio with table and umbrella, a sun dial on a pedestal, built-in Lynx grill and fridge, a kidney shaped pool, and the perfectly trimmed green lawn that looked like it was edged with an Exacto knife. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jinaplants-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jinagrill-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jinapool-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jinagrass-616x616-crop.webp) Nancy and Jim’s relaxing garden The straight and curved lines balanced well with the natural stone, water, plants and grass. Each tone complimented the brick walls, gray slate patchwork siding, and white, black, and red trim of this elegant home. Pathways were highlighted by pinks and purples, suggesting beauty and effortless rejuvenation. ### Kami and Rich’s Garden This rustic oasis was most definitely hidden—you entered through a secret door in a shed-like outbuilding, which took you down a fairytale path to a cozy back yard decorated with a collection of interesting and repurposed found objects. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kamric1-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kamric3-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kamric2-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kamric4-616x616-crop.webp) Kami and Rich’s rustic garden expressions There were many things to see, yet the artistic items didn’t overwhelm. The colors and textures of the industrial elements blended seamlessly into the plants and flowers, creating a well balanced and conversation-inspiring atmosphere. The carefully crafted environment contained Sparkle Week finds like a wash tub turned planter, a water pump geranium, an antique window frame flower pot, a wire and wood birdcage, and a collection of terra cotta pots arranged just so. From the half-moon on the outhouse door to the old croquet set that suggested a game might break out any moment, the only thing missing was your company. ### A Wide Variety Some gardens are not so hidden, because they’re partially visible from the street. However, being welcomed on the property on tour day is preferable to nonchalantly peering through the hedges from the sidewalk on any other day. When you see a familiar place from a different angle in someone else’s back yard, your mental map expands and you experience Lambertville anew. If you attended the 2025 hidden gardens tour, you saw the perfectly-spiraled climbing hydrangea that’s been 12 years in the making, and you were inspired by uniquely personal spaces designed for Yoga, meditation, and napping. At one stop, a small back yard was turned into a patio with a hot tub. Instead of storing a parked car in what was once an external garage, the structure was converted into a TV hideout with tea lights illuminating a comfy, blue couch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/birdgourd-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/face-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/fountain-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gnome-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/legs-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/birdhouse-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/climb-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/incense-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville garden fun One thing is for sure, Lambertville gardeners have a sense of humor. From handmade birdhouses to well-placed effigies of all kinds, there was always something unique and whimsical to notice if you paid close attention. “I’m not much of a fussbudget plant person, but I just love seeing these gardens,” one tourist told her cohort as they walked to their next stop. ### Michelle’s Garden One of the newest gardens in town—if not the newest—was still being planted in the weeks leading up to the tour. In fact, this garden was so clean that it seemed tame until you looked in the Dance Shed, which housed refreshments, a disco ball, a zebra head, and a life-sized stuffed animal zebra with a moving head. (Michelle’s company logo features two zebras, and many of her clients send her zebra-themed stuff. The animatronic zebra was a birthday gift.) The Dance Shed was fun, but the real show was everything surrounding it. There were crushed stone and mulch pathways, peat moss, brick patios, a marble picnic table under a shade tree, and more foliage than you could name. Plantings included toad lily, redbud, white pine, lilac, black eyed susan, flag iris, oak leaf and annabelle hydrangea, meadow sage, ostrich fern, and more. A wooden bench in the center of the property was inscribed with a touching dedication to Michelle’s late father who used to call every Sunday without fail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/michskull-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/michcabana-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/michgarden-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/michdog-616x616-crop.webp) Michelle’s sculptures, walkway, and refreshments The garden had formal seating for sixteen, and enough curiosities to entertain an after-dinner stroll. It would be fascinating to see it in a few years—imagine more sculptures, mature plants, and creative iterations based on regular use. ### Lambertville Hidden Gardens Tour Review If you dig architecture, landscaping, gardening, and planting things, or if you’ve ever just fantasized about wandering around in other people’s backyards (in a non-creepy way), then you’ll love the annual Lambertville Hidden Gardens Tour. Thanks to the many Kalmia Club volunteers who make it happen and to the Lambertville residents who graciously open their private gardens to the public! ### Howling Basset Books Is All About Community URL: https://www.lambpage.com/howling-basset-books-is-all-about-community/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T16:08:29.000Z Lambertville is a town that famously has more dogs than kids, and now we have a new bookstore that shows its love for both. The first inkling that Zohar and Lisa would be bookstore owners one day came in 2008, when a shop in their Brooklyn neighborhood went up for sale. At the time, both Zhoar and Lisa were academics whose appreciation for a good story had been honed through their work in the media and communications departments of the various universities where they taught. Suddenly the idea of forming a community space around reading sparked their imagination. Flip forward a few chapters in the tome of their lives and the couple had moved to rural New Jersey. In 2022, looking to push back against our society’s ever-increasing social isolation and foster queer community, they founded Howling Basset Books, in Oldwick, NJ. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/felt-616x616-crop.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/howling-616x616-crop.jpg) some Basset-themed store décor and patrons at the grand opening on June 7th By that point, Zohar and Lisa had been Basset Hound people for some time, an identity they came to unexpectedly via an appreciation for ferrets. Lisa had had these domesticated polecats as pets in the past and she was getting ready to adopt one again, when that creature got very sick. The next day, she happened to look on Craigslist where she discovered that someone was giving away a Basset Hound named Stella. Zohar described these long-bodied canines as “the most ferret-like dog,” adding with a laugh that it only made sense to rescue Stella. In the first edition of their bookstore in Oldwick, the couple’s second Basset Hound—whom they’d also named Stella at the insistence of their then four-year-old daughter—prompted the business name and became the shop’s mascot. Today, their daughter is getting ready to attend high school in the Delaware River Towns area, which is part of what inspired the family’s move to Lambertville, and Zohar and Lisa are on their third Basset Hound. Fern is named after the human protagonist in *Charlotte’s Web*, and she’s the store’s official greeter. Earlier this month, the new Lambertville space opened in medias res, plunging us straight into the action with a full docket of events. That includes a talk by the author of the YA novel *Ollie in Between*, Jess Callans, about writing queer joy in children’s fiction at 6 PM on June 21st, and, on July 27th, Howling Basset will host the first Lambertville meeting of its LGBTQ+ book club, focusing on Ocean Vuong’s newest release, *The Emperor of Gladness*. With some of the shelving on wheels so that it can easily be tucked away, the store is set up to “transform into a salon,” as Zohar says, making room for 40+ people at their events. RSVP on the [bookstore’s website](https://www.howlingbassetbooks.com/?ref=lambpage.com). Howling Basset Books is located in Lambertville at 45 North Main Street, with the store’s entrance on Coryell. Its hours are Thursdays through Sundays from 11 AM to 6 PM. ### Selma Burke’s Ten Cents: The Legacy of a New Hope Sculptor URL: https://www.lambpage.com/selma-burkes-ten-cents-the-legacy-of-a-new-hope-sculptor/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:51:34.000Z The Bucks County artist best known for sculpting Franklin Roosevelt’s profile is being honored in a show at Phillips’ Mill. *The Selma Burke Invitational African American Art Show* is on display now in New Hope, gathering together an intimate collection of some of the artist’s more portable sculptures along with works by other African American artists. Burke made her home in Bucks County for the last 45 years of her life, arriving in Pennsylvania after she’d already made her mark in Paris, Vienna, New York, and DC. In 1943, six years before moving to New Hope, Burke won a national contest for a commission to create a large bronze portrait plaque honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt. ![bronze plaque depicting FDR’s profile](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/selmaburkefdr.jpg) Selma Burke **Franklin Delano Roosevelt*, on display at the Recorder of Deeds Building Upon receiving the commission, the artist wrote to Roosevelt to request a live sitting so that she might sketch the President herself. The portrait Burke created conveys the dynamism she must have witnessed in her two meetings with FDR. Though she depicted him in bas-relief—the sculpted profile barely projecting off the flat plaque—Roosevelt appears to have his head cocked, seemingly intent on carefully observing the world around him. ![an FDR inaugural medal, and a Roosevelt dime](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/johnsinnock.jpg) FDR inaugural medal from 1933 along with a dime, both signed by John Sinnock There’s some debate about whether or not Burke’s artwork, which has been on display at the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington since 1945, inspired the depiction of FDR on the dime. John Sinnock, the Chief Engraver of the US Mint from 1925 to 1947, is the officially named artist of our ten cent piece, and every coin is signed with his initials. That said, the dime design differs from Sinnock’s previous bas-relief portraying the President on his inaugural medal of 1933, with the coin having something of the liveliness of Burke’s profile plaque. We probably won’t ever untangle the inspirations that led to our ten cent coin, but one thing is for sure: you and I may have our two cents to share on any given topic, but Burke always had at least ten. The sculptor founded multiple art schools and influenced many artists in her time. *The Selma Burke Invitational African American Art Show* at Phillips’ Mill celebrates that legacy. ![whimsical doll with long legs, furry body, and ceramic creature head](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/kimberlycamppigey.jpg) Kimberly Camp **Pigey*, full artwork with detail, currently on display at Phillips’ Mill [Kimberly Camp](https://www.kimberlycamp.com/?ref=lambpage.com), who is the recipient of several National Endowment for the Arts grants as well as being the former president of The Barnes Foundation and the founding director of the Smithsonian Institution Experimental Gallery, met Burke many times at events coordinated by the National Conference of Artists. The Philadelphia chapter of this organization of Black American artists was active in those days, and Burke would sometimes come to exhibitions or other programs. Camp describes Burke as “very gracious and very generous with her time with us young whippersnappers who didn’t know half of what we were doing.” Burke even shared about her encounters with FDR, explaining that she sat on the floor to sketch the President so that she might understand his face from every angle. This is doubtless one of the keys to the fullness and vibrancy of Burke’s famous bas-relief portrait. Camp herself is also a three dimensional artist. The Collingswood-based creative makes dolls, using clay, fiber, beads, and sometimes metal armatures to invent extraordinary figures. *Pigey* is one of three dolls included in *The Selma Burke Invitational African American Art Show*. The artist explains that, as the 2015 Presidential campaign started heating up, she found the need to start working with heavier materials. Camp had been using paper clay, but she pivoted to stoneware, because she liked that the medium needed to be “pounded and smacked and rolled.” She would make a batch of animal heads and feet, and once the stoneware was cured and fired, she’d tuck the piece away for a time. The artist says, “my process is that when I’m ready to make a doll I look in the box of heads and all the parts...and see who wants to go first. Each one of them tells me what they want to be as I’m making them.” ![framed commemorative print featuring cherry blossoms and park visitors on a walkway by the Passaic River in Branch Brook Park](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/faithringgoldadayinnewark-s350thanniversarycelebration-1.jpg) Faith Ringgold **A Day in Newark's 350th Anniversary Celebration*, currently on display at Phillips’ Mill [Faith Ringgold](https://faithringgold.com/?ref=lambpage.com), who passed away last year after a rich career spanning seven decades, was a multidisciplinary artist known especially for her paintings and story quilts, but she created dolls as well. In fact, Camp told me how Ringgold came across her work in a show organized by the Women’s Caucus for the Arts in 1983 and fell in love with it. A few months later, Ringgold connected Camp with an editor at *Essence* magazine who was putting together a story on dolls. The artwork by Ringgold currently on display at Phillips’ Mill is a commemorative print based on a painting commissioned to celebrate Newark’s 350th anniversary in 2016\. This piece is in keeping with a role Ringgold embodied beautifully, that of artist as storyteller. That said, its tone is more celebratory than some of her most famous works, which often addressed challenging themes, including racism. For example, in 1969, in response to the image of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Ringgold created *Flag for the Moon: Die Nigger*, an oil painting of the American flag in which her message is spelled out subtly, overlaid on the stars and within the stripes themselves as a commentary on the very fabric of our nation. ![surface of the moon with three Black homesteaders standing amongst large paper plots with Earthrise in background](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/rontarverhomesteaders.jpg) Ron Tarver **Homesteaders*, currently on display at Phillips' Mill [Ron Tarver](https://www.rontarverphotographs.net/?ref=lambpage.com), a staff photojournalist at *The Philadelphia Inquirer* for over thirty years and the recipient of Guggenheim and Pew Fellowships, also explores the idea of humans on moon in *Homesteaders*. This constructed image is part of an ongoing series entitled *An Overdue Conversation with my Father*. It includes imagery pulled from photographs and negatives produced by the artist's father, Richard Tarver, in small-town Oklahoma at a time when Jim Crow laws were still in effect. Though *The Selma Burke Invitational African American Art Show* as a whole is a fascinating exhibition, it’s this image by Tarver that stays with me. It evokes the idea of Black frontierspeople having to go to the moon to find land as well as a dream of a place where these pioneers might be able to make a better world, completely from scratch. Be sure to catch this wonderful exhibit, a beautiful homage to Selma Burke and Black art. It’s on display Saturdays and Sundays, from noon to 5 pm at [Phillips' Mill](https://www.phillipsmill.org/?ref=lambpage.com), across the river from Lambertville at 2619 River Road, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Admission is $7 for the general public and free for Phillips’ Mill members, and the exhibit runs through June 29th. ### Art at the Hibernia Firehouse URL: https://www.lambpage.com/art-at-hibernia-firehouse/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:49:40.000Z There’s art at the Hibernia Firehouse again for the first time in eight months! It's lovely to see this building active again, since it hosted art and community events three or four times a week between 2021 and 2023 during Soupçon Salon’s tenure. Located at 37 South Main Street in Lambertville, the Hibernia Firehouse has a storied career as a community space and events venue. It has hosted art shows and speakers including documentary filmmakers, often in conjunction with movie viewings at the ACME Screening Room on South Union. Then, from 2017 until Hurricane Ida hit, the Firehouse was occupied by Fisherman’s Mark food pantry and administrative offices. Flood damage forced the nonprofit to relocate to the market building at Closson Farm in September of 2021, and Soupçon Salon, another Lambertville-based nonprofit organization, moved into the property on South Main Street. Soupçon signed a yearlong lease and agreed to do repairs that would make the Firehouse habitable—things like fixing the electricity and heating. During its time at the Firehouse, Soupçon fostered a space that brought people together through creative expression, health and wellness, mutual aid, and education. There were writing circles, book clubs, yoga classes, clothing swaps, and all kinds of community events. Soupçon provided wheelchair accessible space to performers and artists, some of whom included the Firehouse’s neighbors in the Hibernia Apartments. The organization also raised around $3,000 for Ida victims, and it forged ties with the local Latinx population through collaborations with Latinas en Lambertville and our Library. In 2023, the Hibernia Firehouse Company decided to sell its building. When Soupçon inquired about potentially submitting an offer on the space that it had nurtured over the previous year, the nonprofit was informed that the purchase had already been made in cash and that it was a done deal. In 2024, the property briefly reopened to the public for the *Lambertville Painting Show*, featuring 30 artists from Lambertville, New Hope, and the surrounding area, including Princeton. The one-month weekends-only exhibit was curated by Lilah Dougherty and Adrienne Edmonds, with proceeds from art sales benefitting A Love for Life. This Newtown-based 501c3 supports research about pancreatic cancer, and it was founded by Edmonds's mother after Edmonds's father lost a two-year battle with this disease. ![Maureen Chatfield holding her dog Bambi ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/maureenchatfield.webp) co-curator Maureen Chatfield with her dog Bambi and the painting **Rack of Chaise* This year, [Malcolm Bray](http://www.malcolmbray.com/?ref=lambpage.com)’s work is on display in a solo show curated by Maureen Chatfield and Jim Steen, who owns the Firehouse. The exhibit is dedicated to Bray’s late wife and muse, Joanie Ireland, and it features work from the artist's four decades of abstract experimentation in oils and other mediums. Though the painter wasn’t in attendance at last night's opening—his advanced Parkinson’s is the inspiration for Steen and Chatfield donating some of the proceeds from the show to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's research—Bray’s presence was felt in the form of his large and energetic work. ![James Steen, real estate broker and artist, at the art opening](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jimsteen.webp) co-curator and building owner Jim Steen by the painting **Cock and Bull* Steen says he intends to start opening up the Firehouse for art shows twice a year. Chatfield, a painter herself as well as a teacher at the Hunterdon Art Museum, indicated that they’d be exhibiting the work of their favorite artists. Bray’s paintings can be seen Saturdays and Sundays this month from 1 to 5 PM, with a special second reception tonight from 6 to 9 PM. Soupçon Salon continues to host events several times a week. In just the last year, the nonprofit raised $27,000 for various community needs, and it provides the town with an almost-weekly open mic night. The organization currently makes its home in JB Kline’s gallery space, which you enter through Buck’s on Bridge at 25 Bridge Street in Lambertville. For information about Soupçon’s happenings, check out their [site](https://soupconsalon.club/?ref=lambpage.com). ### New Hope / Lambertville Fireworks & Drone Show 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/new-hope-lambertville-fireworks-drone-show-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T13:58:21.000Z ### Fireworks & Drone Show Schedule - May 16th - June 6th - July 11th - August 1st - September 5th Organized by Visit New Hope and The Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, the summer fireworks and drone show happens once per month. The fireworks are exactly what you’d expect: colorful bursts of light, loud bangs, and a sparkling grand finale. The drone show features a variety of animated imagery ranging from people and animals to patriotic symbols and surprises. If you download the Pyrocast app before the show, enter code “F683,” which will enable you play music through your phone to your headphones, smart speaker, or car stereo system. The music is synchronized with the drone display as well as with other people who are also playing the music through the app. On the scheduled days, New Hope hosts a block party on Stockton Avenue between East Bridge Street and West Ferry Street that features vendors, art, wine, a beer garden, and live music. The street is closed to vehicular traffic. ### What Time The block party festivities start around 5pm and go until to 9pm. The New Hope fireworks and drone show begins at about 9:10pm. Start times may vary a little, but the show generally begins between 9pm and 9:15pm. It’s advisable to arrive at your viewing location early to secure your spot. ### Cost All festivities are free and open to the public. ### Best Places to Watch the Fireworks There are several public locations where you can see and hear the fireworks. ![](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/06/2025-new-hope-lambertville-fireworks-drone-show/8e098169e9-1772594468/bridgepeople.webp) people watching the fireworks from the bridge ### The Bridge Walkway ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GFut8kL1ESd1aGd59?ref=lambpage.com)) The best place to see the fireworks is from the walkway on the New Hope / Lambertville Bridge. Any spot along the bridge will give you a good view. ### Bucks County Playhouse ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/QCUkJY4QV4ykvEUT8?ref=lambpage.com)) The deck along the river by the Bucks County Playhouse and Ghost Light Inn provides good sightlines. It is free and open to the public if you walk there. ### Ferry Landing Park ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/QCUkJY4QV4ykvEUT8?ref=lambpage.com)) The small river-front park at the end of East Perry Street in New Hope is a good spot to watch the show, but arrive early to get near the railing close to the river. ### Lambertville Inn Parking Lot ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RFeWUcAemry5Xf8R6?ref=lambpage.com)) This Lambertville lot is accessible for anyone using a wheeled device. It can get crowded here, but it’s family-friendly and easy to manuever in and out before and after the event. Stay close to the bridge for better drone show views. ![](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/06/2025-new-hope-lambertville-fireworks-drone-show/e1c4cb93d3-1772594468/droneview.webp) drone view from the parking lot ### Check the Weather! The fireworks are launched off a barge that floats on the river. If the current is too strong, the fireworks can get cancelled (like they were on May 16th). If you’re concerned about the weather, check [Visit New Hope on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/visitnewhope) or [VisitNewHope.com](https://www.visitnewhope.com/?ref=lambpage.com) for updates right until the show’s scheduled start time. ### Saluting Sarge URL: https://www.lambpage.com/saluting-sarge/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:49:00.000Z **6:35 a.m.** Along a quiet street in Lambertville, New Jersey, a man of 91 years emerges from his home. He wears a “Veterans of Korean War” baseball hat and a “Vets of Foreign Wars” jacket, and treads slowly, using his cane for balance and stability, in the direction of North Union Street. Because of a neck injury, he can’t raise his head and looks down most of the time, though he can see peripherally. Often, someone like Sandy Ferris, who’s one of Sarge’s friends, will greet him on the street, offer him her arm and support him until they reach their destination: Union Coffee. Sandy puts it simply: “Sarge is a great guy.” Sarge is the only customer allowed into Union before it opens at seven a.m. Inside, he moves slowly and deliberately, choosing a magazine from the window ledge and taking it to his usual seat. But not before snatching a couple of napkins to take with him, as is his habit to do; he feels more comfortable having them close by. He sits at the end of a long, wooden, community table in the shop. No one addresses him by his first name. “Everybody calls me Sarge,” he says. Even his wife, Olga Rose, calls him Sarge. He became a Sergeant during the Korean War. He was in three branches of the service: the Marines, the Army, and the Air Force. Joining a particular service was more of a function of the recruiter he saw, Sarge says. “Everything is the Military” Olga says, describing the orbit of his life. She’s sits on their blue, living room couch in the place they’ve called home for the last twenty years; the same house Olga grew up in. ![a woman wearing pink glasses, sitting on a couch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/olga.webp) Olga Rose, Sarge’s wife (photo: Scot Nourok) There are habits from his years in service that stay with him. “He presses his jeans everyday,” Olga says, “to have the crease in them, so they look uniform. I have to buy the spray starch because he has to have his crease. He does it because when he was in the military he wore his blues, he had that crease. He wears his Marine hat everyday.” **6:45 a.m.** Inside Union, the lights are still off over the seating area, while the baristas prepare for the day. When Sarge sits down, he calls out, depending on whose shift it is, to either Carolyn Gadbois, 41, the owner of Union Coffee or Tyler, 28, its longest-serving employee, or to a barista: “Love ya.” To which they’ll reply, “Love you” or “Love you more.” **7:00 a.m.** Soon, Carolyn or Tyler or a member of the staff will bring Sarge his coffee, in his own Marine Corps mug Carolyn bought for him. The mug illustrates an eagle on top of a globe, which displays the western hemisphere, and an anchor attached to the globe. “United States Marine Corps” is displayed around the illustration. ![a mug with a marine logo printed on it](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/mug.webp) Sarge’s Union Mug (photo: Scot Nourok) They also bring him toast, with either butter or cream cheese. The regulars who sit with him every day—Sandy, Paul, Tony, Peter, Warren, sometimes Joanna—arrive at 7:00 and take their customary seats near Sarge at the table—and the conversation begins. Sample topics include eating, dining, hunting, fishing, travel, politics. There never seems to be a lack of something to talk about. At his home about a block away from Union, Sarge sits on a green E-Z boy-type chair, with a red, white, and blue Marine Corps blanket draped against the top. The Roses’ dog, Sophie, jumps up on the couch, and gets admonished by Sarge and Olga to stay down. Olga wears an orange and white blouse, pants, and a pair of hip orange-pink eyeglasses. Olga says, “The Stars and Stripes has to be out, too. He’s always talking about the service. Everything’s military.” On the wall, a painting of a U.S. flag, a white house laid on top of the flag. Below, on its frame, is printed “God. Family. Country.” A folded flag rests on a shelf in a cabinet in the living room. When Sarge’s phone rings, it’s the Marine Corps hymn that plays, loudly. ![a framed folk art work that says “God, Family, Country” ](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/07/saluting-sarge/64d67dc8b5-1772594453/framedart.webp) framed art on Sarge and Olga’s wall (photo: Scot Nourok) Sarge is not the only person in his family to join the Marine Corps. Their second son, Robert, wanted to join the Army. He graduated high school in 1992\. Sarge offered to send him to college. “‘Not me, pop.’” Robert said when he was thinking about not going to college. ‘“Hard enough to go through high school. I’m going to the Army.’” Sarge said, “If you go to the Army, don’t come home,’” meaning, you won’t be welcome in this house if you don’t join the Marines. Robert went into the Marines. Stacey O. Rose (Sarge) was born on March 9th 1934 at St. Francis Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey. He grew up in Lambertville, in a house by the river on Lambert Lane. He was raised with two younger sisters and two older brothers, as well as two stepbrothers. All but one are still alive. His father was a police officer for the Lambertville Police Department, and his mother was a butcher at the Acme, which is no longer in business. The Roses had a boat and canoe rental right from their backyard. “It was a good business,” Sarge says. “I worked at it, collecting rent for the boats and canoes.” Sarge wasn’t always the upstanding person he turned out to be. There was a time, when he was young and in Catholic school, where his behavior was unruly. “His parents,” Olga says, “had to take him out of \[Catholic\] school. He was so bad they had to put him in public school.” In high school, there was an incident that today would have gotten him expelled from school, but back then it just got him suspended. The gist of the story is that a teacher told Sarge to bring some books to the second floor. When he got there, the principal told him to bring them back to the first floor. Back and forth and back and forth, this happened several times. “I took them back up,” Sarge says. “The principal said ‘I told you to bring that back down,’ and gave him some guff. “And I punched him. That’s about it.” Needless to say, Sarge’s dad wasn’t happy with him. He was suspended. **7:15 a.m.** A line forms at the counter. A barista draws from the ice coffee container or hot coffee canisters—or uses the steamer to make a latte,—filling cups, handing them to the customers, collecting money. The hot swish of the steamer pierces the air, as well as the banter and boisterous laughter among the staff behind the counter. Some women peel off the line after they place their orders. They amble over to Sarge and put their arms around his shoulder and he puts his arm around their waists. They ask him how he’s doing. And, in his gravelly voice, he tells them, “Just fine, darling.” This happens three or four times. “He’s a charmer,” Carolyn, Union Coffee Shop’s owner, says. She has short, brown hair and a ubiquitous smile. “He knows how to get to you. He’s a sweet guy and he knows how to play the game. He’s got the skills.” In his living room, Sarge speaks of his time in the service. He joined the Marines three months before he was to graduate high school. “We just figured the Marines were top of the line of the services. We went into the best of the bunch.” He served in the Korean and Vietnamese Wars. In Vietnam, he was a gunner on a helicopter. “What can I say,” Sarge explains about his time flying above the fields and jungles of Vietnam. “You’re shooting like hell at the enemy.” One time their helicopter was in trouble. They were returning from a mission, on their way back to the base. “We radioed ahead, and they said we were clear going in, but we weren’t clear. They shot us down.” Crippled, the helicopter flew over a hedgerow and they went down. “We lost a co-pilot. And then I saw Butch Shepard standing over me. He was from Lambertville. I knew him since he was knee-high. He’s since passed away.” Sarge was in his 30s when he was in Vietnam. Butch must have been about 18. Sarge was in pain. He’d been shot above the butt. “You might say Butch saved my life when I got banged up there. He pulled me out of the jungle.” Because of his injury, Sarge had to spend forty days in Japan in the hospital. Out of those forty days, he was only really laid up for a week. But the Navy hospitals don’t let you leave right away, so he stayed everyday until noon at the hospital, and then “went to town and drank.” Did Sarge feel invincible? “No, I didn’t feel invincible. I don’t think I’d go back again. All I can tell you is this: war is hell and you don’t want to be there.” Sarge also recounts—his voice taking on a more somber tone—that Butch is gone now. He had diabetes, lost his leg, and later died from the disease. There was another time Sarge got injured. They were fighting and shooting, and their helicopter was again shot down and they had to run for a trench. He dove into the ditch, head first, and hit his face against the wall of the trench, against something hard as iron, and it broke his bottom teeth and hurt like crazy. He had to get dentures for his mouth. Tyler, the longtime barista at Union, says that when Sarge told them this story, they said to him, “Okay, Sarge, that’s a bit of a heavy slice of cake there.” ![a person sitting and smiling at a table outside of Union Coffee](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/07/saluting-sarge/299a8b2fad-1772594452/tyler.webp) Tyler Klimuk (photo: Scot Nourok) Many years later, within the last couple of years, Sarge lost his dentures in the canal when he was fishing. Apparently, he was jiggling them in his mouth and they fell into the water. “I got them,” he says. “I reached in and got them. It was funny, that’s all.” **7:20 a.m.** The “Sarge” group is still talking at the table. The shop is filling up now. The large table has more people sitting there, laptops open; there are just two or three seats left. The rest of the tables have patrons at them. Some customers walk around, looking at the back wall, at the art of a single artist, which rotates after several weeks. Peter, one of the “Sarge” group, invariably takes a book out of a brown or plastic bag, and asks if anyone would like to read it. Usually, no one does. It seems Peter is trying to empty his library. If, as Sarge says, war is hell, he certainly brought a debilitating souvenir of it back from Vietnam: PTSD. Olga remarks, “He spent two tours in Vietnam—he’s got issues with dreams.” There are things that he’d rather not remember, much less dream about. There were the times when a fellow soldier would be standing next to him and a sniper would shoot the soldier. Describing the incidents, he says, “When you’re in the hole and your buddy’s next to you and you watch him go down—I don’t even like to think about it. But you keep going. You hate to see it. You’re sorry, but then, again, you’re glad it wasn’t you. It hurts.” When he came home from the war, he relived some of those moments. If he goes into a deep sleep, no matter where he is, he’ll experience a nightmare. Olga offers an example. “He had to have rotator cuff surgery a few years ago, and of course they put him under. When he woke up, he was punching the nurses, because that was the fighting he did in Vietnam. He’ll sit there in his armchair, fall asleep, and have a terrible nightmare. “It’s because of what happened in the service. His helicopter got shot down, and he lost a couple of his guys.” Olga recalls that a few times the grandkids have been over when this happens. The grand kids “look at him strange, so I take the kids away until he comes out of it.” Olga has been fighting with Sarge for years but he refuses to go to the VA for help with PTSD. “They don’t owe me anything,” he says. Olga believes he’s entitled to receive care from them, but he won’t ask for it. Sarge feels he’d be taking something from the government that others, more needy, deserve. ![a tri-folded flag simply displayed on a shelf, below are pills and medicines](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/07/saluting-sarge/a35651aedc-1772594453/flag.webp) Sarge’s tri-folded flag (photo: Scot Nourok) \*\*\* When Sarge came home from Vietnam, he had “the best duty I ever had.” His new job was being a recruiting sergeant in New Jersey. He was living at home and had a government car. He covered the northern part of the state. He worked that job until the day he got out, three or four years later, going into high schools, trying to recruit students. “That’s your best source of recruits,” he says, leaning back in his armchair. “We went to auditoriums and spoke to them. It was good duty.” **7:50 a.m.** It’s getting time for the “Sarge” table to think about leaving. Plates and garbage get deposited in their respective bins. Every day Sarge is escorted home by Sandy or Peter, or Carolyn or Tyler, unless one of the baristas wants to, which they often do. Sarge grabs his cane, gets off his chair, and moves to the cashier. Often, he gets something to take home to his wife. People in line recognize Sarge and say hello. He slowly walks out the door and down the steps. Once outside, he clasps the forearm of whoever’s walking him, and they make the way to his street. Whether he knows it or not, Sarge plays a vital role in Union. “He’s the beating heart of our morning,” Carolyn Gadbois, proprietor of Union, says. If you spend any time at the coffee shop, you realize there’s a special feeling there. It’s more than politeness, and it’s exemplified by Union’s staff’s attitude towards Sarge. “When I hire someone,” Carolyn says. “I always say this: it’s about the people before it’s about the coffee.” She wants a space that’s welcoming to all people. She believes that community in small town like Lambertville can be like this. Born and raised here, Sarge’s last name is literally etched in the pavement throughout town. “There are stones reading “Rose” all over town that his brother laid years ago.” ![a smiling woman pauses for a photo while making coffee](https://lambpage.com/media/pages/blog/2025/07/saluting-sarge/c00b11d8d6-1772594453/carolyn.webp) Carolyn Gadbois (photo: Scot Nourok) Carolyn adds that when you’re part of a community, like this, it calls for an enormous amount of “understanding and patience and a sense you have to choose to come back to the table with one another, regardless.” She folds her hands in her lap and smiles. Sarge is a big part of that community. She came to realize that Sarge had real “value” to the shop, that, “It was very touching to see 20 year olds say, ‘Can I walk Sarge home?’ and chat with him.” It’s the type of thing that will stay with them for the remainder of their lives, she believes. Carolyn’s own relationship with Sarge is rooted in her own family. “I have a connection with Sarge. My grandfather’s a Marine Vet. My grandfather is a 102 and served in World War II, when Sarge started coming in, it was a way for me to connect with him, as a surrogate for my grandfather.” It seems that many of the people who have a relationship with Sarge do so because they have someone in their life that is similar to him. And many develop a relationship now. Alan Durse, a young barista at Union Coffee, worked there when he was home from community college last year. But, “When I went away,” he says, “I was looking forward all semester to coming back to see Sarge. He was just a nice part of the morning routine.” There are several people who enjoy a special relationship with Sarge. Too many to list here. But another one is Tyler, who’s worked at Union since its inception. Tyler Klimuk, who wears their dark hair up or under a kerchief, met Sarge at Union, in April 2021, roughly a month after the shop opened. They were a little afraid of him at first, “because he’s a war veteran and he’s got a deep voice and he seemed big and a little scary. It took months of him calling out, ‘Morning, sweetheart, I love you.’ And we slowly started to develop this flirty little friendship. It feels like I’m conversing with an old gentleman, not like a creepy old man.” Tyler says he’s always very protective, always offered to help them set up the tables outside in the morning. “He’s one of the most consistent parts of my life right now. And he has been for the last four years.” Theirs is not exactly a grandparent/granddaughter relationship because it’s not that close, Tyler reflects. “‘In another life,’ I tell him, ‘you and me would have been causing trouble all over the country.’” They add, “I tell him, ‘I’m going to find you in a next life and we’re going to have a great time.” Tyler brings up their own grandparents, who died when Tyler was younger. They didn’t have a relationship with them. “It’s such an interesting connection there \[with Sarge\]. It’s something I never really had with anybody in my life. I don’t think I had the opportunity to be friends with somebody as old as Sarge, and it’s an interesting dynamic.” Tyler pauses for a moment, mulling it over, like there’s something further they want to impart. Then, they say, “Sarge likes to get in trouble a lot. And he likes to get me in trouble a lot. So, there was this one time…” ![a man wearing an American flag jacket reading a book inside Union Coffee](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/sargereads.webp) Sarge reads in the a.m. (photo: Scot Nourok) Sarge came in with a hangover, two or three years ago. He wanted a raw egg for his coffee. He said he’d had a little too much to drink. Tyler obliged, “whisking an egg into his coffee.” Later, Carolyn told them to never even think about doing that again, and also scolded Sarge to not ask that of her employees. “And he comes over to me,” Tyler says, “and he says ‘Sweetheart, I’m really sorry I got you in trouble.’” They weren’t angry with him. In fact, there’s a more touching side to Sarge’s presence at Union, one that involves his various interactions with people. You might say that Sarge and Union are a microcosm of small town America. Tyler observes a certain grace in seeing many in the community embrace Sarge, offer to walk him home, drive him places (even though he’s still driving himself around), and hang out with him. And there’s another part to Sarge’s life: people recognize him for his service. Since he wears his regalia all of the time, it’s easy to spot his “Veteran of the War in Korea” hat and see that he’s a war veteran. People are always thanking him for his service. Once in a restaurant, Sarge asked for the bill. When the server came, it wasn’t the bill that he received but a note instead. ![a tattered note thanking Sarge for his service](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/note.webp) anonymous note left for Sarge at a restaraunt (photo: Scot Nourok) “Thank you for your service, Marine! And thank your wife for the sacrifices she made to support you. Semper Fi! \[Always faithful—motto of the U.S. Marine Corps.\] God bless you, patriot. May the colors fly for ever. Your brother in arms→Army.” The admirer had paid his bill. **7:55 a.m.** Sarge gets up, puts his hand on his cane. On this particular day, Peter is going to walk Sarge home. He’s been a friend to Sarge since the days when Fred’s, another coffee shop, was open in New Hope. (Sarge was such a regular there and so trusted, they gave him the keys to open and get things started in the morning.) Whenever Peter and his wife Ellen are traveling, he makes sure to phone Sarge and check in with him, phoning him every couple of days. They stop and talk with customers and friends just outside Union, also about to depart. ![a man helping Sarge walk down the street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/endure.webp) Peter and Sarge (photo: Scot Nourok) As Peter and Sarge cross Union Street, cars slow down and stop to allow them to pass. They continue to speak to each other as they head to Sarge’s home. It will all begin again tomorrow morning. Sarge will arrive amid setting out of bagels, heating up of croissants, brewing of coffee, and the talking to old and new friends at Union will begin. But for Sarge, it’s not an ephemeral exercise; the connections endure. ### Lambertville Coffee Shops: A Local’s Guid URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-coffee-shops/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:47:02.000Z One of the things I used to lament about Lambertville when I first moved here in 2013 was the lack of coffee shops. There were three at the time and none were particularly good for remote work. That’s a criteria that, to me, is make or break besides the coffee itself. Fast forward to our post-COVID world and while two of the old shops are still here, they all now boast great wifi, which makes them a viable option as a work place, a general hang out place, or just a great place to meet up. Quick note: I drink my coffee black in a perfect world (shaking my fist at my sensitive stomach), but IRL I enjoy cappuccino and iced lattes—iced for the flavors that come out of the bean at lower temps. I can enjoy a sweet cup as well, so I’m going to tell you about the best of the best based on these preferences. With the small print out of the way, let’s talk Lambertville Coffee! ### Union Coffee [49 North Union Street](https://maps.app.goo.gl/mP2DHCu7RNAa1acN8?ref=lambpage.com) Walk into Union and you will see a well-oiled machine at work with the friendly staff keeping the often long lines moving smoothly and efficiently, and always with a smile. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/unioncoffee.webp) Union Coffee, Lambertville, NJ At Union, you have what I believe is the best cappuccino or latte in town. The flavor is smooth and bold, and always well balanced no matter what flavors you add, or if you get it plain. I buy my espresso beans here—they even offer to grind them for you! Union has local art on display that rotates regularly, which is a lovely treat while you’re sipping on your brew. If you are looking for some nosh, they offer lovely breakfast options and pastries in addition to smoothies. The quiche is served with a fresh side salad and is always a great choice. If you can get a seat, it’s a good place to get some work done, with excellent wifi. It can be noisy and it usually is the busiest coffee shop in town at most hours (especially on the weekends) so go early and claim a seat! If you stop in, be sure to say hello to Carolyn, the owner. She’s a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a pillar of the community. Must-tries at Union are the straight cappuccino, or latte. If you don’t take your coffee drinks sweet, try it with one of their homemade syrups. They make lavender, peppermint, and vanilla as well as seasonal favorites, so keep an eye out! My personal favorite is Lavender Oat Latte with honey to kick the allergy season on its tuchus. The combo of oat and lavender is a match made in heaven! ### Bucks On Bridge [25 Bridge Street](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GwPo9cywwA9zNHVF6?ref=lambpage.com) A long-time Lambertville staple, Bucks on Bridge serves Organic Fair Trade coffee. Be sure to let Babs, the owner, know you’re a local. She’ll remember your name, and your order! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bob.webp) Bucks on Bridge, Lambertville, NJ This is the shop I go to when I want to feel like a part of the community. There always seems to be an open seat and people are friendly and inclusive. I’ve also gone and worked when I wanted to be alone and focused, and I had no problem with that either. Bucks also has rotating local art on display and is the home of JB Kline’s music shop upstairs. The cappuccinos and lattes are great especially when ordering sweeter options. This is one place I’ll pick a hot cappuccino over iced. They also offer some lovely breakfast options like sourdough with banana and peanut butter, or my favorite, bagel and lox. Besides breakfast, there’s also an ice cream shop in the back, which makes it the perfect location for an affogato! The must-have for me is the pumpkin latte in the fall. I look forward to Bucks’ pumpkin latte every year. If you ask nicely, Babs might make you one offseason if they have the mix still available. And try their breakfast options! The only downside of Bucks, much like most on this list, is the parking—there is none. Bucks is closer to the south side of town so, if you’re willing to walk a block, parking is free and easier to find at most hours if you go south of Ferry Street. ### Luminary [243 North Union Street](https://maps.app.goo.gl/znL9nN9wDfBhKa1D8?ref=lambpage.com) Located in what used to be Rojo’s, Luminary is the only coffee shop in town that roasts their own beans. Importantly, not only do they have ample street parking, but also a parking lot, which is a rare find in Lambertville. That alone rockets Luminary to the top of the list of coffee shops to try. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/luminary.webp) Luminary Coffee, Lambertville, NJ They have a great atmosphere for working, though the music can be a distraction sometimes and the seats might get full, but if you stick around, something usually opens up. They are also the only shop that has a couch and cozy living room area. Luminary is another shop that displays local art on the walls, and they offer local pastries as well. In fact, you can get delicious doughnuts on Sundays at around 9am. Curiosity Doughnut, which recently opened a brick and mortar store in Doylestown, delivers doughnuts to Luminary. Personally, I go with the coffee here over the lattes. They have a great pour over, which is served in a massive mug, so be prepared to wait and then have coffee for hours! Try the drip if you want a quicker cup. They focus on their single origin options here, and have a daily brew which is worth a taste. If you like the old Rojo, you might enjoy their cup, as it has a higher end than the others you will get in town. ### Lambertville Trading Company (LTC) [43 Bridge Street](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gQE5cwEofeCxXpPW6?ref=lambpage.com) If you ask a tourist to name a coffee shop in Lambertville, 9 times out of 10 they will describe LTC, though they usually won’t remember the name. It’s one of the best places in town to people watch since it’s on Bridge Street and has lovely window seating. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/ltc.webp) Lambertville Trading Company, Lambertville, NJ Like an old school coffee shop, you’ll see many bins of coffee beans in the front, which is not my favorite way to keep beans fresh, but it does show off the many options you have for your favorite cup. They specialize in dark roasts so, if you prefer a french press cup of coffee, this might be the spot for you. Coffee is serve-yourself in the back with espresso drinks ordered up at the front. LTC has a lovely atmosphere, though it’s more of a gift shop than a sit-and-stay kind of place. It’s only a few doors down from Bucks, so you’ll find the same parking restrictions and options here, but they do have a bike rack out front. The must-try here is the French press. If this is your preferred way to drink coffee, you can get it at LTC. ### Meta Cafe [15 Klines Court](https://maps.app.goo.gl/d3K3payfZf8TASTB8?ref=lambpage.com) Shout out to Meta, a little-known sandwich shop with a limited beverage menu. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/meta.webp) Meta Cafe, Lambertville, NJ Meta has a hand pull espresso machine, much like what I have at my home, so I can tell you this requires more skill than the automatic espresso machines and it maybe less consistent, but you must give Bryan and his team’s creations a try. This is the only shop I know that will put your iced latte in a shaker and shake it up so you get a foam on top even if you get an iced latte! They also have fun seasonal homemade flavors like the rose latte or the orange honey latte. The must tries here are really the sandwiches, but do try the iced vanilla latte if sweet drinks are your bag. ![ a cup of coffee in a blue mug on a saucer, with a fancy design on the creme of the coffee](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/coffee.webp) coffee (photo: SL Bruno) The love of coffee comes to us all differently, and people have strong preferences for how they like their cup of joe. Hopefully I’ve helped you determine which Lambertville coffee shop is the best for you! ### Affordable Housing Committee Meeting: May 28, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/affordable-housing-committee-meeting-may-28-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T01:51:25.000Z The [Lambertville Affordable Housing Advisory Committee](https://www.lambertvillenj.org/boards/affordable-housing-advisory-committee?ref=lambpage.com) met at 7pm on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. The Mayor called the meeting to order. They read the mission, said the pledge of allegiance, and approved meeting minutes from April. The Mayor said he continues to meet with developers of Village Apartments. He has requested meetings with the CVS site owner with no success. The city also reached out to South Mountain Apartments. Mayor Nowick thanked Elaine Clisham for the [230-page housing plan](https://www.lambertvillenj.org/forms-documents/forms/department-documents/affordable-housing/2066-lambertville-draft-fourth-round-hefsp/file?ref=lambpage.com). Elaine highlighted that the plan is actually two documents with the first part being a housing document. She said they just got the 2025 income limits: A 2-person household income can earn up to $98,240 (on page 13). She said the city’s demographics have changed. There are many more two-person households than there were ten years ago. It looks like there is a demand for smaller units in the city. The jobs housing ratio is a measure of how many people live in town and commute to work. - 1,899 people live here but work outside of Lambertville. - 972 people commute into Lambertville from out of town to work. Michelle Harris asked if the ratio included remote workers working from home. Elaine said it was based on CES data, and that a website called “on the map” does a nice job of outlining the information. She said they are still considering the small cities program, and pointed out that the housing plan is on page 29\. ### Realistic Development Potential Elaine said they did a vacant land analysis to see if Lambertville has any places to develop. Based on vacant land alone, the city has zero areas to develop. The bottom of page 45 has the law about it. “There is no clarity on this requirement at all,” Elaine said. She explained that the city is making a good faith gesture with SpokeWorks doing 40 units, with 6 affordable units set aside. The last ten pages contains the spending plan, which explains how to manage affordable housing funds that came in from development fees. They have not yet budgeted development fees from the Finkles site, because they don’t yet have that information. Paul Stevens asked about RDP unit numbers if they submit the six units and apply them to anything other than the third round. The RDP is zero, and they need 25% of zero in units. It’s a good faith gesture to say they’ve looked for redevelopment sites and found one. Paul asked about the set aside at SpokeWorks, which is 15% for rentals, 20% for sale, based on ordinance. The Mayor has met with the SpokeWorks property owner, and there is a possibility there, but it’s too early to know details. They’re looking at minimum of 40 units, but there is no plan. They have enough to put forward an ordinance to move forward, but it would be a draft ordinance. Conversations with the owner have happened in the last four to six weeks. The owner has some ideas, and is interested. Meanwhile, the CVS lease is up in 2026, but the property owner hasn’t been very responsive. Mayor Nowick said Mayor Fahl had talked to the property owner years ago. Elaine said the current affordable housing plan is built to be revised if something new happens. Michelle Harris pointed out that anything happening at the CVS site is just hopeful. Mayor Nowick said it could be declared an area of redevelopment, and then they could develop a plan. Paul asked about the old high school, and the group discussed how things work. If there is an area of redevelopment plan on a property, then it’s more attractive to a developer who wants to build affordable housing on a site. The owner of SpokeWorks did submit some plan ideas, but nothing is concrete. Councilman Lide said he thought they should introduce an ordinance. Mayor Nowick agreed. The 3rd round RDP is based on vacant land. SpokeWorks was not counted, because it is not vacant land. That is why it wasn’t included in the third round. Clossen Farm was included in the third round. They discussed the upcoming meeting schedule, canceled the meeting on June 9th, and moved it to the 26th. Michelle asked the Mayor what value he has taken from the committee. The Mayor said the committee having open and public conversations about possible sites was incredibly valuable—even if this was a six-month ad hoc committee. He acknowledged the limitations of an advisory committee, and said he wants open and active conversations about redevelopment rather than being reactive. Michelle mentioned that they are advisors, but she still didn’t know everything that was going on. “The inclusion could be expanded,” she said. Cindy Ege said it was valuable going through site-by-site and taking that information to the governing body. She would like to see bi-monthly or quarterly meetings, and felt that input from the committee could help with the website, and forms, and getting information out to the public. Mayor Nowick explained that having the engagement of the group means having experts sharing their knowledge. Paul echoed Michelle’s point. He said the public was looking to him, but he didn’t know the answers. He felt a little uncomfortable not knowing things when people asked him questions. Michelle concurred. The group’s mission statement said they were helping formulate the plan. Councilman Lide said these problems are because the city is in a reactive position. He said it may have been easier had this been done ten years ago. He wants to be proactive towards the next ten years in Lambertville. He’d like to look at the master plan, things that are important to the community in town, and how the future is envisioned. Paul agreed. Mayor Nowick said they haven’t looked at zoning ordinance in 15 years. Sean Goodwin said if they can inform people to the extent that they can, it could be a function of the community. The advisory committee could follow along with developments and keep an eye on them. Mayor Nowick said the Lambertville Matters newsletter goes out to 2,500 people. Michelle said that people on Facebook talk about how it is not affordable to live in Lambertville. She said people are unable to live here, not even to rent. ### Affordability vs. Affordable Housing Mayor Nowick said there is a difference between affordable housing and affordability. He said they can’t change everything, but they can talk about affordability and think outside the box. Councilman Lide said they have developments that are providing no housing and that’s something they can talk about and get ahead of. Michelle said the demographics showing the need for smaller units could inform decisions. She looked into tiny homes, but unfortunately state, city, and county requirements made it not a viable option here. Elaine said there are ways to look at things. About 35% of the community rents in NJ, while only 22% rents in Lambertville. Increasing the rental units will affect rent prices. The Mayor said density is how to get more rentals. Councilman Lide said the CVS site is a great spot for density, and he wants to prevent problems in the future. Paul said there is a lack of communication and the public is not more engaged, because 230-page reports are not readable. Elaine asked about Facebook. She’s not on it, but she wanted to know what was happening there. Michelle said people sometimes list rentals on the Lambertville Facebook group, and folks ask the rental price. If the landlord posts the price, people get angry and attack the landlord for charging too much. Michelle said landlords have to raise prices, because city and state fees have gone up. She said her rental investment property has become a long-term hold investment, and landlords are not making a lot of money. Elaine and the Mayor pointed out that retail rents have also gone up. Michelle said there is a big difference between small property owners and 8 or 10 to 30 units. She said she wouldn’t be surprised if many of the rentals in town are owned by very a small group of people. The Mayor said that there are people in town who only raise their rents 2% every year. He said he purposefully keeps rent low at his rental property in town, and he wouldn’t be able afford to buy and rent a second property now, because prices are so high. He said he couldn’t imagine buying a $600k house to rent. Mayor Nowick said the city’s valuation went up $700 million dollars last year. Paul had feedback on the report. He said appendix D had the vacant land analysis. He explained how Elaine should do it. Elaine thanked him. She said this version is going to the planning board, but she can make corrections. ### Public Comment Jeff from Wilson Street said, when visioning with the community, half of the people want 1955 and half wants 1975\. As far as the high school redevelopment site, they didn’t mention that it might not be available. “We won’t know for maybe two years to know what is going up there,” Jeff said. With the unlined and inclosed landfill, Jeff felt that the document should further explain what is going on up on the hill, because it can impact the development. He wasn’t happy about the narrative. He also mentioned the flood rules around Village Apartments. He said the main area of concern is that the building has to be available by road. “Having a sidewalk or walkway above flood zone is enough,” Jeff said, “and if there are more than 44 units there, they can just do it.” The Mayor said if Village Apartments is realistically developed with affordable units then they can revise the plan. He said the city wants to move forward, they’re just waiting for information from the developers. The Mayor said he feels good about the narrative. Councilman Lide said the egress at Village Apartments is not determined. Jeff said the rules do allow for parking underneath. Councilman Lide reiterated that he wants more affordable units at that spot. Jeff said the floor requirement is not the rule, because it hasn’t been signed off by the governor. He said it’s not an issue since the rule is not in place. There were no further public comments, and public comments closed. Elaine said the report would not have happened without everyone in the committee streamlining the process. The Mayor said it’s been an amazing amount of work. The meeting adjourned. ### Lambertville Memorial Day Parade, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-memorial-day-parade-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T01:57:59.000Z Lambertville’s Annual Memorial Day Parade was held on Monday, May 26, 2025\. Hundreds of people gathered along Union and Main Streets to view the event, which began on North Union and Cherry Street. The sky was clear and blue. The air was crisp and comfortable. It was a perfect day to gather and reflect. Ambulances, fire trucks, military vehicles, classic cars, marine rescue, marching bands, rescue teams, and citizens of all ages made their way along the route. The procession headed south on Union Street and then north on Main Street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/girlscouts-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/scouts-616x616-crop.webp) Girl and Boy Scouts marching Scouts marched, but for the first time in over 25 years, Scouting America Troop 49 (which had been in operation in Lambertville since 1933) did not march. Due to declining enrollment, Troop 49 closed at the end of 2024\. However, Kevin Brady of Cottage Hill wrote a letter (recently published in Lambertville Matters), in which he invited local residents to [get involved with Lambertville Scouting](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekSTFBzAO6pIYs0%5FS5-qTEohC5ClhgC9tkbU0WqNSpidxvuA/viewform?ref=lambpage.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/oldfiretruck-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/newfiretruck-616x616-crop.webp) old and new fire trucks For people who don’t work in fire services, being up close to the fire trucks is always an experience. With their intricate parts, bright lights, and bold colors, it’s almost difficult to imagine this majestic vehicle being used for emergencies. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/library-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jeep-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville Library, military vehicle It was nice to see the Lambertville Library on bicycles, smiling and waving, and reminding us how lucky we are to have free access to factual information. Our local book-lending organization rode in stark contrast to the sometimes imposing, and always impressive, military machines that cruised down the road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/truck-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/council-616x616-crop.webp) military vehicle, Lambertville City Council The juxtaposition of anonymous militarization and friendly, familiar faces was the point of the parade. It begged bystanders to think about all of the people—living and dead—who have sacrificed and served our country’s greater good. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/band-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/mband-616x616-crop.webp) marching bands It rouses us to stand up here and now, and fight for the freedoms we enjoy that were hard-fought and won before us. Freedoms that are once again threatened... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/mayor-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/george-616x616-crop-1.webp) Mayor Andrew Nowick, Grand Marshall Georg Hambach As the large vehicles traveled on to another parade, local marchers made their way to Mary E. Sheridan Park where there was a commemorative ceremony. Mayor Nowick read “My Very Dear Wife,” which is the last letter of Major Sullivan Ballou, dated July 14, 1861\. In the letter, the 32-year-old attorney from Providence, Rhode Island wrote a moving message to his wife and children: “...if the soft breeze fans your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air cools your throbbing temples, it shall be my spirit passing by.” Grand Marshall, and Lambertville resident, Georg Hambach spoke. He reminded us that Memorial Day is not a happy day. “We were there and feel a little guilty that we came home and they didn’t,” Hambach said of fellow soldiers, “They gave the last true measure of devotion.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/shots-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/shot-616x616-crop.webp) firing three shots into the air Then, in a solemn and quiet moment, veterans fired three very loud shots into the air. People flinched. A child cried and clung to her mother. Ears rang. The horrendous conditions of war were alluded to in a safe, yet visceral way. Many people—some of whom are our current neighbors—fought for our freedom of speech, free and fair elections, separation of powers, separation of church and state, our ability to question the president and/or government, for our right to assemble and protest without retribution, and to marry who we want to marry (or not). Those freedoms will never be taken away without a fight. After the ceremony, many people went to the American Legion for lunch. ### Pride 2025: Celebrating Love, Freedom, and the Power of Community URL: https://www.lambpage.com/pride-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:04:37.000Z Thousands gathered in Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA over the weekend to celebrate Pride in an annual festival that is organized by [New Hope Celebrates](https://www.newhopecelebrates.com/?ref=lambpage.com). The theme for 2025 was, “Together, We Rise! – Defying Fear, Embracing Hope.” ### Progress Pride Flag Unfurling Every year, the Pride celebration begins with the unfurling of a 25'x15' Progress Pride Flag on the corner of Bridge and Main Streets in New Hope, PA. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/dropa-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/dropc-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/flagcrowd-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/flagfull-616x616-crop.webp) 2025 Pride Flag Unfurling in New Hope, PA This year’s flag unfurling took place on Saturday, May 10th at 11:30am. A group of people gathered across the street to cheer and take photos as the Progress Pride flag and American flag were draped from the Starbucks building’s balcony. It’s a very visible location to display such well-known symbols of freedom and independence, which is what Pride is all about. The Progress Pride Flag stayed up all week, bringing awareness to the celebration’s activities while also highlighting the area’s rich LGBTQ+ history. Pride 2025 lasted from May 10 through May 18, and each day was filled with events and activities that occurred in New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ. Happenings included live music, drag performances, a cocktail contest, plant pot painting, dance parties, gay bingo, social events, mixers, pool parties, historic presentations, afternoon tea, and of course the annual parade and fair. ### Dance and Be Merry The Love is Love Gala was held on Thursday, May 15th at River House at Odette’s. The event featured live painting, an [art auction](https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/97917/auctions/182212?r=1&t=all&ref=lambpage.com), and dancing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gala-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/hope-616x616-crop.webp) Gwenn enjoying a less crowded dance floor at the end of the night | Hope painting live Former Miss New Hope Celebrates, Diva Divine Monroe, hosted the event and performed. Miss New Hope Celebrates 2025, Asia Leigh Monroe, was also there. ### 2025 Pride Parade It rained early in the morning on Saturday, May 17th, but the sun came out and cleared the way for the 2025 Annual New Hope / Lambertville Pride Parade. The procession began at City Hall in Lambertville, traveled south down Union Street to Bridge Street where it turned right, and then it marched across the bridge to New Hope, where it turned left to travel down Main Street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/buick-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/crosspollination-616x616-crop.webp) an antique Buick | Cross Pollination Gallery’s Ayala and SiriOm watch the parade ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/dejavu-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/cheers-616x616-crop.webp) Deja Vu at the Cub Room | Philly Cheer Elite ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/council-616x616-crop-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/prideflag-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville City Council | Pride Flag ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/bells-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/frankchet-616x616-crop.webp) Bell’s Tavern | Frank and Chet ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/pumpkins-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nhc-616x616-crop.webp) Miss Pumpkin | Mr. and Miss New Hope Celebrates ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/missnhc-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kandi-616x616-crop.webp) Diva Divine Monroe | Kandi ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/newhope-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/atelier-616x616-crop.webp) the parade enters New Hope | Atelier crossing the bridge ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/kingqueens-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/saygay-616x616-crop.webp) Ginger, Manny Cure, and Lady Peacock | a message for the haters At the end of the Pride Parade, marching bands dispersed and parade people entered the annual outdoor fair to visit tented vendors and watch live performances that happened on the large outdoor stage. Pride 2025 set the tone for people to come together to celebrate visibility, diversity, and the power of standing proudly as one. The annual Pride celebration honors the people who made (and make) the New Hope / Lambertville area the safe, inclusive, and artistic community that it is. In a time when our rights are under renewed attack, being out and proud isn't just a form of personal expression—it’s a powerful act of resistance, which serves as a beacon of hopeful freedom for those who are still finding their way. ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: May 15, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-meeting-may-15-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:00:03.000Z The Lambertville City Council met on Thursday, May 15, 2025. They approved the minutes from April 17th, and there was a motion to accept the administrative reports. ### Public Comments **Jeff from Wilson Street** thought [last Thursday](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/05/new-hope-hospitality-developers-present-lamberville-plan?ref=lambpage.com) was momentous and important, however, he had concerns such as the size of the project, and problems that he felt are overwhelming. He said we need to change parking requirements, because the hotel could end up having 300 cars with all of its services. He pointed out that the developer said they were exempted for storm water mitigation. Jeff said the city needs stronger laws since the city doesn’t charge commercial development a fee for affordable housing. “Everything the developer said goes back to 1993 as far as zoning and now we are a different city,” Jeff said. He pointed out that years ago, when the current laws were written, the city just wanted people to do things here. “The world has changed and our town has changed,” Jeff said. He also mentioned the publication of a [news article about Lambertville’s water contamination](https://www.buckscountyherald.com/news/pfas-seeps-into-lambertville-residents-lives/article%5Fa8ddceac-1c7c-4308-9062-f510c12df202.html?ref=lambpage.com) that was published in the Bucks County Herald. Mayor corrected that the developer does contribute to affordable housing, even if they’re doing commercial development. Councilwoman Kominsky said the city has to reexamine the master plan. “We do have to plan for our community. We have to be looking forward,” Kominsky said. The Mayor said it’s been ten years since city has examined zoning and they want to look at it. Councilman Lide said it’s incredible that the developer won’t do storm water management. Councilwoman Kominsky said the Canal Commission will be providing input. “If the banks of the canal are threatened, there are a lot of considerations,” Kominsky said. Councilwoman Lambert said she supports taking a look at the master plan and bringing it into the 21st century. She said it’s an appropriate and beneficial activity. Councilman Stegman said we have to look at the zoning laws. A lot of time has been spent dealing with zoning from project to project, but it’s time the city reviews ordinances and zoning. **Dave from Brunswick Avenue** said last Thursday the developer may be working under existing ordinances to push things through. It caught his attention that the developer said they own 120 feet of frontage. “Nobody has parking in front of their stores,” Dave said. He hoped that issue could be looked at quickly. The Mayor said he doesn’t believe the project gets public parking. Councilman Stegman said there are meters in the street. **Shaun from Belvidere Avenue** said there are two ways the city can help their cause. One was to ask the DEP to file a Spill Act Directive to test the wells. “We get money from cannabis tax, we could put some to well testing,” Shaun said. Two was to declare it an area of immediate concern, which gives DEP more powers. Third, Shaun asked the city to help people file the paperwork. He said residents have been helping neighbors, but that many of them have other commitments and he feels it’s time for the city to pick up the slack. The Mayor said Council has been considering things and will outline steps on June 5th that will have positive impact on the community. The Mayor spoke to the DEP office and the state has requested access to the Lambertville High School site for testing. He also had email exchange with DEP and a letter should be going out today for additional testing on Cottage and Connaught Hill. Commissioner Lide thanked Shaun for all the work he’s been doing. **John from Hancock Lane** asked about the development on the hill, and if the city is going to take ownership of this now or just play around. He said it’s frustrating that the city hasn’t addressed it. He said, “City Council is supposed to be there for us. I’m hopeful you can share information with and from the court. People want to know where we are with the builders remedy.” The Mayor said the city is in ongoing litigation and has notices of tort claim, so they will not comment. He pointed out that tThere is some misinformation, and that contamination was noted by the a city attorney. He also said he feels the attorney is doing a good job. Councilwoman Kominsky said there will be an oral argument on builders remedy on June 5th. Councilman Lide said residents can go to sit in and listen. Judge Ballard will be hearing it. Councilwoman Kominsky said residents can contact the court to get a link. She also said she hears David’s point, and said citizens can write letters as well. **Beth from Hancock Street** noted that the June 5th hearing will be at 2:25pm, and is only accessible via zoom—not in person. **Chris from Coryell Street** asked the Council to put the timeline for looking at ordinance sooner rather than later. He said he travels to Hudson, NY and New Orleans, LA and those places are similar historically to Lambertville, but are protected. “Can you look at the zoning sooner rather than later,” he asked. The Mayor said looking at ordinances now could be problematic, because it could set the city up for legal action if it makes preemptive changes. He said zoning changes will take a long time to get consensus, and it won’t happen in the next few months. Councilman Lide said the city needs to look at the master plan. Councilwoman Kominsky said the master plan is important. She said someone can say, “we meet all your zoning requirements,” but that is something the city determines. **Michelle from Church Street** followed up on the zoning question to ask if the zoning as is written today will prevail for the Coryell development. She worried that using the zoning and master plan documents as they are today won’t be effective in dealing with development today. The Mayor said nothing has been submitted, so we don’t know how it will or won’t align with existing ordinances. He said the city has a master plan and it’s four years away from the typical reexamination. It was done in 2019 and the city could do it sooner. He said we have master plan in place that defines things currently. Changing proactively or reactively could cause problems. The City Attorney said he has addressed many cases like this, and it’s all depends on the facts. The Mayor said that developers may have to cooperate or adapt, which happens in real time with the members of the various boards. He said planning boards didn’t originally have traffic studies for dispensaries, but they were added during a particularly long meeting. He hoped there is a sensitivity and that the planning board will be mindful of impact and additional conditions can be imposed. Michelle said on the PFAS topic that people come to the podium and wonder if their voice is heard. She choked up a bit and said she is proud of the community for speaking up and that it’s time for council to get behind it. Councilman Stegman said, “When someone comes into the city with a dream, I don’t want it to be Lambertville’s nightmare. That’s my mindset going forward. We’ll be proactive.” There were eleven people online. One had comments. **Bart from Lambert Lane** followed on the topic of last Thursday. He looked at zoning for the CBD. The developers have looked at zoning. He wondered how Lambertville’s ordinances are consistent with nearby buildings. He asked how a plan with as many as fifty cars per hour could be proposed. He said it’ll be interesting to see what the traffic study will show, and he worried it may be too late to mitigate the effects. He hoped the Council will protect the city. **John from Quarry Street** said he was chair of Lambertville Historic Commission in the past. At the time, he said, it was a strong board, not weak, meaning regulatory action had to be taken to court. The Historic Preservation Commission had power, because the city had design standards. He is certified as historic preservation specialist and so is his wife. He asked the Council to please table 08-2025 and take a look at it so to have a strong board. He also talked about state and federal government historic recognization and a local property that is a national historic landmark, covered under the Battlefield Protection Act. He said the city has got a lot of historic protections. He pointed out that what happened in Lambertville is of the most significant impact to the American Revolution, which has an upcoming 250th anniversary. John briefly described a recent health scare, and offered to connect City Council with a person in town who has 3.5 acres of land and wants it to be used for affordable housing. The Mayor thanked him and said he is glad John is doing well. Public comments closed. The Council enacted the Monarch Butterfly Pledge. The city has been working with Lambertville Goes Wild to plant Milkweed, and, since then, the Mayor has seen five butterflies while walking his dog. They are in favor of 88-2025 through 93. **94-2025** supports an MOU for Habitat for Humanity for six semidetached houses on Closson Farm. This will authorize the Mayor to work with Habitat for Humanity on a project that will take a couple years. Council will write to Fair Share Housing to amend their settlement, which will bring the city into full compliance for the third round. Councilwoman Kominsky said it’s great that they were taking this step to build affordable units and make use of this property. Councilman Lide said it was a mistake to put affordable housing on the police sight, and he hopes Fair Share will accept this. Councilwoman Lambert thinks it’s ironic that affordable housing started with removing an overlay on this very property. “It just seems fortuitous and I think it’s great and we need the housing and these people are gonna have a great spot,” she said. Councilman Stegman said, “This is a place where the dream does not become a nightmare. An idea we had four years ago is becoming a dream come true. We have solved the problem in a way that gives people a place to put their head at night.” They adopted the motion. **95-2025** donated $500 to Delaware County Senior Citizens. They adopted the motion, but the Mayor opposed it, because he felt that paying $500 to a social and recreational group is not a good use of city funds. The Council all agreed to pay the bills. Ordinance **11-2025** amended city code to add a four-way stop near Music Mountain, because it is used as an unofficial shortcut to Rt. 179 North. Neighbors and a speed study found that a four-way stop will help slow traffic and make drivers more conscience about going through the neighborhood. **12-2025** is an ordinance to bring the city into line with what the state does. Current code requires that the city gets three different proposals for repairs. Roof damage, for example, needs immediate attention, so the city will align with the state and only require two quotes. It will be heard on June 26th. **07-2025** amended uniform construction code to change the fee schedule. They introduced this on April 17th, and updated all permitting and construction code fees. There were no public comments. They adopted it. **08-2025** amended land use article 9, land development review section 900\. This was reviewed on April 17th and was the second reading and public hearing. It’s an update that allows the city to have a more historic approach to historic assets, making us a certified local government, and giving the HPC more input. **A resident from North Union Street** said it is important for the city to become certified, and had suggestions about specific language. She outlined the minor changes that clarify and strengthen the wording. The Mayor proposed that Lisa and Debbie look at the points. He said he wanted to move it forward and make sure the State Historic Preservation office signs off on it. They will look at her points, he said, and see if they can make those additions, which were outlined on an email just she sent in earlier that day. **Jeff from Wilson Street** urged Council to adopt it tonight, “because it’s critical to move it forward. Thank you.” Councilman Stegman added that the historic zone in the city is currently the CBD, and he hopes the HPC will expand that, because a lot of well-focused residents are making changes to their exterior that are currently outside the historic preservation commission guidelines. Stegman said he read the Beacon. He thanked the HPC, Cindy, Lindsey, and all of the staff. He said the reason this is happening is because ordinances and resolutions were looked at after Ida. Stegman said he hopes to “preserve our city in a way that generations to come will be able to come into our city and see the history.” The Mayor said we can talk about the city we are, and want to be. Councilwoman Kominsky thanked Lisa and Debbie, Cindy, the Mayor, and everybody who worked on it. “We’re gonna reinvigorate the historic nature of our city,” Kominsky said, “Our history is our community experience.” “That experience is more important than some other experiences,” Kominsky added. Councilman Lide felt the city should be expanding on this, and said Lisa was talking about this four years ago. They closed the public hearing. The Mayor made a motion to adopt on the second reading, and the motion carried unanimously. **10-2025** was about the CBD for cannabis retailers. It was reviewed by the planning board and found to be consistent with the master plan. There were no public comments. The motion carried and they adopted the motion unanimously. The Mayor talked about JCPL, and is still working on things in town. It was mentioned in Lambertville Matters. They mentioned the sale of Union Chill. Bill, the City Attorney, had email an exchange with the potential purchaser and said the attorney asked about local approvals for the transfer of interest. Union Chill has pending approval before state. Overlap would be satisfied with the state. This transfer is contingent on the state so there is nothing the city needs to do. The sale does not impact the city’s tax agreement. “No impact to planning board?” the Mayor asked. “The only thing changing is who owns it,” Bill said. If Union Chill is just transferring interest, there is nothing the city does and no impact on zoning. Councilwoman Lambert said it is safe to assume they will operate just same as Union Chill’s previous owners. Bill agreed. He said there is no way for them to expand without the city’s involvement. Any change or expansion has to go through city. Lambert asked if this could be an opportunity to help the neighbors. Bill says he’d only had two exchanges with the new owners attorney. Councilman Lide suggested the city ask the new owners of Union Chill to meet with the neighbors. Councilwoman Kominsky said they can meet the neighbors so the ongoing issues can be dealt with since they’re new to the community. She cited double parking and lighting as some things that came to mind. Currently neighbors have to calm the police to address any issues. Councilman Stegman said there were agreements for how that site got approved. “Now that we’ve been through it for a while, we can revisit it,” he said. The Mayor asked what. Councilman Stegman cited the entrances and exits off of Elm Street. He said cars go in on Elm and out on North Union, and he wondered if it would be possible to take Elm Street entrance away. The Mayor said they can look at it, but that the driveway used as an exit is not wide enough. Councilman Lide agreed. Councilwoman Kominsky mentioned the lighting. The Mayor sayid lighting is established by CRC. Councilwoman Kominsky said, “Ask the neighbors.” The Mayor said neighbors can write their concerns to City Council. Councilman Lide said he feels this was an oversight. “We always talked about how we’re gonna modify it. The businesses that are here came here and made deals with neighbors.” He said he wants to change the ordinance to get ahead of this in case the new owners do not comply. Councilwoman Lambert said she thinks it’s important to air this so that the community can participate. Councilman Lide said it was owned by two local people and two people from New Hope, and now it is owned by a huge corporation. Councilman Stegman said the landlord was supposed to provide parking spaces for the residents that backed up to the parking lot. “We should see if the owner did that,” he said. The Council agreed. ### Announcements City offices are closed on May 23rd and My 26th. The Pride Parade is May 17th. ### Public Comments **Jeff from Wilson Street** said “Union Chill, is there a walk or drop off?” Councilman Lide said yes. Jeff said that, based on the time of application law in NJ, Council could make change up until the law was accepted. **Susan from North Union Street** lives across from Union chill. She said she watches carefully and feels customers will park on North Union even more if they were forced in and out of one entrance. “It’s still a problem,” she said. She warned Council about people who pull in off Elm Street, run in, and then back out. A guy almost hit her dog, and they exchanged words. He called her a nasty and offensive name. She expects the new owners will come sit on her front steps like the previous owners did. She said there has been more traffic than she expected, and she suggested they add a mirror by the exit near Hash House. “It’s not a good turn,” she said. The Mayor said he asked Union Chill to put up one-way signs, and they did so immediately. He also said the city put a stop sign at the exit near Hash House. “You have to inch out there,” he said. He felt the stop sign has made a little bit of a difference, but he thinks another sign denoting pedestrian crossing could help. A neighbor said Hash House will no longer be open for dinner on Fridays and Saturday. Councilman Stegman sayid maybe they could make it right turn only, or perhaps eliminate a couple spaces on either side of the driveway to improve visibility. Susan asked if the Spokeworks building was up for sale, or if it had it been sold. The Mayor said he had talked to the owner recently, and so he doesn’t see it being sold anytime soon. There was brief talk about the location of Minno & Wasko Architects, and then the meeting was adjourned. ### New Hope Hospitality Developers Present Lambertville Plan URL: https://www.lambpage.com/new-hope-hospitality-developers-present-lambertville-plan/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T23:49:42.000Z At 7pm on Thursday, May 8, 2025 an informal information meeting was held at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center in Lambertville, NJ. The guests were Ron Gorodesky of [Refined Hospitality](https://refinedhospitality.com/about-refined/leadership-refined-hospitality/?ref=lambpage.com) and John Connors of [Brickstone Realty](http://brickstoneco.com/about/?ref=lambpage.com). They came to present their redevelopment plans for the properties at the west end of Coryell Street. Rumors had been circulating that they wanted to put in a 40-room hotel, wedding venue, and parking garage, which many locals do not want in the center of town. At 7pm, the room was packed with people. Citizens spilled into the lobby where they stood looking through the doors and listening carefully to the presentation as it broadcast over the Pittore Center’s intermittent PA system. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/cover.webp) standing room only I arrived just after Mayor Nowick introduced the speaker. “My name is John Connors and my company is Brickstone Realty,” he began. “We invited you here tonight to introduce ourselves, mainly. Um, and then to address some of the concerns that, um, are rightful concerns that we’ve seen in social media and the local press.” “And this is something we do routine. This is not unusual. Um, I’d like to note that we haven’t made any submissions yet. This is informational for everybody.” He continued, “Um, but we find that, it’s good sometimes to sort of tamp down the speculation. There are a million possible outcomes, okay? We hope we’re in the business of giving you the best possible outcome.” He could have stopped right there, but he didn’t. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Naked in New Hope 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/naked-in-new-hope-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:45:13.000Z The iconic show of nude art that graced the walls of Sidetracks Gallery from 2007 to 2018 is back, and it’s on display at New Hope Arts. This year’s *Naked in New Hope* features more than 120 works by over 90 artists. Though the exhibit is in the [New Hope Arts](http://www.newhopearts.org/?ref=lambpage.com) space for the first time, this 2025 revival stays true to its origins, with Paul Murphy, co-owner of the late Sidetrack Gallery, selecting the art. When Murphy’s gallery closed in 2020, it had showcased the work of hundreds of contemporary artists over the course fifteen years, and it had held its annual nude art exhibit twelve times. The 2025 iteration of *Naked in New Hope* features a wide of range of media and styles. For those who prefer more traditional work, there are many charming nude model images, rendered by painters whose deft hands are a pleasure to behold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/james.jpg) **James Feehan, Taking Liberties (oil)* And for those who, like me, appreciate the surreal, [James Feehan](https://www.artieart.com/jamesfeehan.html?ref=lambpage.com) delivers one of his characteristically whimsical figures, caught up in a delightfully enigmatic narrative. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/jennifer.jpg) **Jennifer Rubin Garey, Flesh as Clothing (resin and paint)* [Jennifer Rubin Garey](https://jenniferrubin.com/home.html?ref=lambpage.com) takes the uncanny in a different direction with her *Flesh as Clothing*, a stunning reflection on the way we too often view our bodies as separate from ourselves. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/carol.jpg) **Carol Hall, Childless Cat Lady (wood, paint, and gilding)* [Carol Hall](https://www.thecarolhall.com/?ref=lambpage.com)’s *Childless Cat Lady* must be seen in person to be fully enjoyed. The subtle gilding as well as the three dimensionality of the piece each provide an additional depth to this artwork, which, at first glance, can seem simple even though it captures complex feelings. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/christian.gif) **Christian Kowalchuk, Depth of a Sketch #1 (wood)* Meanwhile [Christian Kowalchuk](https://ckrox.com/?ref=lambpage.com)’s *Depth of a Sketch #1* steals the show with its unusual construction. It’s reminiscent of Marchel Duchamps' painting *Nude Descending a Staircase*, which was famously ridiculed when it showed in New York in 1913, but which is recognized today as a classic for its groundbreaking depiction of movement. Kowalchuk’s nude is also descending steps, albeit shallow ones that the artist has specially laser cut to hint at the way the figure he’s depicted moves back in space. He explained that this piece began as a sketch made in one of the live model sessions [Figure Drawing at New Hope Arts](http://www.newhopearts.org/default.aspx?pg=1753&ref=lambpage.com), which are facilitated by Christina Galagarza multiple times each month. He digitally manipulated his original sketch on paper, designing these intricately cut wood pieces to hang together as a three-dimensional drawing. The work maintains the raw beauty of a quick sketch, while simultaneously giving the image a new solidity. It may be small, but I love the way Kowalchuk’s work takes up space. Don’t miss this magnificent celebration of the human form on display through June 15th, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from noon to 5 pm at New Hope Arts, across the river from Lambertville at 2 Stockton Ave, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. ### Bridge Street Burgers to Open in Lambertville URL: https://www.lambpage.com/bridge-street-burgers/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:42:36.000Z [Bridge Street Burgers](https://www.bridgestreetburgers.com/?ref=lambpage.com) opens in Lambertville on Tuesday, May 13, 2025\. It will be located at 23 Bridge Street, where Full Moon Cafe used to be. Bridge Street Burgers is owned by Justin Vitella (who owns The Hawk) and Joe Crozier. Crozier has been working in the industry since high school, and he’s happy to bring his knowledge and experience to this new restaurant. You may recognize Crozier from Hash House, which he sold, because he wanted to do something different. When Vitella reached out to him about this space, they thought about it, and came up with the Bridge Street Burgers concept. “A burger spot just made sense for this location,” said Crozier, who felt that Lambertville was in need of something quick and casual. Vitella, who is also a general contractor, had the vision and skill to shape the interior. Meanwhile, Crozier put together the working pieces, which included naming all of the burgers after Lambertville streets. The Bridge Street—their mainstay—features Cooper sharp, pickles, onions, and BSB sauce. The Swan Street has Swiss, mushroom, caramelized onion, and mayo. The Coryell is made with Bleu cheese, onion rings, bacon, and bbq sauce. The Union Street burger, which was the first burger Crozier named, contains Cooper sharp cheese, porkroll, fried egg, salt, pepper, and ketchup. It was conceived to be a breakfast burger inspired by Crozier’s previous venture, which was located on Union Street (and is still there under new ownership). Bridge Street Burgers makes American smash burgers, cheese steaks, wings, and sandwiches. Sides include flavored fries, onion rings, and fried pickles. Desserts are warm chocolate chip cookies, funnel cake fries, doughnuts, and milk shakes. They also offer gluten-free options and black bean burgers. “Everything we’re doing is local—from the food to the artists,” Crozier said. ![Hope Gaburo stands on a ladder and hand paints a wall mural inside Bridge Street Burgers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/hope-painting.webp) Artist Hope Gaburo paints a mural inside Bridge Street Burgers Inside looks like a standard burger joint, yet it feels classy. Everything is brand new. The beautifully hand-crafted tables and flooring smell of fresh cut wood. Artist [Hope Gaburo](https://www.instagram.com/yourfriendhope/?ref=lambpage.com) painted the wall mural, which depicts an iconic view of the Lambertville - New Hope Bridge. Two large menus glow behind the counter, above where Crozier said local people and recognizable faces will work. There are around 25 seats in the restaurant, but Bridge Street Burgers expects a good amount of their business will be made up of take-out orders. “This is a casual and quick service restaurant. You order and it gets made right there. The food is affordable, with a burger, fries, and a beverage costing around $20,” Crozier explained. “It’s an elevated fast food restaurant that will bring good, honest food to town.” ### Union Chill Sold to Toronto Company URL: https://www.lambpage.com/union-chill/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:19:22.000Z Toronto-based [TerrAscend](https://terrascend.com/?ref=lambpage.com) has purchased Union Chill, which is a single dispensary operator located on North Union Street in Lambertville, NJ. Established in 2023, Union Chill generates over $11 million in annualized revenue, and is the fourth New Jersey dispensary to be acquired by TerrAscend. TerrAscend is a TSX-listed cannabis company with interests across the North American cannabis sector, which includes operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan, and California. TerrAscend owns or licenses several businesses and brands including Gage Cannabis, The Apothecarium, Cookies, Lemonnade, Ilera Healthcare, Kind Tree, Legend, State Flower, Wana, and Valhalla Confections. TerrAscend is actively evaluating New Jersey expansion opportunities and plans to expand cultivation and manufacturing capacity at their Boonton, NJ facility. The closing of the sale is subject to regulatory approval. ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: May 1, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-meeting-may-1-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:03:09.000Z The Lambertville City Council met on May 1, 2025 at 7pm. The meeting began with the 2025 budget. There were no public comments. The budget was sent to the state. The state recommended some changes, and approved some budget amendments. For example, code enforcement was under construction, so $9,000 moved from one line item to another. The zoning officer salary got moved from one line item to another. Uniform fire safety moved to the fire department. The changes were just about moving things from one category to another. It did not alter the tax rate. By law, Cindy had to read the entire list of changes, which outlined what amount came from what section, and where it went in the budget. Everyone listened until it was complete. The Mayor asked for a motion to adopt, and the motion carried. They took roll call for approving the amended budget. The Mayor thanked the finance team for working all year on the budget. ### Public Comments **Jeff** from Wilson Street said we are at a crossroads for our future. “We are in the middle of a battle to maintain the character of our town. We are in a battle for clean water and safe water,” he said. “We have to get DEP in here... this is something that is wrong.” “Two hundred and fifty years ago the people in this neighborhood, in this community, fought a hardscrabble grassroots battle against the British and the other invaders,” Jeff explained. “Today those invaders are the land speculators, and the big development corporations, and the hospitality corporations.” Residents applauded at the end of Jeff’s comments. The Mayor reminded folks not to clap. **Paul** from Quarry Street said nobody is paying attention to the speed slow down on Route 29\. “Is there a plan to educate people first? Can we get a radar sign to draw our attention to it? Can we do something proactively to let people know?” he asked. The Mayor said they could put the visual flashing sign back up. The Mayor said he feels the slow down to 25 is significantly slower. He said the police have been mindful and are working to have a presence on South 29\. He said he’ll talk to Lieutenant Brown to see if they can put up the sign. **Susan**, a nearby resident, agreed about the traffic. She said she moved to Lambertville when she was 22, and is turning 67 soon. She moved here because she loved Lambertville. She still loves it, but she’s so concerned about the direction it’s going. She’s not anti-development. She supports smart growth, but she’s vehemently against the development on the hill. She feels it’s not the best place for affordable housing, and doesn’t feel it’s right to segregate people there. She liked that Lambertville used to have all kinds of people, but now it’s becoming unaffordable and she’s not happy with the wedding venue. She’s shocked at how difficult it feels to stop these things. The Mayor said to come to meeting on May 8th. He stressed that it is not a city meeting, although it will be held in the Pittore Center. “It’s not a city meeting,” he said. “It’s just an informal conversation.” The meeting happens at 7pm on Thursday, May 8th at the Pittore Center. **Judy** from North Union wanted to add to what Jeff said. She said people indicated their support by clapping. “Comments at these meetings are out there, but we don’t know what’s next. I know some things, but not how we got here,” she said. She felt that there is not a willingness to say we don’t want the growth on the hill. “Many people are struggling against this, and many good points are being made. It really feels like we’re getting further apart from council. Tell us what we need to do to get on the same page. I understand the issue with affordable housing, but none of us are seeing how strongly this town feels about affordable housing, just not on the hill.” The Mayor said that the city attorney advised them not comment. “All I can tell you is that the council hears you, and we are working on many fronts to make the city a better place,” he said. Councilwoman Kominsky said, “We can talk about some time frames. We are asking DEP about their report so that we know what is happening. We’ve asked the department for a report so we can share it.” She encouraged people to attend the May 8the information meeting about Coryell Street development. The Mayor said he has spoken to the DEP Commissioner this week, and he expects something to come to the city in the coming week. “There are a lot of things relevant to potential litigation we cannot comment on,” he said. **Michelle** from Church Street, who also owns property on York Street, wanted the general public to be aware of what’s happening. She said the playground at the Academy was just for Academy students, but now it has a grand opening on Saturday, May 3, and that the playground will have public access. “None of the folks submitted documentation for construction reviews,” she said. “Unfortunately I did ask for a temporary stop work order so that the city could give it proper consideration for safety and other reasons, and I was told that there was no applicable vehicle for stopping construction. Although we are all aware of smaller projects that have been stopped for lesser issues in the past temporarily... Retroactive applications will be required for zoning for impervious surfaces, but that's going to be allowed retroactively since the park will open without permits or inspections this Saturday.” The Mayor said the work went through the construction code official, who has jurisdiction to make decisions based on local zoning, and construction code ordinance. He said the files are available through OCRA. **John** asked if the city has inquired about the undocumented dump on Coryell and Grand. He also asked, “The developer for the Finkles site, what kind of money do they have to put into the affordable housing fund?” John was also disappointed that 91 people turned in letters to the court that the city hadn’t addressed with the court. They Mayor said they will not comment on the court case, and that the Coryell development is not required to pay into the affordable housing fund, because it’s commercial development. **Denise** from on Cottage Hill was concerned that we are sitting on a ticking time bomb. “Residents have tested positive for PFAS. Living in a home built in 1874 with a shallow well—we need to test. I just wanted to make everyone aware that we too are concerned. How do we get in the loop?” she asked. The Mayor said DEP has identified 20 properties on Cottage Hill that they will be testing. Those who are chosen will be notified. DEP will do the testing. He said anyone with well water test results that they want to share is appreciated. The city gives the information to the county and state. They are starting a conversation about public water. **Lisa** from Quarry Street asked about the fallen tree trunks along the road. “Will those be cleaned up?” she asked. “One fell the other day...” The Mayor said yes, that area has been problematic due to the sheer hill. He said he needs to take a look at it to see if our crew can do it or if they have to hire an arborist. He committed to going there on Monday to check it out. Public comments closed. Resolution 88-2025 was about salary and wages for officials and employees for the city of Lambertville. They adopted it and it carried unanimously. ### Announcements The Affordable Housing Committee is working towards the Fair Share plan due at the end of June. They will introduce it next meeting. The city needs thirty-nine units total, but they only need ten right now. They have the Heritage Apartment Building, the Library property, and an overlay will soon be applied to get the last six. “We are actively working on an MOU for Habitat for Humanity and hope to move forward for six houses on Holcomb Park,” the Mayor said. They should have information and a resolution next meeting. ### Village Apartments The Mayor said he talked to Village Apartments. A contract has been signed with a developer and a builder. The city will receive plans in coming weeks and the Council will review the plans in a closed session. There was a previous developer in contract, but now there is a new one. ### Capital Bond Ordinance Police station improvements: about $12,000 for cameras, monitors, alarms, and paint. The police station was last painted 15 years ago. Exterior lighting and body worn cameras will cost approximately $60,000. The city needs a new pickup truck. A new recycling truck is also needed. It costs around $250,000\. $75,000 have been allotted for Justice Center improvements for the audio and visual systems. The city has to map the stormwater system. “We have to map all the pipes that DPW will undertake, and that has to go to an engineer,” said the Mayor. “The state also requires all that 276 storm drains need to be retrofitted. They cost $500-1,000 each. The numbers will be ready in a week or so.” The HPC wants $10,000 to create large format book containing significant historic sites in Lambertville. $40,000 have been allotted to plant trees in the Central Business District. There is some road work and smaller projects too. The Mayor said he feels we won’t need this kind of bonding in the coming years. Councilman Stegman asked about Village Apartments. “When do you foresee the public getting this information for review? Is there a time frame or do we wait for the two plans and then take action?” The Mayor said it depends on Council, but he figures it should happen fairly quickly. It’s possible that the news could reach the public by June or July. It will not have an impact on fourth round Fair Share Housing. Councilwoman Kominsky shared what happened at the case management conference. The judge is going to set up a schedule for oral arguments. No case was presented. “We are waiting for this case to evolve,” she said. The Mayor asked the Council if they had questions about funding for the book and trees. Councilwoman Kominsky said she wants the HPC to take photos of Coryell Street before it changes. “We are concerned with the historic integrity of the area,” she said. “There’s a great picture of the Strand on the Historical Society and photo the coal yard before it was Finkles. It’s important stuff for us to savor before we go into the next phase.” The Mayor said he has some old photos of the area too. He also said that Council had a chance to look at proposed improvements in CBD. Improvements include the planters by the parking lot. There were two designs. One had a bike rack another had a small flower garden. The Flower garden was cheaper and in budget. Councilwoman Kominsky asked if it’s only for the Martinez lot. She said people ask her about the tree at the bank, because it’s dead. The Mayor said he wants Lester to cut it down and plant a new one. “It was our holiday tree,” someone protested. Cindy said we have an easement, and that Wachovia owns the land and they haven’t been community friendly. “The answer is the tree is getting cut down,” said the Mayor, and he joked that he was willing to go out on a political limb to make that decision. The Mayor will put CBD improvements out to bid. ### Cottage Hill Public Water The city had some discussion about public water back around 2020\. The documents generated at the time were by Suez Water, which broke the area into quadrants and estimated the costs of bringing public water to the community on the hill. Now Veolia is happy to have the conversation. They said the estimates from the Suez proposals would have to be increased by 30-35% per household. The more homes that participate, the lower the cost. The costs at the time didn’t include capping wells. It was just for running water mains. The Mayor said he is happy to discuss it, and he will need help from residents, Council, and professionals. The first step was to find out how many residents want to proceed. Councilman Stegman asked if Veolia will update the figures. The Mayor said yes, the numbers they had were a general idea from a while ago. He said it’s a complicated question and process, and he’d like to have a meeting with residents to see how many people want to be involved. **Tom** from Douglas Street said he thinks it goes well beyond just who is interested, that there are a ton of different questions, but we owe it to residents. He volunteered to get information out. The Mayor was willing to engage and ask these questions for people now, and for people in the future. **Denise** said when she canvassed the neighborhood, about two dozen people wanted to know more information. There are about 90 homes on the hill and they anticipate more people will want to know about it. Cindy said they were ready to do this in 2020, but then Ida hit. They want to set up another meeting with Zoom access so that people with kids can attend. The Mayor asked to try to have the meeting set up by late June. Councilman Stegman mentioned that when they ran gas lines on the hill, it was his understanding that Elizabethtown ran the trunk lines at no cost, but that residents paid from the street to the house. Elizabethtown also offered no-interest loans to help folks do that. “Who regulates that, is it BPU?” Stegman asked. The Mayor said, “Yes, there is a formula.” Cindy said if you want it you have to pay if you’re a single house, but if enough people participate it decreases the amount you pay. The Mayor said there is a formula. Cindy said there are additional costs to consider, because you have to cap your well. She said there’s a lot that goes into water that doesn’t go into gas. Someone who lives on the hill asked if the city is looking into if the spill fund is available to greater municipalities, or if the city is looking for alternative funding to help residents. The Mayor said they have talked about the spill fund, but it is too premature to talk about it publicly. The Mayor said he doesn’t want anyone to miss out because they can’t make a meeting, so they will put a mechanism in place to make the meeting accessible. ### Announcements There will be a mobile unit out on May 19 at 9am so people can get a real ID. Sparkle week is happening. The Pride Parade is Saturday, May 17 at 10:30am. The Memorial Day parade is on Memorial Day starts North Union and Cherry beginning at 9am. ### Public Comments **Jeff** confirmed that commercial developments do not have to pay into the affordable housing fund. He didn’t know that. He also mentioned that [Matt Arco](https://newjerseyglobe.com/in-memoriam/matt-arco-dogged-statehouse-reporter-and-christie-chronicler-dies-at-39/?ref=lambpage.com), who lived on Franklin Street, passed away. He was 39, a professional journalist, and active with the ambulance squad. The Mayor said Matt was the second, recent and untimely loss. **Judy** said, “I’d like to have a standing request. If any information is received, can it just go up online? Just have it be a standard rather than having to ask. Please just post anything when you get it. Thank you.” The Mayor said they can look at setting up a billboard on the city website. Lindsey said they are working on it. “Make it prominent so people don’t have to drill for it,” Councilwoman Lambert added. Public comments closed. The meeting adjourned. ### Commercial Real Estate: April 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/commercial-real-estate-april-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:49:18.000Z When properties change hands, the town’s face also changes. Long-time landmarks such as Sneddons, Finkles, and Full Moon recently became memories. Soon, parts of Lambertville may have a whole new look and feel. Here are some commercial properties that are currently for sale. --- ### 6-8 North Union Street The Broadmoor (business) is for sale. It has a clothing shop on one side, and an art gallery on the other. Upstairs are work studios for artists. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/broadmoor.webp) Will someone buy the restaurant and keep it exactly as it is? Only time will tell. **Price:** [$325,000](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/6-8-N-Union-St-Lambertville-NJ/35492953/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 24 North Main Street This brick house was home to a graphic design firm, and then a financial planner. ![a brick house on Main street](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bricker-1.webp) It’s located on Main Street, which gives it high visibility. The back yard is gorgeous, and could park a car. It might be a deal if you turn it into a residence. **Price:** [$550,000](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/24-N-Main-St-Lambertville-NJ/34522164/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 15 North Union Street This shop, which used to be a record store, has been empty for some time. On one side is a vacant art gallery. On the other side is an active barber shop. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/records.webp) Visible with lots of foot traffic, this could potentially be an owner-occupied space, but it would require lots of work since it has no proper living space. **Price:** [$649,000](https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/nj/lambertville/15-n-union-st/pid%5F64748761/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 51 North Union Street Set back from the street behind a wrought iron fence, this unassuming multi-unit property is located in the heart of the central business district. It has an active coffee shop on one side, and a professional office space on the other. ![a slightly dilapidated old house with two doors on the front](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/house.webp) Will the buyer tear it down and replace it with mixed use, or keep it as is? **Price:** [$669,000](https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Lambertville/51-N-Union-St-08530/home/36558834?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 12 North Main Street This old firehouse has been on the market for a year. It currently operates as an AirBnB, and [Gotta Have It Vinyl](https://www.gottahaveitvinyl.com/?ref=lambpage.com) is located in the retail space on the first floor. ![an old firehouse building with a record store on the first floor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/firehouse-1.webp) It’s a funky place if you don’t mind stairs. It might even have a parking spot. However, it’s on a noisy street, lacks foot traffic, and is next to a gas station. It was originally listed at $995,000 but the price has been lowered twice. **Price:** [$850,000](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/12-N-Main-St-Lambertville-NJ/31448758/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 99 South Main Street This building houses one of two well-used laundromats in town. The other laundromat got renovated after a fire, making this the older one. There is a small apartment on the west side of the building. The retail space was a bike shop, then a furniture store. It is now vacant and for lease at [$3,400](https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/nj/lambertville/99-s-main-st/pid%5F64897904/?ref=lambpage.com). ![a long low building with a laudromat in the center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/laund.webp) This street-to-street end unit has good visibility from Route 29\. There is a small parking lot, which could suite a business where customers come and go quickly. It’s been on the market for about a year. It’s possible that investors and/or developers could convert this whole property into something else entirely. **Price:** [$1,350,000](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/99-S-Main-St-Lambertville-NJ/35254134/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 47 Bridge Street This building was sold in 2023 for $1,700,000\. Then it got renovated. ![a classic old three-story building with tall windows and fancy adornments](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/liv.webp) [Liv and Charlie’s](https://livandcharlies.com/?ref=lambpage.com) is on the first floor, and apartments fill the upper floors. **Price:** [$2,125,000](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/47-Bridge-St-Lambertville-NJ/35633439/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 71 North Main Street This was once Holcombe Hall, a theater building that hosted traveling minstrels and operas. The first floor housed W. F. Finger & Co., who sold a variety of goods. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/opera-2.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/wf-finger.jpg) Now the first floor houses a branding business. Several years ago the upper floors were converted into chic, loft-like apartments. It has a small parking lot, high visibility, and a price tag that means the units cost over $450,000 each. **Price:** [$3,300,000](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/71-N-Main-St-Lambertville-NJ/33055405/?ref=lambpage.com) --- ### 33-37 Bridge Street Wells Fargo recently closed their Lambertville branch, taking their conveniently-located ATM with them. Thanks a lot, Wells Fargo! ![a prominent bank building with tall columns and a drive through](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/wells.webp) The property is deeded such that no other financial institution can use this space despite the fact that it’s a bank building with a drive-through and a vault. Note that the entire block is for sale. If investors buy this, they get the parking lot too, which means downtown could look very different in the near future. **Price:** [inquire](https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/33-37-Bridge-St-Lambertville-NJ/34625528/?ref=lambpage.com) ### ShadFest 2025 Recap URL: https://www.lambpage.com/shadfest-2025-recap/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:37:23.000Z Did you attend ShadFest? If not, here’s what you missed. ### ShadFest: Friday, April 25, 2025 Friday night was local’s night. North Union Street was closed off, which left plenty of room for pedestrians, dogs, and families. Kids rode bikes in circles, and adults found a comfortable spot to relax and listen to live music. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/posters-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/band-616x616-crop-2.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/banana-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/shackers-616x616-crop.webp) clockwise:- poster auction preview- Brian Dale Allen Strouse performing- The Shackers performing- poster by an anonymous artist The municipal parking lot was temporarily transformed into a rock venue, with performances by musical acts (organized by Lambertville’s [Soupçon Salon](https://soupconsalon.club/?ref=lambpage.com)). Across the street was the [ShadFest Poster Auction](https://www.shadfestposters.org/2025-posters.html?ref=lambpage.com) preview party. Hors d'oeuvre were served, and food from [McCaffrey’s Food Market](https://mccaffreys.com/?ref=lambpage.com) was layed out on long tables in the middle of the room, flanked by round tables lined with art. Previewers walked up and down the aisles, carefully studying the various artistic submissions. The ShadFest Poster Auction receives everything from elementary school drawings to professional art works in two and three dimensions. Later that evening, residents danced and swayed in the dry evening weather as [The Shackers](https://www.facebook.com/events/mary-e-sheridan-park/the-original-locals-night-dance-party-with-the-shackers-friends/1075579254613571/) played classic rock music covers in Mary E. Sheridan park. It was the perfect ending to Local’s Night, and a great start to a fun weekend. ### ShadFest: Saturday, April 26, 2025 Rain scared everyone earlier in the day. Thankfully it didn’t last, nor did it keep people away. Sun broke through the overcast sky several times, creating an almost balmy backdrop to the day’s many festivities. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/danceband-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/vintage-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/arachnoshowbia-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/meat-616x616-crop.webp) clockwise: people dancing to Clover & Sundream, Bear Bone Vintage on Local’s Lane, grilling up a storm at Soulva King Gyro, Arachno-Showbia and friend Musical act [Clover & Sundream](https://cloveronthemic.com/?fbclid=IwAR2S4lNJfVu3jJTX595cuIYpAluYRMC03vvQo1CaiDOhiRTdc3gD-TFsiS8&ref=lambpage.com) had people dancing in the street as they performed their funky, soul-infused folk music outside of [Union Coffee](https://www.unioncoffeenj.com/?ref=lambpage.com). On Local’s Lane you could find crafts, ceramics, and racks of vintage clothes by [Bear Bone Vintage](https://bearbonevintage.com/?ref=lambpage.com) as well as art clothing by local artist [Eleanor Voorhees](https://eleanorvoorhees.com/?ref=lambpage.com). One of the most notable vendors was [Arachno-Showbia](https://www.instagram.com/arachno%5Fshowbia/?ref=lambpage.com), whose display table was covered with spiders, scorpions, and creepy-crawlies of all kinds (each in its own container). You could touch or hold the various creatures, but most people opted to just watch from a safe distance—or run away screaming. Back at the gymnasium, the [ShadFest Poster](https://www.shadfestposters.org/?ref=lambpage.com) Silent Auction was well under way. Prices were penciled onto bid sheets in front of each poster, and some works of art quickly reached multiple hundreds of dollars. Awards were also handed out, given to various artists from various businesses. By 5 o’clock the sun was shining, the sky was clear, and the air was cool. Vendors packed up for the day, traffic returned to North Union Street, and visitors continued to explore Lambertville or walk cross the bridge into New Hope. ## ShadFest: Sunday, April 27, 2025 The day started off sunny, and chilly. Temperatures were at 55 degrees, but the wind made it feel as cold as 40 degrees outside. Thankfully, the weather warmed up, and it became a perfectly sunny, spring festival kind of day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/steve-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/georgenils-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/jack-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/invertase-616x616-crop.webp) clockwise: Steve on Lewis Island, George and Nils on Bridge Street, Rye and Karin getting your attention, Jack directing traffic at Bridge and Union Many people gathered on Lewis Island to see Steve Meserve and his crew fish for Shad. Their boat dragged a net across the river and then looped back. Upon returning to shore, they had caught approximately eight to ten fish. The New York Times recently wrote ‘[One Family’s Relentless Pursuit of the Bony, Oily, Elusive Shad](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/26/nyregion/shad-fishing-new-jersey.html?ref=lambpage.com),’ which covers this Lambertville family’s fishing heritage. Over on Bridge Street, George and Nils represented the Eastern Services Workers Association (based in Trenton). They were there to find volunteers willing to help make a positive difference for New Jersey workers. If you’re a professional interested in donating your time, call them at (609) 695-9562. Meanwhile, Jack (who you may know from handing out parking violations) confidently directed traffic at the intersection of Bridge and Union Streets. If you saw Rye and Karin dressed as beer, it’s because they were promoting [Invertase](https://invertasebrewing.com/?ref=lambpage.com), which is the [new tasting room](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/03/zoning-board-meeting-march?ref=lambpage.com) that’s coming soon to Lambertville. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/crossfit-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/freddance-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/horse-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/bidders-616x616-crop.webp) clockwise: a man tries the dead hang challenge, dancers spin on Union Street, bidders react at the live poster auction, Peanut horsing around Lambertville’s [Crossfit Jolt](https://crossfitjolt.com/?ref=lambpage.com) was on North Union Street where they were inviting folks to try the dead hang challenge. The longest hang to beat was set by a person named Andy, who hung on for a total of 2 minutes and 25 seconds. [Fred Astaire Dance Studio](https://www.fredastaire.com/lambertville/?ref=lambpage.com) had a temporary wooden dance floor on the street in front of their Union Street location. They were playing good music and literally getting people up on the floor all weekend long. Depending when you walked by, you might have seen festival goers doing choreographed line dances, kids wiggling to funky songs, or couples expertly twisting, turning, and twirling. Go a little further down the way and you’d have had a hard time not noticing Peanut, a large brown horse who was at ShadFest with [Frenchtown Riding Club](https://www.frenchtownridingclub.com/?ref=lambpage.com). Back in the gym, the silent auction came to a close. A team of volunteers moved all of the posters off the floor and replaced the tables with chairs. At 3pm the live auction began. Works sold with prices ranging from $150 to $1,500. Vendors started packing up at 5 o’clock, and people began to search for dinner. If you didn’t attend Lambertville ShadFest 2025, you missed art, auctions, clothing, crafts, spiders, a horse, fish, dancing, music, food, friends, and fun! ### The 10 Most Instagrammable Spots in Lambertville URL: https://www.lambpage.com/instagrammable-spots-in-lambertville/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:44:03.000Z Show off your visit to #Lambertville by taking a selfie in these photogenic locations—all within walking distance of downtown. It’s no secret that Lambertville a picturesque place. From flowers to waterways and ducks to doorways, this town has more beauty than your lens can capture. Below are ten iconic selfie spots that scream, “I’M IN LAMBERTVILLE!” --- ### The State Line on the Bridge Half way across the Lambertville-New Hope Bridge is a silver railing and border sign that clearly designates the divide between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. ![the NJ/PA state line as designated via a small sign on the walkway of the bridge](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/state.webp) **Why here:** crossing the line is a fun for the whole family, and it’s always well lit. **Location:** at the center of the bridge walkway. ([here’s a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/LHxTuiUizwqpaqFy7?ref=lambpage.com)) **Best time to go:** sunset or sunrise, but anytime is good. --- ### Lambertville-New Hope Bridge On the Lambertville side, walk down into the parking lot by the historical marker and you’ll get the iconic bridge angle view seen in many Lambertville images. ![the bridge at dusk with colored lights lining the edges](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/bridge-1.webp) **Why here:** the view of the bridge, the reflection in the water, the open sky. **Location:** the west end of Bridge Street ([here is a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/nnRzycD6R3Qdzpv3A?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** anytime, but you might catch the colored lights at night. --- ### The Wing Dam Skip this one if you’re not into scaling jagged rocks or climbing over giant tree trunks. Otherwise, it’s worth navigating down to this technically difficult spot. ![a small concrete dam is underfoot with river water on either side and trees and buildings in the distance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/wingdam.webp) **Why here:** it puts you literally in the middle of the river with unobstructed views all around. Also, it’s nice to dip in the water on a hot summer day. **Location:** head south on the canal path, it’s on the right ([here is a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/U45xzwVznQvmX52n9?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** dawn, daytime, dusk. --- ### Ferry Street Canal Bridge This lovely bridge and waterfall are easily accessible from the center of town. Go to the south side of the bridge and you’ll find beautiful flowers as well as colorful ducks and geese (who don’t mind having their photos taken). ![a brown wooden arched bridge crossing a small waterfall](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/duckwalkbridge.webp) **Why here:** a short, family-friendly walk from the center of town. **Location** go behind the ACME Screening Room, or walk south on the canal path from Bridge Street ([here’s a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fratepXgR8BFNRZAA?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** daytime. You won’t be able to see anything at night. --- ### Alexauken Creek Aqueduct A train once crossed this waterway. Now there’s a wooden walking bridge. If you look closely, you might find the secret rainbows under the railing. This location is a bit of a hike from downtown, but if you come this far you can easily loop in the Graffiti Train and the Flemington Railroad Bridge. ![a large waterfall pours under a wooden foot bridge with trees in the distance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/waterfallbridge-1.webp) **Why here:** if you can find the right angle, you’ll get a great photo. Sometimes geese nest on the stone wall there, which adds to the fun. **Location:** just north of the Flemington Railroad Bridge ([here’s a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/7KQ9mfNQFpHQ6j2u5?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** during the day. --- ### The Flemington Railroad Bridge Walk across the top of the old train bridge and you’ll find graffiti messages, a wooden foot path, and a highly Instagrammable place to take photographs. ![standing atop of an old train bridge with the canal on the left](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/trainbridge.webp) **Why here:** you can face north and get a view up the canal or turn south for an equally interesting shot. The bridge itself is an artistic subject for a picture. **Location:** go behind Basil Bandwagon and you’ll see it ([here’s a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qdh3gBHFmaBstoCe7?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** when it’s light out so you can see where you’re stepping. --- ### The Lock Bridge Under the old Flemington Railroad Bridge is what is known locally as the Lock Bridge, because there are many locks attached to the railing of the walkway. ![an old railroad tressle with spray paint on it](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/lockbridge.webp) **Why here:** get close up and examine the many unique locks, or just go for a colorful and interesting backdrop for your favorite pose. **Location:** behind Basil Bandwagon, through the gate and you’re there ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/xkxBDE9fdRVzK3a6A?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** daytime so you can see all the details and colors. --- ### Lambertville Graffiti Train This old train car has been sitting for years, and it is layered with colorful spray paints, markers, and sometimes stickers. Climb inside to get photos that are everything from spooky to spectacular, but be careful. The train is rusty. ![an old train car covered with graffiti markings](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/train.webp) **Why here:** use the train car as a canvas, or just show part of it as a colorful backdrop. Think band photo, fashion shoot, or edgy engagement pic. **Location:** go north on Lambert Lane, keep going on the trail ([see it on a map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/CXnUQiS99JmDbErE7?ref=lambpage.com)). **Best time to go:** daylight hours, because the train trolls come out at night. --- ### Truck Storefront Enter Lambertville onto Bridge Street from Route 29, and it’s hard not to notice the old, green truck sitting on the front porch at the Zinc Home storefront. The vehicle, which appears to be a 1950s Jeep Jeepster VJ (just the cab, look for the rest inside), has been attracting second glances for nearly ten years. ![an old Jeep with glowing headlights sits on the porch of a small decortive shop](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/truck.webp) **Why here:** use wide shots or close ups to incorporate the Jeep in creative ways. Any true lover of Lambertville will know exactly where you are. **Location:** [74 Bridge St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qGMqYUX3S38AGNC48?ref=lambpage.com) **Best time to go:** at night when the headlights are on. --- ### String Light Alley This open, well-lit alley is a great backdrop for selfie, influencer, or engagement photographers looking to capture that rustic, industrial Lambertville vibe. ![a cat taking a selfie in an alley](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/alley.webp) **Why here:** The string lights, brick wall, black windows, and painted ‘King Midas Bread’ graphic makes this spot perfect for a hip and memorable photograph. **Location:** Next to [Lambert & Hope](https://lambertandhope.com/?ref=lambpage.com), [6 Coryell St, Lambertville, NJ 08530](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fb8r6vkF7iUpTMTv7?ref=lambpage.com) **Best time to go:** in the evening when the string lights are on. --- That’s it for this list, but there are many beautiful places in town to take a photo! Duck into any antique store, clothing boutique, or food place and you’ll no-doubt find a cozy, picturesque spot to create and capture future memories. ### Hundreds Attend ‘Hands Off’ Protest URL: https://www.lambpage.com/hundreds-attend-hands-off-protest/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:41:30.000Z On Saturday, April 19, 2025, approximately 450 people gathered in downtown Lambertville to protest. Participants ranged in age from kids to seniors, and included individuals as well as groups of friends and families. The protesters met up on the corner of Union and Bridge Streets, and then marched across the bridge to the New Hope High School field where they waved banners and received supportive honks from drivers in passing cars. With tempuratures in the 70s, many seniors didn’t take the walk all the way across the bridge into New Hope. Instead, they sat somewhere along the way and held up signs, one of which read, “Don’t take away my social security.” The protest was organized by Indivisible Lambertville to end the takeover of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, to protect our schools, our libraries, and all Americans, to expose the chaos, corruption, and cruelty of the Republican administration, as well as to uphold the Constitution, and end executive overreach. “We have a lot of people here in town that are angry and devistated, and they don’t know what to do,” said Cindi from Indivisible Lambertville. “People didn’t know April 5th was happening until after it happened, so we wanted to give people a chance to connect with the organization and understand that their voice matters. We lift every voice so that we can get some energy around this resistence, because now, more than ever, this mass mobilization is it. We’ve got to mass mobilize. This is building the muscle of our people here in Lambertville to be able to show up in this way.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nokings-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/handsoff-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/flag-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/sign-616x616-crop-1.webp) signs of protest People came from all over to participate. Nicholas, who traveled from Queens, said, “I am protesting to get the country back. No king for America.” Gary traveled from New Brunswick. He said there were many reasons why he attended, but the main one was, “This administration is sweeping people off the street and sending them to Latin America.” Shelley, a local resident, said she was protesting to “stop them from stealing our country,” and Gwenn, also a local, said, “I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling this way, but I wanted to be reminded that I wasn’t alone.” As the protesters lined the pedestrian walkway on the Lambertville-New Hope bridge, a person crossing in his car shouted, “Trump train!” Another exclaimed, “F\*cking losers. Go Trump!” The driver of a small pickup truck blurted out, “That orange turd has got to go!” As the group marched up West Bridge Street in New Hope, a person dressed in cycling gear pedaled past on his bike and yelled, “I’m walking with you!” One protester’s sign read, “So many issues, so little cardboard.” A man named Jack said he attended the Hands Off protest on April 5th in Princeton. He found it motivating, because his job had been directly affected by the Trump administration’s science cuts. “I’m an educator,” explained a woman named Susan, “I can’t stand to watch what is happening in our schools. Our kids are watching us.” “The people who are violating the law need to be investigated,” said a man named Jay. Nam was there with his family. “We came because we don’t want to see the United States become a dictatorship like Russia,” he said. “We’re here to preserve democracy,” his partner added. Laura attended the protest because, “Our democracy is beyond under threat. It’s being destroyed right as we’re watching it, and there is nothing else we can do. Every single person needs to get out in the street and let our corrupt rulers know that we will not tolerate this. There’s nothing else to do at this point.” Jenny was nearly moved to tears, “I feel like everything that I love about this country has completely been destroyed. Everyting that made me trust in this country is being destroyed. Everything that helps people that I work with love and trust this country is being destroyed, and I can’t stand by and watch it. I have to fight for it.” Vicki said, “I’m here because I lived through the sixties and I’m back again. I’m dead serious, I want everything we won.” Ava was more direct, “I want that \*sshole gone, basically. That's it.” ### Changes are Coming to Coryell Street URL: https://www.lambpage.com/changes-are-coming-to-coryell-street/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:45:23.000Z Coryell’s quiet corner by the canal is about to become very different. Attend the May 8th meeting to see what’s to come. For well over 50 years, customers have strolled down Coryell Street to shop at Finkles Hardware store. Before it was a store, it was just Joe Finkle, a Russian immigrant leading a horse-drawn junk buggy around Lambertville. He eventually opened a scrap yard, which became a store, and ultimately a hardware store. Finkles was a bit like a NYC bodega, but for hardware. People would drop in to have a key cut, get a few screws, find a tool, get some paint. In a town filled with old houses, having a local and walkable hardware store was a godsend. Inside was a labyrinth of hooks, nails, screws, pipes, tools, ropes, cables, chains, paints, stains, locks, knobs, ducts, signs, flags, tiles, and a wide variety of esoteric doohickies, some of which you couldn’t find anywhere else. “Finkles will have it,” was a common refrain among folks who shopped there. You could walk in, show them a thingamajig, and ask if they had a replacement. They’d disappear with it, and miraculously return with a new one. If you were lucky, the staff would let you follow them as they wandered the catacombs, or across the street into one of several warehouses, so you could look for yourself in the area where they last saw those particular thingamajigs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/letters-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/brushes-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/aisle-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nails-616x616-crop.webp) inside Finkles Hardware Store Finkles wasn’t just a business; it was a part of the neighborhood. Clients were regulars, and neighbors. The store acted as a hub for the community. If you saw a neighbor there, you knew they were up to something, and maybe you’d help. The staff knew how your project was going, because they’d genuinely ask after you, and the owners could potentially answer questions about your old house, because they probably helped the previous resident with repairs. After working in the store since 1990, Rachel Finkle accepted an offer when she was approached—out of the blue—about selling her properties. She kept the business going for a few years as a lessee, renting her retail space from the new owners. When the new owners raised to rent too high, Finkles held a going-out-of-business sale and auction in 2024, and then closed forever in early 2025. ### The Strained Theater Across the street from the hardware store, and next to the building that housed Finkles lighting store, was The Strand Theater. Remnants of the old movie house, which opened in 1915, could still be seen on the building’s facade long after the venue closed due to a fire that gutted it out of business in 1969. Finkles used the theater’s 5,000-square-foot shell as a warehouse until 2021 when the structure was sold to local artist and resident, [Kelly Sullivan](https://kellysullivanfineart.com/?ref=lambpage.com). ![two low brick buildings side-by-side](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/light-strand.webp) Finkles lighting shop, Strand Theater Sullivan planned to [turn the historic movie house into an arts venue](https://delawarerivertownslocal.com/a-long-dormant-lambertville-theater-is-coming-back-to-life/?ref=lambpage.com). Her vision included a street-facing art gallery, a conference area for hosting corporate and client meetings, a performance space with dressing rooms, and a live/work apartment in the back that would house her own personal painting studio. The project was supported by local government and residents alike. Finkles moved their stuff out of the space, and [restoration began](https://www.flickr.com/photos/sph001/albums/72177720295864249/?ref=lambpage.com). People were excited. But there was a hiccup. The theater needed fire exits, which historically spilled into the ally between it and the property next door. Sullivan said the neighbor changed the ally’s gate code, and then [filed a lawsuit for adverse possession](https://www.change.org/p/sign-to-help-lambertville-s-strand-theatre-win-its-application-for-a-historic-tax-credit/u/31640453?ref=lambpage.com). Money Sullivan planned to use for renovations started sinking into legal fees. When the cost estimate hit $400,000, Sullivan gave up and sold The Strand. “I believe the new owner has an interest in maintaining the assembly zoning,” Sullivan wrote in a 2023 [Facebook post](https://www.facebook.com/kelly.sullivan.900/posts/pfbid022p15BH2qgz5a1WVgRgWEsMXuG3dV2saF4Rmqs8b8tZkwbwL8hvQwyAp4QeKMNzNCl), “and I hope that some of the artful things we had planned might still find their way into production at the Strand in some way down the line. At the very least, he has the resources to save the integrity of the building, and I believe he will.” ### Cha Cha Cha Changes Finkles sold the hardware store, the lighting shop across the street, the Strand Theater next door, the warehouse across the canal, and a vacant lot on Lambert Lane (where a local resident plans to build at least [two four-story townhomes](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/planning-meeting-april-2-2025?ref=lambpage.com)). ![an old cinder block building with a large garage that has a sign painted on it that reads “Finkles, plumbing, electric, hardware”](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/warehouse.webp) Finkles warehouse / future parking garage News travels fast in a small town, and Lambertville is tiny. After Finkle’s closed, residents voiced concern that this side of the river will become like New Hope. No official proposals have been submitted to the city just yet, but it has been confirmed that neighbors were contacted about the plans: Finkles hardware might become a boutique hotel, the warehouse may be turned into a multi-level parking garage, and The Strand building could become a wedding venue. > “I believe the new owner has an interest in maintaining the assembly zoning...”Kelly Sullivan, former owner of The Strand If you want to get an idea about the kind of development that is coming to the entire west end of Coryell Street, attend the upcoming information meeting. Ron Gorodesky, Founder and CEO of [Refined Hospitality](https://refinedhospitality.com/?ref=lambpage.com), will present the site’s concepts and drawings in an informal manor (meaning the plans are still ideas). Refined Hospitality owns, operates, and/or manages several luxury hotels, restaurants, and spas, including Roof, and River House at Odette’s in New Hope. Refined Hospitality, together with Trax Partners and Brickstone Realty, acquired the Boat House and the former Hamilton Grill building, where Refined Hospitality recently opened Revolution Woodfire Dining. The information meeting is scheduled for 7pm on Thursday, May 8th at ACME. ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: April 17, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-meeting-april-17-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:06:50.000Z The Mayor introduced the city budget, and invited public comments. Several representatives from the **Senior Citizens of Delaware Valley** pointed out that they are not a line item on the budget. They said that they’re the only senior club in Hunterdon County that doesn’t receive any money. “If our money runs out, our group is gone,” they said. They asked if the council could do anything to help this group of seniors. The Mayor said it had been discussed previously, and that the senior group was not made up of Lambertville residents. The woman said Phyllis, who is a member of their senior group, goes to county meetings every month, and “they all give money to the seniors.” Councilwoman Kominsky said, “I think we should support this group.” The Mayor said okay, and personally committed $500 to the group if the funds go to Lambertville residents. Councilwoman Kominsky said she would work with group in the future. **Judy** from N Union Street asked about budget increases. “What are we spending money on this year that we didn’t spend it on before?” she asked. The Mayor said state healthcare benefits, litigation fees of $91,000, and $50,000 for a business administrator. Michael Drulis, from the city finance team, said salary and cost of living increases go up, plus $30,000 for accumulated absences and future retirements. The Mayor said we are building the fund to be able to pay out for police contracts in the future. Drulis also said they are putting almost $30k into the capital improvement fund, and they are building the balance and total savings, so the city’s credit improves. He said cannabis sales and parking fees add to the city’s revenue. **Trina and Amy**, from George Street, wanted to know if the Council could budget for water testing on George Street. The Mayor said that George Street is served by Veolia water, so it’s a public utility and the water gets tested by Veolia. Commissioner Kominsky said that Veolia posts the results of their water tests on their website. **John** from Hancock Street asked if the city has looked at diminishing the tax burden on people by making parking and speeding tickets more expensive. The Mayor said they take an approach to do that, and they do look at construction fees, which are raising, and automatic increases in parking fees. Tonight they will look at an ordinance to let a cannabis dispensary stay open later, and they city will gain tax revenue from the those sales. He pointed out that there are vigorous standards about how the city spends its money, and that they get audited. “Every single penny spent on the city gets approved by the council,” Mayor Nowick said, “Nothing happens without a council vote.” Drulis said all the money is there, and that this budget brings in almost $150k more than the previous years. Council then closed the public comment period specific to the budget. #### General Public Comments General public comments were open, giving citizens 3 minutes each to talk about anything. **Jeff** from Wilson Street asked about the budget’s line item for the hiring of experts on PFAS. He felt the hiring of an attorney and engineer was done to protect the town more than the citizens. “If we’re going to be hiring experts to deal with PFAS, they should also help people on the hill,” he said, “There is an uncapped landfill up there, 100 feet past the landfill they found a buried car, and the PFAS are at 140 parts per trillion. Engineers shouldn’t be about defending the city, but instead working with the citizens,” he said. “There’s a crisis up there. Children with cancer. I don’t know how you can build housing on top of a toxic chemical that can kill people. We do not put our people on top of toxic mountains.” **John** from Hancock Street said that the judge was not aware of environmental concerns up on the hill. “The PFAS are not just in the water, it’s in the ground.” he said. He said it was the city dump. “Why hasn’t anyone contacted the county?” he asked. “I don’t have a warm fuzzy feeling about my city leaders,” he said. He pointed out that after the flood of 1955, flood trash went into the dump. In the 70s, trash went up there. He wanted to know why the city isn’t investigating. “If you want to all pitch in and buy houses on the hill, I’ll take $500(k) for mine.” he said. “It’s on you guys. Can you please do something. Identify where that dump was and whomever owned it.” **Marcia** from Douglas Street said contaminates are being found all over the hill, and that there are more kind of PFAS than just the ones they’re testing for. “Thank you for anything you can do to clean that up,” she said. **Sarah** from Ferry Street was concerned about the closure of Cavallo Park. She said it was a central place for children, and its closure impacts families. She felt that the closing of the park at the same time that the library is out of commission has a huge impact on children. “I urge City Council to find solutions equitably,” she said. She suggested a grant that could support the renovation of Cavallo Park, and suggested a temporary playground in a nearby parking lot as a substitute. The Mayor said it took three years to fund and plan to remove lead from the library, and in a few months it will be great. He pointed out that there is a pop-up library operating while work happens on the current library. In terms of the park, he said it’s a problem they’ve been trying to sort through for years. BSTI was there collecting soil samples and he will keep people updated. “The timing is what it is. I’m doing my best to move things forward.” he said. He believes the city has someone working on a grant for a community garden in Holcombe Park, and they are working to make it ADA accessible. He said he’ll reach out to Lambertville Station about the possibility of creating a temporary play space. He also mentioned that the playground at Saint Andrew’s is expanding, and will be open to the public on York Street for families. He also mentioned a group called Lambertville Explorers, which has started to get kids active around town. He committed to meet with Sarah and talk with her. Cynthia Ege said Parks and Recreation is looking at Ely Field as a temporary alternative to Cavallo Park. The Mayor said they need to get permissions, and nothing ever happens as fast as they’d like. Councilwoman Lambert suggested that perhaps the city can offer something behind Fisherman’s Mark. **Dave** from Brunswick Avenue asked if LPS has been contacted to see if the kindergarten playground could be made available to residents in off hours. It was just a suggestion. He also wanted to know if it was possible to detail the purpose and expected outcomes of the various increases. Councilwoman Kominsky said she hears people about having a robust defense for housing. If they need an additional consultant to prepare, then that should be part of their ongoing activity. She said the contamination has mushroomed into one home after another, and she thinks it’s incumbent on Council to present a more clarified picture. “Everybody deserves the answers and information,” she said. Councilwoman Lambert said they have to make sure the Fair Share attorney makes contamination a critical issue in the case, and presents that issue forcefully. She went from somewhat supportive \[of development\] to not supportive, because of the contamination issue. The Mayor said Councilwoman Kominsky will serve as liaison to work with the Mayor and DEP to improve timelines and clarifications. He also said that DEP will be testing 20 more wells on Connaught and Cottage Hill. #### Proclamations They adopted a proclamation for Arbor Day. They did a Youth Week proclamation, which shows students how the police department works. The Mayor thanked Jenna. There was a consent agenda for the resolution appointments for technical assessment for PFAS reports initial phase of understanding. The Mayor said the city has more than 31 Tort claims filed against it, and so this law firm will be representing the city for when things come for the city. The motion Carried. They had made vending fees more accessible due to the arcade. Councilwoman Lambert said it helps the city a little to raise fees a little bit. Councilman Stegman said they could build in an increase over several years. The Mayor suggested that they could increase parking meter fees since Lambertville currently charges less than in New Hope. 08-2025 HPC ordinance allows possible the expansion of the Central Business District, but the Mayor pointed out that doing so would be very complicated, and so it may not happen easily. Councilwoman Kominsky said since the CBD is a historic preservation area, it might be good get photos of how it’s grown and changed because along Coryell Street there may be a lot of activity soon. “When you look at a building now, it’s not what it looked like in 1910,” she said, “It would help us appreciate the historic value of these buildings.” The Mayor mentioned that Hunterdon County is doing inventory of the buildings, and that they are conducting training that is open to public. The Mayor added that is happy with the conversation about preservation, but he also wants to be mindful that things evolve in a historic town. They were are in favor of the new ordinance. 10-2025\. Any cannabis retailer in CBD with a good record of 12 months or longer can stay open later. This means that Baked by the River could expand their hours. Councilwoman Lambert asked if there is anything in the modification that gives the City the ability to refine it. Cindy Ege said it goes through review first, and the license has to be renewed every year. The Mayor said that in small town, the city has a great relationship with the business and could just reach out. “The ordinance lays it out, and can take it out,” Councilman Stegman said. He said they knew they would amend this ordinance over time, and it is worded in such a way that if it acts negatively on the community then it will be addressed so it doesn’t leave a negative taste with the surrounding area. Councilwoman Kominsky recused herself from voting. The Council voted it in. 04-2025 They amended the Lambertville city code to install two handicapped parking spaces, one on Main and one on York. This was the second reading. They opened up for public comments, but nobody had any. They passed and adopted the ordinance. O5-2025 was an ordinance for city wage that removed wages for jobs that no longer exists. The Mayor said they were moving to review city employees every year. They opened for public comments, but there were none. They passed it and the motion carried. They created a deed restriction for an affordable housing apartment at 6 Lilly Street, lasting 30 years. Cindy Ege didn’t have record of a vote from the last meeting, so they revoted just in case. They opened for public, but there were none. Councilman Stegman asked about the rent, and it was said it costs $700 per month to rent the unit. They adopted the ordinance with final approval. “That’s great. One more affordable housing unit in Lamberville,” said the Mayor. He also said that the library’s brick siding is being repointed, and it is coming along really, really well. The Council pulled the farm market project until next year. “Given the late way we started, we’re having trouble getting farmers committed,” said the Mayor. They will return to organizing the farmer’s market in October. The Mayor said that Ron Gorodesky, from Refined Hospitality, is planning to hold an informal meeting at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center on Thursday, May 8 at 7pm so residents and the developer can communicate. They mentioned that Sparkle Week starts on April 28, and the information is on the city’s website. The Pride Parade is Saturday, May 17th, and there will be a Memorial Day parade on May 26th. They opened for public comments, but nobody had anything to say so they ended the meeting. ### Squeeze the Day URL: https://www.lambpage.com/squeeze-the-day/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:48:17.000Z Cindy and Eddie are slow travelers exploring the world on a budget, and they’ll happily take you along with them. You might recognize Cindy from her time waiting tables at Lambertville Station, and Eddie may look familiar, because he’s worked as a bartender in the area. Both are seasoned travelers who had racked up many miles on their own, long before they met each other while working together in town several years ago. “That’s why we started dating,” Eddie said in an interview, “because we discovered we both love traveling.” It started with Eddie accompanying Cindy on a long drive, just because. They traveled well together, and the two quickly became inseparable. They started a YouTube channel after their jobs got terminated during the COVID-19 lockdown. As travel limitations started to lift, they began taking short day trips to places such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Cape May. When the complete removal of COVID-related travel restrictions coincided with the end of their apartment lease, the couple got Eddie’s RV trailer out of storage, hooked it up to his pickup truck, and took a leap of faith. At first they spent a month or so driving through different states to camp and visit with family, but they quickly transformed from vacation videographers into full-time adventure travelers with no end in sight. Some of the places they visited include Nashville in Tennessee, Stone Mountain in Georgia, and San Antonio and Austin in Texas**.** All the while they shot, edited, and posted videos, building an audience for their YouTube. They kept going until a blowout forced them to hunker down in Texas while their RV got repaired. It held up for a while, but eventually gave out again, which damaged the trailer beyond repair and forced them to abandon it. With the RV out of the picture, they took advantage of a travel deal: visiting a hotel chain that allowed them to stay an unlimited amount of nights during a one-month period at any of the hotel’s locations across the country. The hotel was pet-friendly, which meant that Cindy and Eddie could continue to bring along their adventure copilot**—**a 20-year-old black cat named Cinders. Cinders liked to travel. She rested on the truck’s center console, sometimes with a paw on Cindy’s hand, or on Eddie’s arm as he drove. They kept a mat with food and water, and a small litter box in the back of the truck. Eddie also made a sleeping nook under the passenger seat for their companion. When Cinders wasn't in the cab, she wore a harness and comfortably walked around on a leash. Not many cats—let alone people—can say they saw both oceans, several national parks, the Grand Canyon, 46 states, and the Gulf of Mexico. Cinders saw all that and more. Sadly, Cinders passed away while they were all traveling in Mexico. Without their feline friend, and without the weight of the RV, Cindy and Eddie embarked on a two-year backpacking trip through Europe and Southeast Asia. “We started with rolling suitcases,” Eddie clarified, “but many streets are made of cobblestone or dirt. Backpacks are easier.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery-b-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery-a-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery-c-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/gallery-d-616x616-crop.webp) scenes from Squeeze the Day videos on YouTube That’s when the couple really began to “slow travel,” which means visiting a place with the intension to connect locally rather than only doing touristy things. “Slow travel means having more freedom,” Cindy explained, “It opens you up to more experiences.” The couple loved hiking through Europe, and they found the people of Southeast Asia to be super friendly. Cindy cited their [day in Paris](https://youtu.be/eSGMB%5F9I1sE?si=vwWfJ3kTFH9KY3K%5F&ref=lambpage.com) as a travel highlight. She also fondly recalled a [train ride from Ho Chi Min City](https://youtu.be/HRKDx8sUCDA?si=0tgaKKAtVFk5V8z5&ref=lambpage.com). “You connect differently with people on trains,” Cindy pointed out, “folks would bring us snacks and say, ‘you have to try this!’” Food plays a big role in Squeeze the Day videos. Each episode features various meals and dishes that the couple locates and samples while living on the road. They travel on a budget, so the foods they eat are commonplace, and always affordable. They’ve eaten everything from Malaysian McDonald’s to congee, iced banana coffee, and durian, which is a fruit known for its distinct scent. Eddie thought durian wasn’t bad, but Cindy said it tastes like it smells. “A lady in Penang invited us to try it. She and her husband had all different kinds of durian in their house, all with different flavors,” Cindy said. “That’s what keeps us going and traveling, the desire to connect with different people.” After living full-time on the road for several years, Cindy and Eddie are now in Lambertville to visit family, work, and take a well-deserved rest. They’re also dealing with an existential issue, which they’ll address in an upcoming video. They do plan to get rolling again soon, but most likely for shorter durations next time around, as their current plans include taking interesting day trips to show folks that travel adventures don’t have to be years-long to be rewarding. “We look forward to getting on the road again,” Cindy said. It’s been several years and thousands of miles since Squeeze the Day posted their very first YouTube video, which was published on April 14, 2020**—**right in the middle of the COVID lock down. In that video, Eddie reflected on life. “Listen,” he said, “make the best of it. I want you all to go live your best life. Seize the day. Squeeze every moment out of it. Squeeze the day.” Their message hasn’t changed since then, although now it has more fervor. “Some people collect cars and houses, but you can lose your car, and you can lose your house. Nobody can take away your experiences,” Eddie explained. “For us, life is all about experiences,” Cindy added, “The name of the channel is Squeeze the Day. So make the most of them, because you never know how many days you have.” Visit [Cindy and Eddie’s SQUEEZE the DAY YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@SQUEEZEtheDAY?ref=lambpage.com). ### ShadFest 2025: Poster Auction & Festival URL: https://www.lambpage.com/shadfest-poster-auction-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:50:32.000Z ShadFest 2025 will happen on April 25th, 26th, and 27th. Some of this year’s posters are currently on display in shop windows around town. Keep an eye out as you walk the streets and you’ll get a true insider’s view before they are mounted for preview on local’s night. ### Friday Night is Local Night From 5-8pm on Friday, April 25th, North Union Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Bridge and Church. Say hello to your neighbors as you explore the festival’s kickoff activities on what will hopefully be a lovely spring evening. [Soupçon Salon](https://soupconsalon.club/event.php?id=123&ref=lambpage.com) organized live music in the downtown shopper’s parking lot. Here’s the performer lineup: **6pm:** Bird Folk (Bronwyn, Justin, and Birdhouse friends) **7pm:** Clover & Sundream **8pm:** Brian Dale Allen Strouse (full band) Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, and snacks so you can get comfy while you enjoy the musical performances—weather permitting. If it rains, music will happen at Soupçon Gallery (inside Bucks on Bridge). 2025 ShadFest posters will be on display for locals to preview from 6–8pm. ### ShadFest 2025 ShadFest runs 11am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday, April 26th and 27th. Downtown Lambertville will be transformed into an outdoor walking mall with art, music, dancing, clothing, tents, tables, food, vendors, and a [mini pony](https://c.tenor.com/mBIBAsPbjaYAAAAM/my-little-pony-jump-around.gif?ref=lambpage.com). ### Poster Auction All 2025 ShadFest posters will be on display in the Lambertville Presbyterian Church’s gymnasium on North Union Street throughout the festival. The Silent Auction will be open for bidding on Saturday and Sunday, but it closes at 2 pm on Sunday. The Live Auction for art begins at 3 pm on Sunday. ### Shad Fishing A live fishing demonstration will take place at 1pm on Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) on Lewis Island. To get there, walk north on Lambert Lane (cross street by the bridge). Go through the parking lot on the left and across the bridge to see Steve Meserve and crew stretch a large net across the river. ### Good Music [Live bands](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/shad-fest/shad-fest-live-music/?ref=lambpage.com) play all weekend. Wear your dancing shoes and follow your ears. ### Beer Garden The Lambertville Station parking lot (next to the bridge) will be transformed into a beer garden. It’s a great spot to take a break, sit, and hear some tunes. ### Bike Parking If you cycle into town, park your bike at the [Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center](https://maps.app.goo.gl/VWzjtrgkqchh61fb8?ref=lambpage.com), AKA the ACME Screening Room. Festival events are just one block away. ### Local’s Lane Visit Local’s Lane, which is located on Church Street, just off of North Union Street and across from the big white church. There you’ll enjoy crafts, art, and music from Lambertvillians. Local’s Lane honors ShadFest’s origins (see below). ### How to Get Around Download a [map of the festival](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/shad-fest/shad-fest-map/?ref=lambpage.com) from the Lambertville Chamber of Commerce. ### ShadFest Origin Story At the heart of ShadFest is the poster auction, which raises money for arts scholarships each year. The whole festival began back when Lambertville was a forgotten industrial town filled with empty storefronts, dilapidated buildings, and a few determined creative pioneers. At the time, Jack Curtin and Jim Hamilton lead The Lambertville Area Chamber of Commerce. They loved this town, and they wanted to highlight the artistic community that New Hope and Lambertville had fostered since the early 1900s. The idea for the theme of the festival stemmed from the Shad fish swimming up the river to spawn after having been previously driven away by industry. Thus the Shad became a symbol for life returning to Lambertville. Curtin and Hamilton organized the first event with Ellen Hall, Harry Haenigson (cartoonist and Director of Bucks County Playhouse), and John Terrell (founder of Bucks County Playhouse, Lambertville Music Circus, and the Washington’s Crossing Christmas reenactment). Since its inception in 1982, the ShadFest Poster Auction has given over three-quarters of a million dollars in scholarships to students studying fine art, the performing arts, or culinary arts. Scholarship winners have gone on to become makeup artists, filmmakers, fashion designers, curators, TV producers, fine artists, ceramicists, musicians, and teachers. - Learn more about the ShadFest Poster Auction at [ShadFestPosters.org](https://www.shadfestposters.org/?ref=lambpage.com). - Get the [2025 ShadFest](https://www.lambertvillechamber.com/shad-fest/?ref=lambpage.com) schedule from the Chamber of Commerce. - Discover [Lambertville events](https://lambpage.com/events?ref=lambpage.com) that happen on ShadFest weekend. ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: April 3, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-meeting-april-3-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:14:07.000Z The Lambertville City Council met at 7pm on Thursday, April 3, 2025\. They discussed the ongoing lawsuit, introduced a few new ordiances that will benefit the city, and answered questions from the public. ### Public Comments **Shaun**, a Lambertville resident, asked about DEP testing and the K Hov law suite response from the city. He wanted the response to have more impact, and feels the city can make concessions and variances for affordable housing. He mentioned the Wells Fargo property in the center of town. The Mayor explained that the city’s response may be part of a legal strategy, and that wells are being tested. Cindy Ege said all DEP test data was sent to the state. Mayor Nowick said the Wells Fargo site was only capable of producing one affordable unit, and the Mayor plans to make seeking affordable units an ongoing function of the city. He said Village Apartments is still a viable site. He’s had some contact with the owner, and if there is something to share with the public, he will share it. Councilman Lide was at the courthouse in Flemington earlier in the day, and he explained what happened in court. Kelly Grant, the city’s lawyer, argued for Lambertville. The presiding judge is new, and Lide was impressed with his preparation. He said the judge was comfortable making procedural decisions, but not decisions about substantiative issues. They must determine if the site is developable. The judge wants the parties to make decisions, and is waiting in abeyance. He said Fair Share supported K. Hovnanian’s position, because the city has spent ten years on affordable housing, but Lide felt the city can convince Fair Share that it is now seriously working on it. The Mayor said he is in contact with DEP, and the city website has resources for testing, the spill fund, etc. Shaun said four people had their applications lost, even with certified mail. Councilman Lide asked if the application information can also be emailed. Shaun said no. **Jeff**, from Wilson Street, said he spoke with some lawyers he knows. They say the town isn’t willing to go after the hill, because it’s toxic with 71 contaminated wells in the area, and a remediated landfill. He said the lawyers told him, “If the city has no chance of winning, we should put our money into something else—like elections.” He worried that development on the hill will flood and leak PFAS into town. “Historic preservation needs to be changed,” he added, “because you can build a giant box next to a historic home.” **John**, a local resident, asked if Village Apartments was off the list, and wondered why the city hasn’t looked into filing a federal fill fund claim. They Mayor reiterated that Village Apartments was not off the list. He said didn’t know if the spill fund applied to private land. Councilman Lide interjected and said the does city have standing. Council explained that Village Apartments land would need to be raised on the Union Street side due to flood regulations. Councilwoman Kominsky said, “We need to be tinkering with the city’s standards, because we’re starting to see very boxy structures.” She expressed support for a robust response to PFAS, and said the attorney is now starting to look into it. Councilwoman Lambert said, “We need to look at creative ways to get involved to build credence for the actions that citizens feel need to be taken.” Mayor Nowick said the affordable housing committee is doing good work. He hopes more people will attend the meetings and/or look at the records. ### Historical Ordinance The Council will soon release a new historic ordinance. It will help the city become a [Certified Local Government](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/historicpreservationfund/certified-local-government-program.htm?ref=lambpage.com), which will open up grant opportunities and possibilities to change zoning and protect the city. When the newly written ordinance came back from the state in its final form, the state described it as “perfect.” Four Historic Preservation Commission members were present, but only Lisa Easton spoke. Easton is a Lambertville resident, and a highly qualified architect with 35 years of experience and many professional accomplishments. She reviewed the ordinance and called it, “a labor of love.” “Historic preservation begins at the local government,” she said. The new ordinance creates actionable items for how the city renders decisions. Because private owners currently can demolish historic properties, they are amending the 2002 and 2006 ordinance so that demolition requests have to go through the HPC. The 2014 ordinance was also amended, and they are putting it all into one document to make a compilation of everything. This will allow the HPC in Lambertville to operate as its own body. It also brings the city up to compliance on the state and federal level, and avails grant funding for preservation that also allows Lambertville to address threats. The Mayor said [yesterday’s meeting](https://lambpage.com/blog/2025/04/planning-meeting-april-2-2025?ref=lambpage.com) was wonderful, with lots of engagement. He said the historic commission will look at heights, etc. Easton mentioned that the HPC doesn’t override any other commission. Councilwoman Kominsky said she feels some of the design criteria is vague. She hopes that the historic commission could look at these structures going up next to homeowners where the height and details are “out of whack.” “We got by with a smaller home and no closet. We made do. Now everybody wants a deck,” she said. “We’ve seen it in Ocean City, and we play with ‘is the top floor a bedroom?’ We can’t play with a five story building next to a two story. They encroach.” Councilwoman Kominsky said she would love for the city to deal with that now, because it’s happening all over town. Easton said the first thing the HPC looks at is appropriateness. Different architectural styles get applied in different areas. The new ordinance considers context for the neighborhood by tax lot. “We have 24 styles of homes in Lambertville,” Easton said, “You can’t put a high rise next to a gingerbread house.” Councilwoman Kominsky added, “People say, ‘Oh no! They’re gonna be the paint police,’ but it’s actually good. They help.” Councilwoman Lambert said Lambertville wanted to become Certified Local Government because of the 100 year flood. Easton said Hunterdon is inventorying all historic properties in the county. Councilman Stegman said it’s a great document, and that Hurricane Ida pushed the city to figure out how to regulate historic properties. “What do we have to do in the short term to have the commission comment on building outside the CBD?” he asked. Easton said we could expand the CBD or create other historic districts, because right now changes can happen outside of the district—like taking down a porch. The new ordinance combines four ordinances into one, with stronger language. Councilman Stegman said he would like building changes to have to go through the HPC, and not just the Zoning Board. Councilman Lide thanked Easton, and said he would support expanding the historic districts. The Mayor expressed his deep appreciation. Also acknowledged were Stew and Deb, who worked on the project. The Mayor will introduce the ordinance on April 17th. ### Farmer’s Market Lambertville is getting a farmer’s market on Sundays starting on June 1st and running through October. It will be located in the library parking lot. ### Construction Fees Construction fees will soon increase. Councilman Stegman said most of the increases are under $10\. ### Expanded Cannabis Hours in the CBD The Council approved an ordinance to expand hours for any dispensary that has been operating in good standing for a period of 12 months or more in the CBD. ### Pump Station Elevation The Council approved elevating the pump station at 2 Coryell Street. It will be raised to be above flood level. ### More Resolutions The Council passed several other resolutions, including one related to police academy training for new recruits, and one to provide appropriations. As the Mayor introduced the 2025 municipal budget, he shared some advice Cindy Ege gave him when he first started out as mayor. “Whatever you do, ask yourself how we’re going to pay for it,” she told him. “I hold that in my head all the time,” he said. The municipal tax rate increase for a $400k house will be approximately $39\. The introduction of the [2025 municipal budget](https://lambertvillenj.org/news-hidden/1154-2025-municipal-budget?ref=lambpage.com) was voted in. ### Short Term Rental Applications The short term rental application deadline was March 31st. ### Sidewalks The Department of Public Works surveyed city sidewalks and will be sending out notices. Trip hazards must be addressed by the property owners. ### Public Comments **Judy** from North Union Street said she still doesn’t know what the city is planning to do for affordable housing. She asked if Village Apartments is still in the running, and expressed upset about the development on the hill. She was unclear about the flood requirements and the HPC’s role in this new approach. The Mayor said Village Apartments is not going to be part of the fourth round mechanism by the end of June, and won’t be part of the Fair Share Housing element for the fourth round. Councilman Lide said the HPC changes allows the city to protect historic structures outside of the CBD by expanding the historic district, and they won’t need to rely on construction officials to determine significant damage. **Shaun** said he had been asking for months about ground water on the hill. He wondered if the developer was aware that they can’t have rain gardens or detention basins. The Mayor said he’ll look up an email that was previously sent in response to Shaun’s question, and if it’s not clear the Mayor will answer again. Cindy Ege brought up the email. The answer was that the developer needs to do a site plan, and the project still needs to meet the requirements for storm water control, but without an actual project it’s hard to determine or reject it. **Dave** from Brunswick Avenue said there was a lot of talk about technology, but it’s hard to hear what is being said if people don’t use the microphones. “We need to get that a priority in 2025\. For citizens. For good government. You need to get it done,” he said. Councilman Lide reiterated his story about the court case, because Dave couldn’t hear it earlier. **Stephanie** was online. She asked if it would be wise to have someone from the HPC on the Zoning Board. The Mayor said board memberships are set by ordinance, and the Zoning Board is the place for appeals, so there may be issues. He felt it was a good idea and will look into it. **Jeff** said landmark and historic districts are interchangeable. If the level of PFAS is large, the federal government could get involved. He pointed out that with privatized clean up, a clean up contractor can work for the property owner. “Putting 40 units of affordable housing on a contaminated site is environmental racism,” he said, and he also expressed concern that development at the Finkle’s site will impact traffic. Councilman Lide said the hill is not a great place for affordable housing. The Village Apartments location is walkable, and he wants to show Fair Share that the city is working on nice affordable housing. **John** from Hancock Street asked what designates something as historic since Finkle‘s had been there for 100 years. He also felt the Council was opening the city up for legal action if only dispensaries in the CBD can expand hours. The Mayor said the attorney was careful in drafting the amendment for cannabis, and he felt confident in that. A survey determines if a property is considered historical or not. He cited The Strand as probably being notable, or important. Finkle’s, he doubted. Councilwoman Kominsky said “opining about it now” was not a good idea. Councilman Lide said cannabis tax revenues were $222,000 last year. ### Lambertville: April, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-april-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T02:58:32.000Z Yes, it’s April. Summer is coming, and things are changing. No matter how many times you've gone around the sun, the blooming and budding of spring is always invigorating—hope you’re having a good one. Below are several things you might want to know about Lambertville, NJ. --- #### Get Over It The renovation of the Lambertville-New Hope Bridge bridge is complete. It’s got a wider walkway, a repaired foundation, fresh paint, and the whole thing has been equipped with fancy new lighting. It’s one sexy bridge! There’s some contraversy about the colored LED lights, which change to honor or celebrate (similar to the Empire State Building). Some people like them while others feel they are gaudy and signify the impending Disneyfication of the area. Many small lights have been added to highlight the recessed areas of the bridge support beams, which are painted a lighter accent color on the inside. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/bridge-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/crossing-616x616-crop-52-7-48-2.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/web-616x616-crop-55-9-35-1.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/bridge-lights-616x616-crop.webp) Lambertville-New Hope Bridge There are also tiny guide lights along the foot path—perfect for attracting bugs into the many webs that cover the bridge each summer. Now you’ll be able to see the spiders and know when to avoid leaning on the railings. Gone is the state line that used to be drawn across the surface of the walkway (the paint wouldn’t stick on the new panels). Instead, they installed a sign and a silver railing post (the rest are brown) so you can’t miss the crossing point. --- #### Countdown to Comfort Food A new burger place is coming to town. The aptly named Bridge Street Burgers will bring burgers, cheesesteaks, and wings to the former Full Moon location. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/burgers-616x616-crop-74-6-62-0.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/burgersign-616x616-crop.webp) Bridge Street Burgers Currently it’s like the Wanka Factory: nobody goes in and nobody comes out. --- #### A Match Made in Oven Nomad Pizza is totally rennovating the insde of the space that used to house Local Greek on the canal path. On the back patio they have a bunch of what looks like tables and chairs covered by a tarp, and the interior is being gutted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nomadout-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/nomadin-616x616-crop.webp) Nomad Pizza Is it possible to have too many pizza places in town? (The answer is no.) --- #### It Never Gets Old Lambertville is known as the Antiques Capital of New Jersey. With Darberry’s Antiques coming to Lambert Lane, we feel like we’re still earning that moniker. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/antiques-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/danberrys-616x616-crop.webp) Danberry’s Antiques The sign in the window makes it look like it’s going to be an interesting place, and possibly filled with different vendors selling cool old stuff. --- #### A Better Fit Morgan Grabarz New York/New Hope is moving next door, into the space formerly occupied by Dupree Gallery. The arrows in the window say April 15th. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/morgan-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/grabarz-616x616-crop.webp) Morgan Grabarz #### Flipping Out In real estate news, the property located at 36 Delevan Street was sold at auction for $630,000 in a Hunderton County sheriff sale on April 2, 2025. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/delevangarages-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/delevansale-616x616-crop.webp) 36 Delevan It’s too early to know, but it is possible that the green garages on George Street could be subdivided and turned into town homes. Hopefully they’d leave the house, but there’s currently nothing stopping developers from tearing it down. --- #### Sip Happens Invertase Brewing Company is opening a beer tasting room on Lambert Lane. It’s not a brewery. It’s a tasting room, which means they do not serve food. Once open, you’ll be able to bring your own eats, your family, and your dog. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/invertase-floor-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/invertase-616x616-crop-1.webp) Invertase Brewing Company By the looks of their floor, they still have a way to go before they open to the public, but they are hop-timistic that they will be serving customers this spring. --- #### CBD in the CBD Baked by the River, a dispensary located in the Central Business District, will benefit from a new ordinance that allows them to expand their hours. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/baked-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/bakedbytheriver-616x616-crop.webp) Baked by the River --- #### Eggcellent The Speckled Egg Cafe will replace the Peace Pie ice cream shop (which arguably was also a place to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/speckegg-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/speckledegg-616x616-crop.webp) The Speckled Egg Cafe The Speckled Egg’s owners ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund this move, so you know people are getting hangry as they wait for the opening. --- #### Hammered and Screwed The former Finkle’s hardware and lighting stores are for rent. The rumors are true: the new owners want to build a hotel, wedding venue, and parking garage on the former Finkle’s properties (more on that soon), but those plans have to go through layers of design, approval, zoning, permitting, and construction. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/finklelight-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/finklefront-616x616-crop.webp) Finkle’s Lighting and Hardware Stores Until then, it looks like the new owners are renting the commercial spaces. Anyone want to set up a temporary business? Hardware store? Anyone? ### Lambertville Planning Board Meeting: April 2, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/planning-board-meeting-april-2-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T01:44:12.000Z The Lambertville Planning Board met on April 2, 2025 at 7pm. The Fair Share plan that was on the agenda was taken off and moved to June 4th. Most of the meeting was about [14 Lambert Lane](https://maps.app.goo.gl/2mUaVfh93L7BiGxG6?ref=lambpage.com). The owner of the property, Ryan Spreen of Clinton Street, wants to build at least two town homes on the site. [Plans for the town homes](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iVWZu-am1ZuNKQ8nw8OhL4kZ4KXbGGoq?usp=sharing&ref=lambpage.com) were posted publicly on a Google drive. Rich Mongelli, Spreen’s legal representative, introduced the project. This was not a site plan application, it was a minor subdivision. Eric, the engineer, presented. He described the property in its current state, and explained that the applicant was requesting two variances, one for each unit to be set back from the street with driveways that exit onto Lambert Lane. He said setting the structures back will allow them to keep the cherry trees, and also create off street parking for each unit. “Other than that,” he said, “the plan complies with ordinance.” The structure will be approximately 40 feet high. It is located in the flood plain, and on the D&R Canal. The homes must be elevated to comply with FEMA and NJDEP flood regulations, so the first floor will be nothing but garages. ![a small red house in the distance next to an empty lot with mature trees](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/site.webp) 14 Lambert Lane Each town home will be a 3-bedroom unit with porous asphalt driveways. There is a room at the top of each home that by law may not be used, or advertised, as a bedroom. Spreen is trying to acquire the adjacent lot. If a judge grants a title, and Spreen can obtain it, he will apply to build a third unit. Rooftop rainwater will pour into the driveway’s porous asphalt, and the property plans include flood vents. Michael Sullivan, the board’s planner, was concerned about the look of the flood vents. He wondered if there was a visual impact. Eric said the vents are made of stainless steel, and could be colored to match the building. ### Public Concerns Marie lives next door on Coryell Street. She said the access road is necessary for her to get to her garage, and for parking. Spreen said quieting the title will solidify his and the neighbor’s access, and that he will build a small home on the neighboring lot if he can. Finkle’s had been using the property in question, and they thought it was theirs. Spreen said he is going through the courts, and spending more money, to quiet the title (establish clear ownership). Spreen also mentioned another property nearby, which has a small, canal-side sitting area. He said River’s Edge has been paying taxes on it, perhaps to take it over. He praised their initiative. Betty Anne, also from Lambert Lane, asked if Spreen will build on the extra lot. Spreen said no—he wants to hold that property for his family. Then he said yes, he would build there, because it is big enough to build on. Board members guided the conversation back to the current application, and explained that the discussion had strayed beyond the 14 Lambert Lane project. Any future subdivision would have to come back to the board. Nancy, a Lambert Lane resident, said the River’s Edge community is concerned about the mass of the project. She told a story about Peter Parker, who used to live there. “Spider-Man?” Spreen joked, raising his eyebrows. Nancy requested that the new construction be kept intact, and not impact the effectiveness of the storm drains that River’s Edge paid to have installed. Eric, the engineer, said there won’t be any change to existing drains. ### The Architecture Chris Pickell, the architect, was sworn in and accepted as an expert. He described the floor plans and talked about the style of the space. There will be 8 and 10 foot ceilings on first and second floors. There will be an elevator and stairs inside each unit. The top floor has a room, and a rooftop terrace. The elevator goes all the way up. The terrace overlooks the canal at the rear of the property. Pickell said the property will flood in the future, which is why the house is stacked on top of garages. The mechanicals will go on top, instead of on the bottom, of the home. “The owner should put the elevator up top when it floods,” he said. “Every intention is to keep the two cherry trees,” Pickell added, and pointed out that setting the homes back makes them appear smaller. Sullivan said he found it hard to find fault with the design except for the garage doors, which are double-wide and horizontal, instead of vertical. He suggested breaking up the fenestration of the facade to make it, “a heck of a lot more friendly” to Lambert Lane. Pickell agreed, and said they could think about those things. Nancy wanted to know the height of the building from street level. Pickell said it’s 39 feet tall, and that the garage floor is 3 feet, 4 inches above street level. “So 43 feet above street level,” Nancy said. Pickell said that is not how the ordinance works, and thinking about that way it has no meaning. Judith, another Lambert Lane resident, pointed out that a similar building proposal on the same site was turned down in the past. Pickell said he felt this project was consistent with the buildings in the area, and he mentioned that there is an ugly building on the corner of Lamber Lane. Judith said the project is too big. Pickell said New Jersey is being built up, that this is infill, and he reiterated how he felt the massing was consistent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/board-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/doug-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/ryan-616x616-crop.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/eric-616x616-crop.webp) clockwise from top left: the board, Don, Ryan, Eric ### More Concerns Don, who lives directly next door, showed a computer-rendered image of his small house with two tall town homes towering beside it. “Ryan \[Spreen\] is a cool guy, and he’s done some cool things in town, but this is a bad decision,” Don said. He asked the board for their consideration. Doug, also from Lambert Lane, said he appreciated the way the work was proposed, but that he couldn’t approve of the building, because it’s too big. “I would support it if there weren’t so much massing,” he said, “but it doesn’t comply with the nearly identical proposal from 2019\. It’s even larger.” In 2019, the planning board determined that there was too much concentration in a similar design proposal on the same lot. “We know projects are coming,” Doug said, “If we look past precedent in this hearing, it is dangerous for bigger developments.” The Board asked if the architect and applicant had looked into alternatives. “The reality is we all have to make a decision, because we are in the flood zone,” said Spreen, “I love Don’s house next door, but it can’t be built like that now.” Spreen said he knows it looks big with the garages on the first floor, but he likes off street parking, so why not give new residents a garage. “I wish I had a garage,” he said, “As much as I love my neighbors, they’ve got seven garages there.” The Mayor said that Spreen raised good points, growth is inevitable, and this kind of higher profile is required. He thought the massing was fine, and that things are evolving here. He said it was resilience planning. Sullivan said he hadn’t looked at the past board reports, but it was not his opinion that this project would require a variance. “You can’t stop the flooding and maintain the character,” he said. “You’re seeing it in Asbury Park. They are building higher than the streets. The pushing up is an adaptation and evolution.” The board asked Spreen if there were changes since 2019, when the board previously said the building was, “just too massive.” Spreen mentioned that the developers who proposed the previous project were from outside of town. “It looked like something K Hov would put up,” he quipped. Some board members laughed. “Too soon,” the Mayor admonished. ![architechtural rendering of town home duplex](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/07/townhomes.webp) Proposed town homes. Note figure in the lower right for scale. ### The Verdict The planning board credited Spreen for meeting with the neighbors. Paul Kuhl, the board chair, felt the project is too big. “That’s my dilemma,” he said. “We can agree to disagree,” said Spreen. “We’re keeping the cherry trees as much as we can, which will make it look smaller,” he added. One board member had an issue with the height. “It’s four stories high,” she said. Spreen said they need the height for the elevator. “In terms of contemporary design standards this is utterly normal,” Pickell added. Betty Anne, another Lambert Lane resident, said she was not opposed to Spreen building on his lot, but this one is just too big. “This is massive... it’s four stories high. It’s not in keeping with the rest of the houses on the street.” Kuhl again said the main question was the massing. Spreen’s lawyer made a final plea. He pointed out that they met the bulk standard—except for being built to the lot edge. He said they were conforming in all respects, and that Spreen would address the garage doors as part of a compliance review. “Us lawyers can’t say ‘you approved a huge place on Wilson street, now approve this one,’” He told the board, “The plan complies. The neighbors’ concerns are valid, but we have plans. It’s certainly not gonna hurt the neighborhood.” “What does that do for the future of the town?” Doug asked. “This proposal doesn’t meet the guidelines and that has a future impact on the city.” A board member said she thought it was good design, but it wasn’t keeping with the street scape. “However, anymore, I don’t know if we can keep with the street scape,” she said. She said she was leaning towards approving it. “But you rejected it in 2019!” yelled a neighbor. With that, the board voted to close public comments. The Mayor said the design guidelines may be out of date with flooding, and he made a motion for approval with conditions. The board listed the conditions: - D&R approval - environment commission approval - architectural revision - if the trees get damaged, they are replaced - the finish of the walls must match the masonry - storm water management must be provided if another lot gets created - a typo must be corrected on the revised plans - two variances are granted for the build-to lines No sidewalks were required. Several board members voted no, but the motion still passed. ### Keep Lambertville Weird URL: https://www.lambpage.com/keep-lambertville-weird/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T03:04:45.000Z In spring of 2017, Yolanda Hadid, model and former star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, purchased a $3,700,000 estate in New Hope, PA. Hadid’s daughters, Bella and Gigi, are also models. In 2020, [Bella Hadid and pop singer Dua Lipa](https://phillychitchat.com/tag/where-is-the-hadid-farm/?ref=lambpage.com) were seen in New Hope (Lipa was dating Yolanda’s son, Anwar). Gigi Hadid and former One Direction singer, Zayn Malik have a daughter together. Malik purchased a Bucks County horse farm nearby in 2018\. On March 11, 2021, the New York Post ran a story saying [New Hope had become a celebrity hotspot](https://nypost.com/2021/03/11/old-new-hope-pa-is-getting-a-luxury-makeover/?ref=lambpage.com). The article read, “Since the 1950s, New Hope has supported paint slingers, hippies, bikers and a thriving gay scene. Today, bohemia is giving way to big spenders and the hamlet of 2,500 residents now attracts a wealth of Midtown executives, Broadway bigshots and celebrities.” Ron Gorodesky, President of Refined Hospitality (developer of Odette’s) was quoted as saying, “New Hope had gone through a period of, dare I say, some decay over the last 20 years. It was time to invest in New Hope and we have invested heavily, as have others. You are seeing a transformation of this town.” In 2023, actor/director Bradley Cooper (a PA native) and Gigi Hadid began dating. In 2024, Cooper purchased a $6,500,000 estate in New Hope, the same year he and Gigi Hadid were [spotted](https://www.newhopefreepress.com/2023/10/25/bradley-cooper-gigi-hadids-dinner-date-in-new-hope-catches-buzz/?ref=lambpage.com) in the private rooftop club at Odette’s. Hollywood is not moving in, but as New Hope goes from hippie-dippie to hoity-toity, it has been reported that the “[area’s glamour quotient is on the rise](https://dnyuz.com/2025/01/11/how-sleepy-bucks-county-became-a-celebrity-hot-spot/?ref=lambpage.com).” Old waterfront homes on Main Street have been torn down and replaced with multi-million dollar modern mansions. Valet parking hospitality venues like The Logan Inn, The Mansion Inn, and The Ghost Light Inn have elbowed their way into the space previously managed by individually owned bed and breakfasts. The outdoor restaurant that was once down the stairs by the canal on Mechanic Street is now town homes. Across the way, the one-level store that previously housed Chateau Exotique has been replaced by a $2,350,000 private residence. At the time of this writing, a Mechanic Street [condo](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/18-Mechanic-St-2-New-Hope-PA-18938/2076567771%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) was for sale for $2,850,000, and a [riverfront property](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/218-Towpath-St-New-Hope-PA-18938/9055995%5Fzpid/?ref=lambpage.com) on South Main Street was asking $4,500,000. It used to be that restaurant workers could live in town and walk to their jobs. Today, people who work in town increasingly can’t afford to live there. A small apartment above the bookstore—with views of Main Street on one side and a parking lot on the other—rents for $3,100 per month, plus all utilities. The Raven, a popular LGBTQ+ club, was torn down in 2019\. It was replaced with a valet parking lot for the River House at Odette’s hotel, which is 1.5 miles away. At the time, developers said they [had plans to serve the LGBTQ+ community](https://wpst.com/breaking-new-hopes-most-popular-gay-bar-the-raven-is-closing/?ref=lambpage.com)when their new property was finished, but they [had no idea how long](https://www.newhopefreepress.com/2019/09/09/breaking-new-owners-speak-out-on-closing-of-raven-in-new-hope/?ref=lambpage.com) it would take for those plans to happen, because the permitting was unpredictable. Establishments like [John and Peter’s](https://www.johnandpeters.com/?ref=lambpage.com), [Havana](https://www.havananewhope.com/?ref=lambpage.com), [Karla’s](https://www.karlasnewhope.com/?ref=lambpage.com), God Save the Qweens, Shop of India, and Love Saves the Day keep the area feeling familiar for anyone who hasn't visited in a while, but it’s hard to say how long that will last. On October 4, 2024, Philly Magazine published an article about how New Hope has become a [playground for the rich and famous](https://www.phillymag.com/news/2024/10/04/new-hope-celebrities-bradley-cooper/?ref=lambpage.com). On January 11, 2025, The New York Times published a story about famous people flocking to New Hope, because it is becoming [a rival to the Hamptons](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/style/new-hope-pa-bucks-county.html?ref=lambpage.com). On February 9, 2025, The Daily Mail (in the United Kingdom) ran a story saying that New Hope, Pennsylvania [is poised to become the new Hamptons](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/real-estate/article-14347903/new-hope-pennsylvania-hamptons-celebrity-flock.html?ref=lambpage.com). Similar stories echoed in [Bezinga](https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/02/43765358/new-hope-pennsylvania-is-the-hamptons-of-the-hinterland-as-celebs-like-bradley-cooper-and-gigi-hadid-buy-homes-there?ref=lambpage.com), [Yahoo!Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hope-pennsylvania-hamptons-hinterland-celebs-130038470.html?ref=lambpage.com), [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/travel/pennsylvanian-picture-perfect-town-rivaling-the-hamptons-as-celebs-flock-to-enjoy-tranquil-life/ar-AA1zKo9i?ref=lambpage.com), [Patch](https://patch.com/pennsylvania/newhope-lambertville/new-hope-rival-hamptons-ny-times-says-new-piece?ref=lambpage.com), [New Hope Free Press](https://www.newhopefreepress.com/2025/01/13/ny-times-features-sleepy-new-hope-area/?ref=lambpage.com), and [DNYUZ](https://dnyuz.com/2025/01/12/how-sleepy-bucks-county-became-a-rival-to-the-hamptons/?ref=lambpage.com), but there was one publication that took a different approach. Six months earlier, on April 4, 2024, the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about how development was changing the character of New Hope—and not for the better. The article named Frank Cretella, developer of River House at Odette’s, and pointed out that New Hope had rejected Cretella’s proposal to build a resort complex by the bridge on Main Street. Cretella said he wasn’t giving up. Lori Stagnitto, a local resident, worried New Hope is losing its “[funky soul](https://www.instagram.com/savenewhopehistorysoul/?ref=lambpage.com),” and Michael Gardner, a drag performer and former bartender at The Raven, was quoted as saying, “Developers are completely altering the town.” There was a photo of Donna Marian, owner of [The Creeper Gallery](http://thecreepergallery.com/?ref=lambpage.com), who lost her lease due to construction at The Mansion Inn, and a quote from StasiaKauriga, owner of Love Saves the Day, who said, “We’re trying to [keep New Hope weird](https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/new-hope-downtown-development-foes-fear-loss-of-funky-soul-20240404.html?ref=lambpage.com).” #### Keep Austin Weird When Red Wassenich, a community college librarian from Austin, TX, called to make a donation to his local radio station in 2000, the DJ put him live on the air and asked why he was donating. “Because it keeps Austin weird,” Wassenich replied. His response—spoken impromptu and from the heart—captured a sentiment. Austin was a haven for Texans who didn’t fit in Texas, and thus the city became a hub for funky mom-and-pop shops, locally-owned restaurants, and indie music. By the time Wassenich made his radio station pledge, his previously affordable hometown had been overrun by tech companies and expensive housing. Wassenich and his wife, Karen Pavelka, started making “Keep Austin Weird” stickers, and they gave them to friends and associates. The slogan was popular. Their dog groomer sold stickers to raise funds for the local animal rescue. Stickers and t-shirts proliferated. The Austin Independent Business Alliance started using Keep Austin Weird to promote local business, and then a private company called Outhouse Designs trademarked the phrase. Wassenich and Pavelka wanted ‘Keep Austin Weird’ to belong to the people of Austin, but they couldn’t afford to hire lawyers to fight an expensive legal battle. [Wassenich died](https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2020-03-06/keep-austin-weird-originator-remembered-for-choosing-community-over-capital/?ref=lambpage.com) of complications from COPD in 2020\. Outhouse Designs continues to sell Keep Austin Weird stickers, t-shirts, mugs, and merchandise. #### Keep Portland Weird A mural bearing the words “[Keep Portland Weird](http://www.stumpedinstumptown.com/2017/08/why-is-portland-weird%5Fwhat-is-keep-portland-weird/?ref=lambpage.com)” is painted in bright yellow letters on the black outside wall of Dante’s nightclub in downtown Portland, OR. However, it was Terry Currier, owner of Music Millennium record store, who first brought the phrase to Portland from Austin when he created “Keep Portland Weird” and, “Keep Portland Weird — Support Local Business” bumper stickers. The slogan resonated with residents who felt that Portland was selling its soul. [Portlandia](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1780441/?ref=lambpage.com), a sketch comedy TV show that made fun of Portland, said, “the dream of the 90s is alive in Portland,” meaning Portland was the kind of place where you could work part-time as a barista while pursuing your dreams. But that’s not the case anymore. Rents have skyrocketed, and housing is expensive. The city’s leadership actively worked to attract tech companies, while developers demolished historic buildings, and built high-density housing. Some of Portland’s beloved “weird” artists—Stephanie Peirce, creator of the 24-Hour Church of Elvis, Kirk Reeves, street musician and public access TV star, and Pontifex Von Hummer, a lobster-wearing musician/filmmaker—are no more. Two became homeless, one killed himself, and the other moved out of state. There are many such stories about Portland losing its unique character, which prompted Terry Currier in 2021 to say [Portland isn’t as weird](https://www.koin.com/is-portland-over/keep-portland-weird-slogan-originator-says-city-not-as-weird/?ref=lambpage.com) as it once was. #### Keep Asbury Park Weird On the east side of the country is Asbury Park, NJ, the beachfront town where Bruce Springsteen got his start. Things there have changed a lot since Springsteen released his “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” album in 1972. The place was neglected for years until artists, musicians, and the LGBTQ+ community moved in. Creativity thrived, and development soon followed. The long-abandoned boardwalk and convention center got renovated. Condos were built. Now the revitalized city is home to art galleries, film festivals, music stores, boutique shops, and an eclectic mix of cafes, bars, and restaurants. K. Hovnanian Homes recently completed a condominium complex there called [The Aegean](https://www.khov.com/new-construction-homes/new-jersey/asbury-park/the-aegean/?ref=lambpage.com), which is selling units for around $1,000,000 each. As tourists and newcomers flock to the area, many long-time residents have been priced out. With all that change, locals have start saying, “[Keep Asbury Park Weird](https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/09/21/asbury-park-music/680048001/?ref=lambpage.com).” #### Keep Lambertville Weird Lambertville started as a trade route stop between New York and Philadelphia, and grew into an industrial town that, throughout its history, manufactured products such as wagon wheels, rubber boots, hairpins, and toilets. At one point the city had as many brothels as it did churches. When the train stopped stopping here, factories closed and industry moved to Trenton. Eventually Lambertville became a place you would drive through. Houses and buildings sat empty. People from New Hope, PA called Lambertville “No Hope.” Being off the beaten path kept the architecture unchanged, and being bound by the river and a hill kept the city small. Between the late 60s and the 80s, artists, creatives, craftspeople, and crackpots (said lovingly) started moving to the area. Lambertville was a freewheeling place. One resident ran a motorcycle shop out of his living room on Main Street. Another operated a hair salon in the enclosed front porch of her house on York Street. Restaurants operated in residences. In the early 80s, the abandoned Lambertville train station got repurposed into a restaurant/inn, which attracted tourists to cross the bridge from New Hope. In the 90s, the Lambertville House was renovated and Lambertville gained a reputation for being New Hope’s sister city with its own shop-filled business district and unique attractions such as the wing dam, graffiti-covered train cars, an abandoned high school, canal walking trails, and Goat Hill Overlook. That same decade, Rock Creek Woods town homes sprawled off Quarry Street, and Woodcrest town homes were built above the cemetery. Nearly ten years later, the town homes at Lambert’s Hill blanketed the land behind Closson Farm, and town homes replaced green garages by the Post Office on Clinton Street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/weird-dino-616x616-crop-49-7-57-7.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/weird-dollhead-616x616-crop-62-3-46-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/weird-statue-616x616-crop-48-7-57-7.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/weird-train-616x616-crop-40-6-51-8.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/weird-bernie-616x616-crop-51-1-56-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fa/bd/fabd45fd-ac8a-48c2-a258-906f3226b8a7/content/images/2026/06/werid-hands-616x616-crop-51-7-54-5.jpg) Weird Lambertville. (photos: Gwenn Seemel) In 2020, the area became especially attractive to people escaping big city COVID. Low interest rates and high demand made prices skyrocket. In the past few years, the YMAC building on Wilson Street was demolished and replaced by town homes. An empty lot on Church Street became town homes. Town homes were built on Ferry Street. The auto supply shop at Clinton and Delevan became town homes, and town homes are being built on Wilson Street. On Coryell Street, Finkle’s hardware store, the lighting shop, the warehouse, the (former) Pork Yard, the Boathouse, and the Strand theater have all been sold, paving the way for a new promenade near the Lambertville-New Hope bridge. Just around the corner, a new duplex of town homes is slated to be built in the vacant lot next to the red house on Lambert Lane. At the same time, K. Hovnanian Homes—the developer selling million-dollar condos in Asbury Park—wants to build 100+ town homes on Connaught Hill. Low inventory and high demand have caused an increase in retail and residential rents. The city lacks affordable housing, but the city council is [working on it](https://lambpage.com/@/page/WVvdMK7GCo6RncY4?ref=lambpage.com). Long-time residents might argue that Lambertville already lost its weirdness. Gone are the Submarine Races and the Lambertville Strip Club. Circus elephants don’t winter here anymore, and pigs no longer run loose on South Union Street. On October 2, 2019, The New York Times reported that Lambertville was looking to [attract innovative businesses](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/realestate/lambertville-nj-vintage-charm-and-free-spirits.html?ref=lambpage.com), but council members have changed since then. In June 16, 2022, The New York Times reported that Lambertville and New Hope are great [alternatives to Fire Island](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/16/travel/queer-travel-new-hope-lgbtq-friendly.html?ref=lambpage.com), and the article quoted a 25-year-old visitor who said, “There’s a ton of money here, and a lot of younger people are effectively priced out of living in this entire region.” Recently, Lambertville was nominated for [Best Small Town in the Northeast](https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-small-town-in-the-northeast/?ref=lambpage.com) by USA Today, and named in HGTV’s [50 Most Charming Small Towns in America](https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/travel/50-of-the-most-charming-small-towns-in-america-pictures?ref=lambpage.com). When ritzy business comes to town, it’s likely that a targeted PR campaign will closely follow so to tell the world about Lambertville’s funky-to-fancy transition. The purpose, of course, is to attract “a wealth of executives, big shots and celebrities” who want, and can can afford to pay for, that brand of luxury. If you long for “old” Lambertville, you might be tempted to scream a magic incantation into the sky. Unfortunately, when residents start chanting “Keep \[wherever\] Weird,” it means the weirdness has already started to bleed out. These days, people buy weird instead of being weird. The rallying cry that started as a grassroots social movement has been transformed into commercial irony—mugs, bumper stickers, and t-shirts won’t stop a town’s commodification. It’s not the number of houses or stores that’ll “keep Lambertville weird.” What makes this place special is the people who live here, shop here, and foster our community. For those who identify as weird: be weirder! It’s no magic bullet, but letting your freak flag fly can attract like-minded businesses and neighbors. If New Hope has become “New Hamp,” Lambertville must be “No Hamp.” ### Lambertville Zoning Board Meeting: March 27, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/zoning-board-meeting-march-27-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:12:36.000Z These records are for informational purposes only. While these are not official minutes, care has been taken to ensure accuracy as best as possible. For official records, visit [lambertvillenj.org](https://lambertvillenj.org/?ref=lambpage.com). This Zoning Board meeting was held at 7:30pm on Thursday, March 27, 2025 at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center. The board added a new member and reinstated another. They approved minutes from the past meeting, and approved 40 Perry Street and Whispering Woods. There were three hearings: ### Patio Redesign A variance for a residence on North Main Street was requested during the first hearing. Peter Sheridan, owner, wanted approval for a patio redesign. He and Gary O’Connor, architect, presented their case to the board. Sheridan wanted to include a natural gas fire pit in the design. The city planner was okay with it. No public comments were given. The board approved it as submitted. ### Two Car Garage Apartment Rebuild Gary O’Connor, architect, and Thomas Jordan, owner, were sworn in. Jordan said he wanted to create an affordable housing unit for a family member above the detached garage in the back ally behind his house on Delaware Avenue. The apartment is currently a studio efficiency. O’Connor said the existing structure is not great so they want to wipe it and rebuild. The ordinance only allows accessory units if the structure is already there. The board asked if the owner went to HBC for demolition, which was something the owner had not yet done. The board attorney specified that this unit would not actually count as part of the city’s affordable housing stock. The owner explained that he has five boys who are all moderate to low income. “They qualify for sure,” he said. Only one person will live in the new structure, which will be a two car garage with an apartment above. The board suggested that ten years into the future, if the person living there dies or moves out, the owner could rent the unit as affordable housing. The board attorney said it could be a condition of approval that, if a family member is not living in the unit, it becomes an affordable unit. The board vice chair asked if the unit qualifies for rental unit safety. Another board member asked how the unit will be heated. The owner said he would like to make it solar as he wants it to use renewable energy. The board attorney again said it could be part of the approval that if family doesn’t live there, the unit goes into the affordable housing pool. The owner didn’t seem to like the idea of it being officially affordable. The city planner said that, as long as it meets requirements, it can become affordable if the owner decides to designate it as such the future. The board’s engineer outlined some issues: The maximum height of an accessory until is 15 feet, but this one will be 22 feet high. One wall will only have 3.5 feet of clearance instead of the required 5 feet. Driveways are supposed to be asphalt or concrete, but the driveway for this unit will be a pattern of pavers. The lot also needed relief for two parking spaces, because it should have more parking spaces based on the rules. One of the spots in the two car garage will be designated for the 550 square foot studio (or 600 square foot one bedroom) apartment above. The board approved it. ### Beer Tasting Room [Invertase Brewing Company](https://invertasebrewing.com/?ref=lambpage.com) is renting at 1700 square foot commercial condo unit from Spring Village LLC on the southern end of 80 Lambert Lane. Formerly housing an architectural firm, the Lambert Lane building has been divided into five units. An antiques operation is forthcoming, and Jersey Girlz dispensary will be going in further down the road. Invertase currently has a beer garden in Phillipsburg, their lawyer explained. Invertase was going to come into town as a bar/tavern, but the central business district doesn’t allow for a brewery. The Boathouse’s license might be expanded into the whole yard, and the lawyer didn’t want to mess with Pork Yard, because the ordinance says you are not allowed to have two licenses within 300 feet. The lawyer gave some history for the Lambert Lane building. In 1982\. there was a cracker factory there. By 1994, a fire burned them out. George Michaels acquired the site. He made it a brewery, because he argued it’s like a bakery and the city, at the time, accepted that. The location almost became apartments, but changed to offices in the 1990s. Then came a gym and offices. There was a deed swap with Finkles, and, in 1997, River Horse Brewery arrived. River Horse got approval to hold special events outside. Jersey Girlz cannabis dispensary was approval, but isn’t there yet. According to the lawyer, there are two distinct owners for the Lambert Lane properties: Fedway and Spring Lake. Invertase’s heavy activity occurs in Phillipsburg, but they will have a fermentation tank here, and they need a use variance. It’s not a bar or tavern, because Pork Yard is within 300 feet. They were seeking site plan waivers, because they were not doing exterior improvements, only interior renovations. They also needed a waiver for the loading zone, because they come in with an SUV to unload kegs. Invertase is not making changes to the exterior. Stephen Zolnay, Gary R. O’Connor, Elizabeth (Beth) McManus were, one by one, sworn in as witnesses. ### Stephen Zolnay, owner Stephen Zolnay, an owner of Invertase, explained the business. He is front of house. His wife does social media. She has a background in microbiology. His son is brewmaster. They live in the woods in Stockton and have goats, dogs, chickens, and ducks. His son was a mechanical engineer, but one day he looked down the row of cubicles at his work, called his father, and suggested they start a brewery. They launched just before Covid hit. Zolnay said Invertase is socially responsive. They support local communities. They do fundraising and they would do it here. They are licensed in good standing and don’t want to come in with giant trucks and loading zones. Instead, they will do the nasty work in Phillipsburg and then bring sterile beer here to ferment it in the fermenter. They won’t do outside seating because the condo association won’t allow it. They currently have a lease in Lambertville. It will be a tasting room. Underaged people can go inside, but they can’t be served. People can bring food, and dogs are allowed. Snacks from home are okay. Invertase won’t mash, lauder, kill, or boil in Lambertville, but they will ferment here. Carbon dioxide will be emitted, but Zolnay said there is no odor. There might be more handicapped parking spots onsite. Jersey Girlz has to comply with the same thing. There are 118 parking spaces on Lambert Lane. George Michaels owned Lambertville House, and 17 spaces are deeded to Lambertville House. There will be handicapped access for the tasting room. Zolnay feels people won’t drive drunk, because they can walk to the tasting room from town. Patrons usually stay at the site for 1 to 1.5 hours. Invertase will always have an owner on premise, and always three people working on site. They proposed the following hours: Mondays and Tuesdays: closed. Wednesdays and Thursdays: 4pm - 10pm. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays: Noon - 10pm. The total occupancy is 49 (3 are working employees). They will have two ADA-compliant restrooms. Their sign was approved by the historical committee. Invertase has had events such as birthdays, weddings, and showers in their Phillipsburg space and they would do the same in Lambertville. Events could happen during additional hours. Beer comes in a glass, so there will not be a lot of waste, because they are dish-washed. They have and sell cans to go. They produce beer ale with 50 recipes on tap including American Pale Ale, Hazy New England, and more. They will not be loading during business hours. They will bring kegs in via their commercial SUV during off hours. Loading in is a ten minute routine, Zolnay said, and they do it when the room is not open. Waste is put into the dumpster for the whole complex. Pickup is on Tuesdays. They do four packs, flights, and more. In their beer garden they grow hops and make a beer every fall that they call “Proximity,” because it’s made from local ingredients. Their spent grain goes to local farms, and some goes to their goats. A board members asked about filling up his own take home container. Zolnay said they do cans, because people brought in dirty fill containers during Covid. The board asked about the difference between a tasting room and bar. A tasting room can only serve beer—no food. A brewing license is not a liquor license. This will be their second location under their current license. The board asked how much they can serve to any one person. NJABC requires Invertase to take courses to learn how to spot people who have had too much. They’ve all had safe serve training. There will be no outdoor activity. The Board asked if Invertase wants to sell beer to stores in town. The owner was open to it. The board asked if they have a license from the health department. Hunterdon Health said they want to inspect, but Invertase still needs a floor, bar, and blocks. They will open a month from when the floor is complete. The board asked how the Phillipsburg locations compares to Lambertville. Zolnay said Phillipsburg is bigger. A board member wondered how many people will drive in just to buy beer, and expressed concern about traffic. Their lease is 5 years with an additional 5 years. Brewing is not permitted in the CBD, but George Michaels previously got a variance to do brewing there. Invertase will have a keg room, and the beer is always refrigerated. Jane Wesby, Vice Chair, was concerned about the hours. She said 10pm is late for Lambertville. Zolnay said he is happy with 9:30pm, or even 9pm—he wants to go to bed. His lawyer, however, wanted later hours: until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 9pm for everything else. Zolnay invited the board to Phillipsburg to see the space. He said he will not give them beer, but he will sell them beer and answer their questions. ### Gary O’Connor, Architect Gary said there are 118 parking spaces on Lambert Lane, and gave a lengthy explantation about parking in response to an earlier request from the city. ### Elizabeth (Beth) McManus, Professional Planner Beth McManus outlined why this is an acceptable use for this space. She said Lambert Lane is unique, because it’s hidden and suited for commercial use, but doesn’t have high traffic. She felt it will help with vagrancy in that area. She pointed out that River Horse was there for 11 years and the city is bringing that use back. Beth said Invertase is 208 feet from the Boathouse, but with walking it is nearly doubled, because you have to go all the way around the canal. For that reason, she feels it’s not creating a concentration. A board member asked if Lambert Lane is wide enough for two cars to go down at once. Invertase’s lawyer said Jersey Girlz did a traffic study. ### Public Comments Kate from Clinton Street asked if long term permissible uses could change. She was concerned that the keg deliveries might grow from an SUV to a bigger truck, or that outdoor activity could be end up being allowed in the future if the lease changes. She also wondered why they stay open so late. Invertase’s lawyer reiterated the hours, with vigor. He said special events can happen anytime, and parking will not be a hangout spot, because approval runs with the land, not the lease. Kate asked about food trucks. Zolnay said they have them on occasion in Phillipsburg. The board’s attorney said use changes have to go back to the board. Another local resident said she fears there will be more traffic coming to the space to buy their unique beers. Zolnay said it’s mostly on holidays that people do that, and those occasions would match their agreed upon open hours. Bob, from Clinton Street, said he’s basically in favor, but added that food trucks are common outside of tasting rooms. Zolnay said he wants people to eat at local restaurants. Invertase’s lawyer would not agree to not having food trucks on site. The board vice chair said any food trucks would have to go through the health inspector and city just as they do with Shad Fest. Another resident from Clinton Street said someone cut down the trees on Lambert Lane and now light and noise easily crosses the canal into her bedroom where she can clearly hear parking lot conversations. She was supportive, but also concerned about noise. Laura, a local resident, said she is friends with the owners of Invertase, and she wanted to support this small family businesses, because it’s not long before a corporate 40-unit hotel and parking garage will be coming to town. She said Invertase is a wonderful addition that will be respectful to the community. Mark, a CEO from Phillipsburg, said Invertase is a community hub much like a European pub. He said Invertase supports Porkrollpallooza in Phillipsburg. Brad, from Quarry Street, said, “full disclosure,” and explained that he is the rental agent for 80 Lambert Lane, which was empty a couple months ago. He’s been trying to get a brewery in Lambertville for years, and said Invertase will act as an anchor tenant, which will help attract renters to the vacant units. Several more people spoke in favor. One man said that, because Invertase has family style seating, he always meets people when he goes to the Phillipsburg location. He was excited that they will be in Lambertville. Another man said he thinks this is a good thing, because he works with Steve Zolnay at the Phillipsburg farmers market. A man named Scott said he likes breweries. Kate, from Clinton Street, reiterated that she didn’t feel 9pm is an appropriate closing time for this location. The zoning board planner said hours are part of the conditions for approval. There was some more discussion about the hours. Invertase’s lawyer asked for longer hours, but Zolnay said 9pm is fine. Jersey Girlz will close at 7pm. Brian Kelly, board member, opined about how [Owow Cow](https://www.owowcow.com/?ref=lambpage.com) closes at 11pm. “Nobody gets upset about that,” he said. “It’s hard to draw lines between residential on one side of the street and business on other.” The board unanimously approved, and the room broke into bustling chatter. The board then paid the bills and adjourned. ### Affordable Housing Advisory Committee: March 26, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/affordable-housing-advisory-committee-march-26-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T03:08:23.000Z These records are for informational purposes only. While these are not official minutes, care has been taken to ensure accuracy as best as possible. For official records, visit [lambertvillenj.org](https://lambertvillenj.org/?ref=lambpage.com). An Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meeting was held at 7pm on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center. The city has been working to meet its affordable housing requirements, and has identified potential sites by talking with property owners about the possibility of adding or developing affordable units. They’ve looked at a subdivision on the hill, and blue acres flood zone properties, including a lot where a [house washed into the creek](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GpHSX29gtp3kuMUL8?ref=lambpage.com) during Hurricane Ida. They also discussed the Maxwell Assets properties where Canal Studios, Luminary Coffee, and Barre Studios are located. These were said to be the last properties to be considered for redevelopment, because they are in the flood zone. Councilman Evan Lide thought those properties should not be written off, because they could be developed in conjunction with the CVS site. Village Apartments were mentioned as a possibility, although the owners haven’t replied. Lide said it will be developed at some point. Mayor Nowick said Village Apartments are not a viable option, because almost all of it is in the flood zone. There’s a requirement for residents to be able to drive off the lot in case of a flood, so a parking garages on the first floor won’t do. Elaine Clisham said it needs to be elevated approximately 12 feet. Also mentioned was 278 N. Union. Spokesworks was named as another potential site. It’s 1.78 acres, and only a small amount is in the flood zone. It has been remediated, and the owner is interested in potentially developing 25 units with 5 of them being affordable. Hashhouse was not included in the property list. Neither was the laundromat building on the south side. The requirements ask for a minimum of 6 units per acre, with 5 units minimum. The committee has to produce 9 units. David Minno felt that CVS is a very good lot. Lide agreed. Brian Kelly also liked the idea of using the CVS lot. Clisham liked the idea of the whole area around CVS being redeveloped. Kelly Grant said we need more density. Minnow said developing the CVS site in 10 years is realistic. The lease at CVS is up in 2026, then it’s reasonable for two years of planning and a two-year build. The Mayor said he felt that they have a lot of possibilities. It looks good for the six units with Habitat for Humanity, but the log cabin home at Closson Farm will need to be removed. Michelle Harris suggested that the city sell the log house, or donate it to the fire department for training. The committee wondered if the house was built with a kit, because that would make it easier to disassemble. Lide said he thinks Fair Share will be impressed with what the city has done. The Mayor felt the city has more for the committee to talk about with property owners, but he wanted to meet deadlines for the fourth round. The Wells Fargo parking lot was mentioned as a development candidate for affordable units, but apartments are not permitted facing street on the ground floor in the CBD, and there are minimum size requirements. Rago Gallery was another mention. It has the potential to yield 18 units, but the business plans to stay in open. There were questions about St. John’s school and the chuch parking lot. The Valparaiso complex also got mentioned. The apartment at 6 Lilly Street will be a family unit. It has been restricted for 30 years as affordable and will be presented to Council on April 17th. That same day, the Affordable Housing Committee will hand their list to City Council. Mayor Nowick wants to keep the conversation going, get the public involved, and possibly get property owners interested. He also thought it wise to put overlays on the Spokeworks site and CVS, but the overlays were considered optional. Julia Taylor said if and when the times comes for overlays, and if owners don’t agree with it, consider that overlays are not binding. Harris pushed the committee to get solid on the recommendations instead of giving a list to Council that might contain properties that possibly won’t work. Clisham said all they need for Fair Share are a list of properties that are “reasonably likely to be redeveloped in the next ten years.” The Mayor said that having one conversation with property owners and then proposing housing in two months is unrealistic. He prefers talking with property owners over time. “The work is going to continue,” he said. ### Lambertville City Council Meeting: March 20, 2025 URL: https://www.lambpage.com/city-council-march-20-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T23:14:45.000Z These records are for informational purposes only. While these are not official minutes, care has been taken to ensure accuracy as best as possible. For official records, visit [Lambertvillenj.org](https://lambertvillenj.org/?ref=lambpage.com). Public comments: Jeff Tittel, resident, expressed concern about contaminated soil, and worried that developers, if allowed to continue as they have, will go wild in town. Councilman Lide said Lambertville is trying to find another site for affordable housing, and cited 295 North Main Street by CVS as a possible location. Rodger Ferguson, resident and remediation professional, was livid. He felt that the \[contaminated soil\] situation at Cavallo Park was the result if incompetence, and he wondered why the city would hire a PA firm with no LSRP on staff. Councilman Lide said there will be a LSRP. The Mayor said the city will stay on top of it, and that the city is working on it to close out the grant. Ferguson said the city has grounds to file a complaint, and the Mayor said the council has talked about it. Dave Burd, resident, asked if the city has a business administrator. The Mayor explained that Lambertville is considering sharing a business administrator with Frenchtown. Councilwoman Kominsky expressed concern about sharing one. The Mayor said it would be good to have one for where the city needs help. The council adopted a resolution for Collective Belief LLC to open dispensary in town. Councilwoman Kominsky spoke about traffic at the site. Councilman Lide said there was concern about traffic on Wilson street. The council adopted a resolution to work with Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing in town. Councilman Lide said the city has a lawsuit on its hands and he wants Fair Share to know the city is serious about its commitment. The city has a proposed deed for an income restricted apartment. Councilman Stegman said working with Habitat for Humanity was a great move forward. His only concern was that the architecture should reflect that the proposed housing would be located next to a historical site, and that the final look should match what’s already on the site. He felt it is great that Habitat is interested, and that the city has the land. Councilwoman Lambert commended Stegman for having foresight in developing this agenda. The Mayor was pleased and the resolution was adopted unanimously. Habitat for Humanity will draft an MOU. They paid the bills. Ordinance passed to install two handicapped parking spaces for residents. They passed a souring wages ordinance (for positions that are out of use). They passed an ordinance approving affordable housing at 6 Lilly Street, where the city owns an apartment. Councilman Lide said it will be retroactive. They did not pass an ordinance to create Closson Farm Road. It was removed from the agenda. They held off, because the city needs a permit. They passed an ordinance for a handicapped space at 47 Delaware Ave. Passed an ordinance allotting $140k to finance Cavallo Park remediation. Pubic comments: Resident Jeff Tittel asked if the city has a LSRP, and if the town will recoup money spent on remediation. The Mayor said the council has discussed it. John, a resident connected via Zoom, said he was part of the Cavallo park restoration. Someone told him, “You’d probably have to eat the dirt itself,” for it \[contaminated soil\] to effect you. The council unanimously adopted the funding for the park cleanup, naming Brownfields Science and Technology as the contracted cleanup firm. Unanimous approval for new members to the Utilities Authority: Holly Havens, David Burd, Bob Dahl. Jen Gifford will join the Parks and Recreation board. Public comments: Carolyn Gadbois, resident and Chamber of Commerce President, expressed the desire to engage locals for Shadfest. She thanked the council for locals night, and said she supports growth and change as long as it’s done intentionally. Resident Jeff Tittel said our town is at risk if K. Hovnanian Homes gets its way \[for their proposed development\]. If soil contamination is spreading, he said, the town could declare an area of concern and consider a class action lawsuit. Resident John Towns asked why recent new construction didn’t contribute to the city’s 20% affordable housing requirement, and if the Finkle’s development will contain affordable housing. He added that we don’t need more green acres. The Mayor said the rule is that developments of 5 or more units are required to add affordable housing. Development with less than 5 units pays a fee into the city’s affordable housing trust fund. The Finkle’s proposal hasn’t come in yet. The development of over 5 town homes on Wilson Street was done as two separate developments, thus they avoided the affordable housing requirement. Councilwoman Kominsky said she hears people, and she feels that council owes it to everyone to be a steward of the town. She feels that our community experience is more important than someone’s boutique hotel experience. They’re revamping the historic ordinance, because people are doing things they haven’t seen before. She suggested that maybe the council should change things to meet the community. Councilman Stegman said they should look at the number of houses permitted, because builders built to what’s permitted. He said Lambertville is not the same city it was twenty years ago, and suggested looking at those numbers to make developers more responsible. Councilwoman Lambert said developers do projects in two phases so they don’t have to make an affordable commitment. She worries development is going to change our quaint, small city and she is committed to retain the small town feel that has made Lambertville such a wonderful place to live. Councilman Lide said developers paid money into the affordable trust fund, which has tripled in recent years. Coucilman Stegman said developments on Wilson, Ferry, and Delevan should have kicked in to the affordable housing requirement. The Mayor added that the city has a master plan, and processes in place. He said the city has made good changes in the past ten years. He wants the council to take the resilience action plan into account to wonder what the city will look like in five or ten years. The city must scale with safety, and with climate change in mind. He said they can start looking forward earlier than the 2029 due date. Public comments: Beth Bryant, resident, asked what round the Habitat for Humanity will be. Councilwoman Kominsky said it is proposed for round 3. Resident David Burd asked what the next process is with the judge. Councilman Lide said the developer gets heard by the judge. If motion is granted it determines their ability to move forward. In short, there will be more papers, hearings, and another month. The city is also filing papers. It was mentioned by council that they might extend the hours of the central business district starting in early April.