Frank and Christina sit with Anne LaBate and Shakira Abdul-Ali to discuss the "wisdom" of the State in its decision to tear the former Health and Agriculture state office buildings. 2 very cool buildings (one of them reminds us of NYC's Guggenheim Museum) surrounded by parking lots to make... MORE PARKING LOTS!

 
These buildings are iconic features of the Trenton streetscape:
They are strong examples of modernist architecture. The state’s historic preservation office has deemed them eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Renovations to update and bring distinctive older buildings to current standards is a time-honored approach to enriching and elevating great cities around the world.
 
It makes good economic sense:
An adaptive re-use of buildings such as these is likely to incorporate PILOT income for Trenton, representing new and desperately needed tax revenue. Re-use for residential or office purposes will enliven these buildings and this portion of Trenton’s downtown. 
 
Sustainable cities benefit from dense development, yet the cost of tall structures and steel construction is often cited by developers as prohibitive. In this instance the steel structures exist and do not need to be built from scratch.
 
More urgently, Trenton’s remaining homeowners are already bearing a deeply inequitable tax burden for being home to the State Capital. The replacement of two iconic buildings with parking lots would produce yet another act of racial and social injustice for the capital city’s residents.
 
Stop the wrecking ball!
I strongly urge you to stop the demolition plans and present this opportunity to the real estate development community. Trenton needs redevelopment that will create jobs, provide housing and offices and support economic growth in our capital city.
 
Instead of demolishing the buildings, let's invite developers to consider them for adaptive re-use. Please use your leadership position to reverse an ill-conceived plan by former Governor Chris Christie that leaves Trenton in a worse - rather than a better - position than it is in now.

Frank and Christina delve into the origin of Everyday Melanin Magazine with editor-in-chief, Ebony Johnson. Other things about Ebony surface just before someone in her life drops by the studio unexpectedly. BONUS! There are 4 minutes of the original interview after the outro.

This week, Frank and Christina sit with the president of the William Trent house museum, Princess Hoagland.

Trenton Waves celebrates its 75th episode with guests, Sempai and Torch! Don't miss the sizzling hot YouTube accompaniment video earmarking episode 75 with Frank and Christina.

Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwonuTp6qI4

This week's special episode of Trenton Waves focuses on the replacement of the South Broad Street Bridge over the Assunpink Creek in Trenton. 

This is an extraordinarily historic location, site of the gristmill of the first settlement of Trenton in 1679; site of the subsequent 1721 Trent's Town industrial complex of William Trent; site of the bridge over which the Hessians sought to escape in the first Battle of Trenton; site of the Second Battle of Trenton; and site of George Washington’s welcome into Trenton as he travelled from Mount Vernon to his first inauguration in New York in 1789.
Apparently, NJDOT doesn't think the street bridge is all that important. 
 
Most unfortunate, during recent meetings with NJDOT when asked what they were going to do about it, we were told “it’s not our problem.”
 
​Well, it's about to BE their problem.

1.      Confirm that the facing on the new parapet wall will be natural stone selected to match the stone on the historic bridge below.

2.      Adjust the design of the walls on both sides of the bridge so that each end of each wall is terminated by a “pier” or pilaster that is slightly wider and taller than the rest of the parapet wall.  We are anticipating that these “piers” could be used as bases for decorative lights.  We believe that this minor change will not only add interest to the design, but will make it safer by providing clear and obvious visual cues for the start and end of the bridge.  This is particularly important as the bridge is located both on a hill and a curve.

3.      Remove the existing steel outriggers on the upstream side of the bridge.  These are unnecessary and unattractive.

4.      Hang piping from the upstream (less obtrusive) side of the bridge to allow for the future relocation of the steam and other utility piping that is currently located on the downstream side of the bridge.​

5.      Confirm that the bridge design can accommodate two-way traffic in the event that traffic patterns in downtown Trenton are improved.​

Response from NJDOT? Crickets. 

⁠Click here⁠ to get their attention.

Paulie Pue joins the show this week. There are no words to describe this week's guest. NO words--we WILL say that here is an accompanying video here: https://www.trentonwaves.com/podcast/ep-73-hanky-panky-with-my-vocab that you can watch only after you listen to the episode and that Paulie almost renders Frank speechless.

The Sassos sit with Photog Extraordinaire, Carlos Vargas this week. Carlos talks about his newest exhibit at the Ellarslie Museum called "Junior 1" as well as his hatred for bicycles. 

The Sassos sit with Trenton Historical Society's VP and the Corresponding Secretary of the Ellarslie Museum, Karl Flesch this week. Karl takes the Sassos to school this week for a very cool Trenton history lesson!

This week, the Sassos sit with return guest and New Pod City, studio manager, Erin Friar.

The Sasso's podcast LIVE from New Pod City's parking lot at Trenton NJ's Art All Day 2020. Andrew Wilkinson guest hosts. This epic episode brings you special guests such as: