Ahead of the Curve

Related to story on Princeton’s New Urbanists (“Built to Last,” January issue), I’d like to draw attention to another Princetonian long in the forefront of urban design and architecture. My father, Robert F. Brown Jr. ’58 *60, practiced architecture and urban design until his retirement 10 years ago. He long advocated mixed-use zoning, denser neighborhoods, good connections to public transit, and the inclusion of parks throughout cities. He was partner of Bob Geddes, former dean of the School of Architecture, for many years at GBQC Architects before founding his own urban-design practice, Brown & Keener, in the 1990s. He worked on plans for Philadelphia; Hoboken and Cranbury, New Jersey; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, among others. In more recent years, he has been active in Ashland, Virginia, both on the town planning commission and Ashland Main Streets, working hard to preserve its downtown.