Frank Banisch is currently serving his third term on the PNJ Board of Trustees. Brought into the group by a former board member, Frank’s historic preservation interests developed in his work with historic villages, hamlets, and towns throughout New Jersey. Frank is the President of Banisch Associates, Inc., a community planning and design consulting firm in operation since 1976. He is a graduate of Princeton University with a BA in Architecture and Urban Planning.
With a lifetime interest in historic preservation, vision planning, creative place making, and downtown redevelopment the importance of preservation is evident in Frank’s work and furtherance of the PNJ mission. Frank notes that “New Jersey is teeming with authenticity, and historic places are the evidence of our evolution as a place. Preservation and interpretation enrich our lives and inform us about the past, while also being a principal driver of economic development and downtown revitalization.”
Frank has been instrumental in jump starting the renewal of Flemington Borough and is the Co-Developer of the Stangle Factory – part of the legacy of the Fulper and Stangle pottery traditions dating back to 1924. As part of the revitalization of Flemington, the Stangl Factory has become an event space hosting a distinctive array of culinary, health, and wellness businesses and has a weekly year-round indoor farmer’s market. This is a perfect example of how green initiatives that focus on success by “reuse” rather than “rebuild” can enhance our communities.
PNJ thanks Frank for his many years as a Trustee and his support for historic preservation throughout the State.
