Princeton Artists' Cooperative Princeton Makes Takes Sabbatical

The cooperative is searching for a new affordable below-market rental space after losing its lease at the Princeton Shopping Center.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Princeton Makes, an artists' cooperative and workspace located at the Princeton Shopping Center, is taking a sabbatical after four and a half years as it searches for a new affordable below-market rental space. The cooperative, founded by Jim Levine after he retired from a corporate HR career, provided a community for local artists to work, teach, and support each other. With the Shopping Center experiencing a resurgence, Princeton Makes is losing its below-market lease and will close on March 21, 2026.

Why it matters

Princeton Makes was an important hub for the local arts community, providing affordable workspace and opportunities for artists to collaborate, learn from each other, and share their work with the public. Its closure highlights the challenges facing artist cooperatives and other mission-driven organizations in finding affordable space, especially as real estate markets shift. The loss of this creative community space is a blow to Princeton's vibrant arts scene.

The details

Princeton Makes was founded in 2021 by Jim Levine, a self-described "failed retiree" who previously served as interim executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton. The cooperative provided workspace, classes, and events for local artists and crafters. Over its four and a half years of operation, Princeton Makes hosted artists' talks, exhibitions, poetry readings, and other community programming. However, with the Princeton Shopping Center experiencing a resurgence, the cooperative is losing its below-market lease and will close on March 21, 2026 as it searches for a new affordable space.

  • Princeton Makes opened at the Princeton Shopping Center in 2021.
  • The cooperative will close on March 21, 2026 as it loses its below-market lease.

The players

Jim Levine

The founder of Princeton Makes, who launched the artists' cooperative after retiring from a corporate HR career and serving as interim executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton.

Marlon Davila

A Princeton native and Princeton Makes artist who appreciated the cooperative's supportive community and opportunities for artistic growth.

Zohar Lavi-Hasson

A Princeton resident and Princeton Makes artist who developed as a ceramicist and enjoyed leading public events that engaged the local community.

Princeton Makes

An artists' cooperative and workspace located at the Princeton Shopping Center that provided affordable space, community, and programming for local artists.

Princeton Shopping Center

The shopping center where Princeton Makes was located, which is experiencing a resurgence and led to the cooperative losing its below-market lease.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The management of the Princeton Shopping Center has been amazing partners throughout our time there. They supported us by providing vacant space at below market lease terms, and it was always understood that as they filled the Center there would come a time when that space is no longer available. We would not have existed if not for their generosity.”

— Jim Levine, Founder, Princeton Makes (Press release)

“The co-op provided an amazing opportunity for my growth as an artist. The other members were always willing to teach and support me, and I really appreciate the tight knit community that we've become. It's a really diverse group of people in terms of the people as individuals and their artistic journeys, and it's been fun to make friends with people I otherwise would never have met.”

— Marlon Davila, Princeton Makes Artist (Press release)

“I've definitely developed as a ceramicist, and just as importantly I've enjoyed the challenge of leading many of our public events that broadened our community to include a wide variety of local residents. Those events allowed our co-op members to give back to the community by sharing their love of the artistic process and teaching people new skills.”

— Zohar Lavi-Hasson, Princeton Makes Artist (Press release)

What’s next

Princeton Makes will continue to operate until its final day on March 21, 2026, when it will close to search for a new affordable below-market rental space.

The takeaway

The closure of Princeton Makes highlights the ongoing challenges facing artist cooperatives and other mission-driven organizations in finding affordable spaces to operate, especially as real estate markets change. However, the cooperative's four-and-a-half-year run demonstrated the value of providing a supportive community and creative hub for local artists, and its legacy will likely inspire future efforts to sustain Princeton's vibrant arts scene.