Save historic Prospect Avenue from damaging development
To the editor at Planet Princeton:
Princeton University’s application for a variance from zoning regulations for 1) moving the historic Court Clubhouse at 91 Prospect Avenue out of the National Register Princeton Historic District; 2) demolishing three graceful Victorian-era houses at 110, 114 & 116 Prospect; and 3) constructing a new pavilion at 91 Prospect that will be incompatible with the Historic District should be denied by the Historic Preservation Commission at its hearing at 3pm on June 7 and by the Planning Board at its hearing at 7:30pm on June 17.
All three components of the University’s proposed development on Prospect Avenue violate National Park Service policy for historic districts and buildings, and will irrevocably damage the iconic streetscape of 15 historic eating clubs and three Victorian houses that is unique to Princeton. The University’s rationale for doing this? – to attract and retain top faculty. Many of those faculty will no doubt be appalled by the University’s overreach on Prospect. Everyone in town admires the University and wants it to be as successful as possible, but at the expense of town and campus history? Its proposed plan for needless destruction and intrusion on Princeton’s most distinctive street is a bridge too far, and yet another damaging encroachment into a residential neighborhood.
The University cannot justify this completely unnecessary damage and encroachment. It has a vacant lot at 111 Prospect where it could erect a pavilion compatible with the historic streetscape, and it has a 2-acre vacant section of its proposed 660,000 sq.ft. development on Western Way and Ivy Lane where it could erect any type of building design it wants. It could also adjust the layout of the development to simply keep Prospect Avenue intact, which it should have done in the first place.
Information on the proposed development and its potential damage is available at https://www.change.org/saveprospect
If you feel strongly about preserving Princeton’s unique history and architectural heritage, please sign the petition at the above website, speak up to our elected officials, and attend the upcoming Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Board meetings and voice your opposition to granting the University a zoning variance that will enable the destruction of historic buildings and harmful development, and set a precedent for more of the same on Prospect Avenue and other historic streets.
Once the application is denied, we ask the University to work with the community and elected officials to develop a plan that will achieve its functional aspirations while also preserving
Prospect Avenue and Princeton history.
Clifford Zink
Mr. Zink is an expert in historic preservation who specializes in architectural, industrial, engineering, and landscape history. He is a resident of Aiken Avenue.
Submit your photos, news, blog post, news tip, document, request for coverage or letter to the editor to editor @ planetprinceton.com. Please include your contact information. Letters should be between 200 and 750 words. Add events to our community calendar by following the "add event" link on our navigation menu. Thank you for reading and contributing to Planet Princeton.
Tell it Clifford, you are our resident expert! You suggest some very good alternative. Would another alternative be for the University to preserve the historic Court Club exactly where it is, as the entrance to its desired new facility which they could build out the back? The U did this very well on Washington Rd with the former Frick Chemistry Building. It now serves as the entrance to the Louis Stimson (sp) building, which extends out the back along the plaza and fountain area, across from the School of Public & Intl. Affairs.
Excellent example, John! The University’s preservation of the exterior of the former Frick Chemistry Building on Washington Road, its remodeling of the interior for its new use, and its connection to new facilities behind it are all a fine precedent for keeping Court Clubhouse in place in the Princeton Historic District and preserving the Prospect Avenue historic streetscape. The University’s creative team of architects and engineers could no doubt accomplish this handsomely.
Simply put, PU does not need to move the Court Club at all. There is actually an empty lot just next to it.
So the Court Clubhouse is not blocking anything that it shouldn’t. And, there’s easy access to the ‘East Campus’ by going next to it, not through it.
Let’s not lose the “old” in “Old Nassau”…