At a special meeting of Princeton Council Thursday evening, March 10, the governing body introduced an ordinance that, if passed, would make the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood a historic district. The measure next goes to the Planning Board, and could return to Council for a public hearing and vote on April 11.

If passed, the ordinance would please the many residents who want to honor the historical significance of the neighborhood and keep developers from tearing down existing buildings to put up new ones they feel would not fit in with the existing streetscapes. But for those who have invested in some of those properties, the issue is more complicated.

Carlo Momo and Leslie M. Dowling bought a house at 12 Green Street in 2014 intending to replace the existing building, which was in disrepair, while saving its attractive front porch. But the porch proved to be too far gone, so the couple gave it’s salvageable elements to architect Kevin Wilkes, who is restoring the historic Paul Robeson house nearby, for possible use in that project.

Mr. Momo, who co-owns several restaurants in town; and his wife Ms. Dowling, an architect with Dowling Studios, were unaware of the movement to make the neighborhood a historic district when they bought the house. The contemporary home she designed, which is nearing completion, might not have been possible to build if the designation had been in place.  “We had no idea when we started this process that it was a possibility,” said Ms. Dowling. “We probably wouldn’t have done it.”

But the couple say they are in favor of the historic designation — with some reservations. “The cultural designation of the neighborhood is really important. But I’m not sure it will achieve what people want,” Mr. Momo said. “To honor the cultural heritage, there should be more of a master plan instead of a concentration on this small area. I just think it could be addressed in a more interesting way.”

The house the couple bought on Green Street had been abandoned for two decades when they took it over. “It was rotted through to the foundation,” Ms. Dowling said. “We had every intention of preserving the front. And if it had had great bones, we wouldn’t have knocked it down.”

Reaction to the 2,200-square-foot contemporary house has been positive from residents who live nearby. “We haven’t heard anything negative,” said Mr. Momo. “We have tried to be sensitive to what was there. We like the neighbors. They have been overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming.”

The Witherspoon-Jackson community was developed as a result of segregation and discrimination, and has historically served as home to Princeton’s African-American residents, as well as Italian, Irish, and Hispanic families. Princeton’s Historic Preservation Commission has recommended the designation of the neighborhood, based largely on a study done by Wise Preservation consultants that concluded it is worthy of being made a historic district.

Such a designation comes with restrictions about renovations, improvements, and teardowns. While the rules would not be as strict as in some other districts, they could still present challenges to property owners who want to make changes, particularly to buildings that are in deteriorating condition.

“I think it has been an impressive discussion learning about the rich history of the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood,” said Council President Lance Liverman, in an email on Tuesday. “I just want to make sure that all residents and homeowners fully understand what the historical district ordinance will mean to them. I am supportive of what the homeowners would like to do.”

Other members of Council expressed support for the designation at a meeting last month. Councilman Patrick Simon was one of them, but echoed some architects and homeowners who expressed concerns about design guidelines.

Architect Marina Rubina, who has built houses in the neighborhood and lives there, cites zoning changes as one positive outcome of the possible historic designation. “During the Council meeting I was glad to learn that following the historic preservation discussion, the Council is considering changing zoning regulations to reflect the types of houses and smaller lots that currently exist in our neighborhood and make it so dense and vibrant,” she wrote in an email. “I really hope there will be an educational and public component to historic preservation.”

Some feel that without some changes to the proposed ordinance’s design guidelines and regulations, making Witherspoon-Jackson a historic district could end up hurting rather than helping the neighborhood. “If no one is able to improve to their own taste, the neighborhood could just become stagnant,” said Ms. Dowling. “Many of the landlords don’t even live in the community, and I’m afraid the designation as it is will promote more of that. There are different representations of styles that have architectural merit, but the majority is rental property that has fallen into disrepair.”