To the Editor:
The worrisome trend of demolishing historic buildings within Princeton’s designated historic areas has been accelerating. A few recent examples in the Mercer Hill Historic District include the demolition of all siding and windows of an 1830s vintage home next door to the Barracks on Edgehill Street, and the demolition of all siding and replacement of windows of a historic home at 44 Mercer Street — a notable gateway to Princeton on the corner of Alexander and Mercer Streets.

This trend must be stopped to preserve Princeton’s outstanding and unique historic legacy. What protections do we have against rampant and uncontrolled development in these special, protected areas? Firstly we have the Princeton Historic Preservation Ordinance. On Page 2 of the Ordinance, demolition is defined as: “to partially or completely take down a structure or a part thereof.” In my reading of this statement, removing the entire historic skin of a building certainly constitutes taking down “a part thereof” of the building. According to the Ordinance, demolition of structures in historic-designated districts: “shall be approved only if the structure cannot be put to reasonable use and its preservation will impose a financial hardship on the applicant.” In the above 2 examples, the buildings were in useful condition and there was no issue of financial hardship. And yet the destruction went forward.

The Ordinance provides a second level of protection of historic structures by requiring that preservation plans only be approved according to a specific set of guiding principles. The first principle listed in section 10B-386 (3) (b) (i) is: “existing materials, if they are the original materials of the original structure or remodeling which is being restored, should be maintained and repaired rather than replaced.” Again, in the two examples cited above, both occurring within the last six months, the siding was in good or repairable condition, yet the historic fabric was lost to a landfill.

We can and must do better.

To address this concern, on June 17 a meeting was held between the Mercer Hill Historic District Association and the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). In the meeting, an in-depth review of the circumstances surrounding the loss of these two precious buildings was conducted, and various members of the HPC expressed support for a “reset” of the town’s collective efforts to maintain and enhance Princeton’s unique heritage, a return to strict adherence to the Ordinance, and an investigation into how rampant demolition of the historic fabric within historic districts can be rapidly brought under control.

I am encouraged that we have a positive groundswell of support within the Town government to protect our valuable heritage and I graciously thank all HPC and town Council members in advance for their help in righting the ship.

Many current applications before the HPC should apply for demolition, and this could not be a more urgent topic.

Rob Robertson
Mercer Street