Debate looms over historic designation of ’50s neighborhood
By: Courtney Gross
As the threat of teardowns looms, some residents throughout Princeton are pursuing a designation aimed at protecting the character of their neighborhoods the much-debated historic district.
Although some see the designation as protection from the construction of McMansions, oversized houses out of scale with their neighbors, others have defined the historic districts as asserting unnecessary governmental oversight that unjustly treads on property rights. Such views have characterized a heated debate over a proposed historic district in the western section of Princeton Borough.
Those dueling views will be discussed Wednesday evening at Princeton Township Hall, where 34 homeowners on Deer Path and Clover Lane in Princeton Township will be presented with a consultant’s report that supports the architectural and historical significance of their houses, considered excellent examples of mid-20th century modernism, a style characteristic of the late 1940s through the 1950s.
The public hearing on the study, which was authorized by the township’s Historic Preservation Commission after several residents approached the group looking to pursue the designation, is one of the final steps for the neighborhood to be named a historic district.
Following the public hearing, the township’s historic commission will make a recommendation to the Township Committee either to name the area or not. The Township Committee will then make the final decision, following further input from the Regional Planning Board of Princeton.
The township has 15 historic districts and sites, but it has not created a historic district in 15 years.
Township Committeeman Chad Goerner, who serves as a liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission, said residents in the neighborhood have had mixed opinions on the pursuit of the designation. But the public hearing as well as an additional session slated for June hosted by Mr. Goerner and Princeton Planning Director Lee Solow is meant to do away with misperceptions and reach a consensus among the residents of the neighborhood.
"Obviously there are some residents that petitioned the Historic Preservation Commission to designate this neighborhood as a historic district," said Mr. Goerner. "We have heard from both sides, from residents that are in favor of it and residents that aren’t in favor of it."
On the other hand, Mr. Goerner said, the session scheduled for June 6 will serve as an opportunity to discuss other approaches that have fewer restrictions than a historic district, such as a conservation district. Were the Historic Preservation Commission to pursue a conservation district instead of a historic district, Mr. Goerner said Princeton "would be the pioneers of the concept in the state of New Jersey."
The Deer Path and Clover Lane residences are unique in the Princeton area for their modernistic architectural style that is set against a wooded backdrop. Constructed in the post-World War II era, the neighborhood is known for its carports and flat roofs.
According to the architectural study from Arch2 of Metuchen, "The Deer Path and Clover Lane Historic District is both historically and architecturally significant."
According to the Historic Preservation Commission, any home in a historic district would need approval from the commission if exterior renovations are planned. If painting a home a different color, an approval is needed, while landscaping improvements are beyond the commission’s review.
If a resident wanted to demolish all or part of a house in the district, proof would be required that the structure cannot be reasonably used and "its preservation will impose undue hardship on the applicant," according to the commission’s guidelines.
Wednesday’s public hearing will begin at 7:30 p.m.