By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
A citizens’ group is forming to try to save the main residence of philanthropist Doris Duke from the wrecking ball.
Township resident David Brook said Monday people are sought to organize to stop the demolition of the Duke family residence on the 2,500-acre Duke Farms property off Route 206 in the northern part of Hillsborough Township.
He said the group is named “DORIS,” an acronym for “Demolition Of Residence Is Senseless.”
Mr. Brook called the house a “historical gem” and “palatial.” A farmhouse on the property was purchased by tobacco and energy businessman James Buchannan Duke in 1893 and was renovated and expanded many times over his lifetime and that of his daughter, Doris.
The non-profit Doris Duke Foundation and its parent Doris Duke Charitable Foundation wish to demolish the house, which has deteriorated and would take $10 million to $20 million to restore, officials testified July 30. Duke Farms needs permission from the Historic Preservation Commission because the home falls in one of the township’s historic districts. The commission held a public hearing on July 30, and continued it to Sept. 24.
The foundation wishes to restore another building on the property, the Coach Barn, and use it for public programs on what has become an environmental showpiece tract. The foundation invested tens of millions of dollars to restore the Farm Barn to highest-quality environmental standards and to use it as a visitor center and office space. Much of the property has been opened up free to public visits and environmental programs, including starter farms and a large community garden. The conservatory has been restored to feature an orchid collection like the one Ms. Duke had.
Architectural historian Emily Cooperman testified July 30 that the building had undergone many facelifts and renovations that it lacked structural uniqueness. There also never appeared to have been major historic events happening in the house, she said.
In a letter, Mr. Brook said the “ironic part” was that the Duke family in 1987 sought historic designation of this house and the property, largely to keep the state from destroying the iconic stone wall along the property line, Duke Farms officials said.
Now, Mr. Brooks said, “The Duke Farms Foundation seeks to ignore that classification by arguing that the structure is not historic, since restoration is not part of their ‘vision.’”
The Duke Foundation doesn’t lack for resources to pursue an adaptive reuse, he said. The larger Duke Charitable Foundation has a net worth of more than $1.79 billion, he said, making “all kinds of potential adaptive reuses” possible to “readily be part of a vision for this publicly programmed property.”
“Protecting our history is critical to our future,” Mr. Brook wrote. “Preserved historic buildings, events and properties allow for educational and cultural enjoyment and give all people an opportunity to better understand where we have been and why we as a people and country need to protect these resources for future generations. The proposal by DFF to demolish the historic Doris Duke Mansion in Hillsborough will hurt local, county and national preservation efforts and should not be approved.”
Mr. Brook said Duke Farms Foundation was established as a non-profit after Doris Duke’s death and has “for the most part done a fabulous job of opening up her reclusive estate for public use. Unfortunately, its latest proposal to tear down the former main residence of Doris Duke is misguided and it fails to recognize the importance of the preservation of this structure in the overall context of this grand estate and the value that restoring it adds to the community.”
Mr. Brook urged people to email [email protected] to start the process of coordinating efforts to stop the proposed demolition.
