By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Doris Duke’s home will be allowed to be demolished, the Hillsborough Historic Preservation Commission decided late Thursday night.
After 90 minutes of public comment and an hour of lawyers’ summations, the commission voted, 6-1, to grant a demolition permit for the former ultra-rich philanthropist’s 65,000-square-foot main residence on the 2,700-acre estate that is now primarily an environmental preserve. The home has been closed to the public since 1993.
The only ‘no’ vote came from commission member Tim Stollery, who said, “History will judge us, guys, and I think you are making a mistake.”
The Preservation Commission heard comments from 33 members of the public, including Doris Duke Charitable Foundation President Edward P. Henry, who testified to the foundation’s study of adaptive reuses and found none that would fit in with the foundation’s mission for property.
About three-quarters of the public comments came in personal, sometimes emotional pleas from individuals who beseeched the board to allow the mansion to stay. Testimony included personal pleas that demolition was antithetical to Ms. Duke’s wishes, and because she considered it her home among all of her residences in the world, including Hawaii, California and Newport, Rhode Island. Ms. Duke died in 1991.
Objectors were represented by township resident David Brook, who used his summation to urge a vote against demolition, or at least grant a six-month “cooling off” period in which Duke Farms and community volunteers could come to some plan to convert the resident to another use.
“Demolition is like extinction,” he told the board.
Most preservation commission members agreed with Duke Farms that the residence – whose core farmhouse was bought by James Buchannan Duke in 1893 – was not historically significant on its own and the Duke family legacy resided in the entire property, which has been largely preserved as a free, public preserve to serve as a model of environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Duke Farms argued that the building’s many additions and renovations ruined the building’s architectural significance. It argued that the $10 million to $20 million estimate to restore the property could be used on renovating the Coach Barn elsewhere on the property for conferences and meetings, and opening up the 50 acres or so around the house to the public.
Similar to the October 24 meeting, many objectors wearing red DORIS stickers for Demolition Of Residence Is Senseless, sat on one side of the room and about blue-shirted Duke Farms employees sat on the other.
The next step is for Duke Farms to request the permit from the township building department. Duke Farms Executive Director Michael Catania said that would happen soon, and estimated it would take one to two months to take down the building, likely this winter. Mr. Brook said the objectors would likely appeal the granting of a permit.
Commission member Greg Gillette said Duke Farms had brought “compelling testimony” that the house in itself was insignificant and that the Duke family legacy was contained within the whole property. Duke Farms has spent an estimated $50 million to preserve and restore 25 buildings on the property, including the Farm Barn as a visitor center and administrative offices and the orchid garden building. It has built a large community garden, started incubator farms and opened the grounds for walking and bicycling.
Once the house is removed, that part of the estate will be opened to a bicycle and pedestrian path linking to the Nevius Street bridge into Raritan Borough, said Willard Bergman Jr., attorney for Duke Farms.
Mr. Stollery said Doris Duke had properties round the world, but considered Hillsborough her home. The house “may be a hodgepodge or a white elephant, but it’s Doris Duke’s white elephant,” he said.
