“CENTURIES OF MEMORABILIA”: Former Chief of the Princeton Fire Department and President of Engine Company No. 1 William Shields stands beside some of the extensive Chestnut Street Firehouse memorabilia that he hopes to preserve in a community room that will be part of a new affordable housing development on the firehouse site. The big bell used to ring from the top of the firehouse, and the “honker,” seen above Shields’ head, is one of several that would blast fire alarm alerts throughout the town. (Photo by Donald Gilpin)
By Donald Gilpin
At its September 8 meeting, Princeton Council passed two resolutions that will begin the process of redeveloping the former Chestnut Street Firehouse, Engine Company No. 1, one of the three Princeton fire companies that were consolidated in the 363 Witherspoon Street fire headquarters building more than 30 years ago.
According to the resolutions, Princeton Community Housing (PCH) will “construct, develop, own, and operate a 16-unit, 100 percent affordable housing development” on the 13 Chestnut Street former firehouse property.
But how to preserve a legacy that goes back to the founding of the town’s original fire department in 1788 remains to be seen. That legacy includes a tangible collection of plaques, banners, art work, uniforms, artifacts, and extensive other memorabilia.
At the Council meeting PCH Executive Director Ed Truscelli briefly thanked Council for its “persistence” and “confidence in us,” and noted that the rich history of the firehouse and its memorabilia would be given consideration in the development of the affordable housing site.
In a follow-up email he stated that the proposed “adaptive reuse” of the property “checks a lot of smart growth boxes” and noted that “most importantly the firehouse will become a welcoming neighborhood home for 16 families in a wonderful town with many resources.”
He continued, “We’re looking forward to working with representatives of the fire company to explore how the proposed community room in the building may also function as a way for folks to learn more about the history of the building, the company, and the firefighters who served the community.”
Princeton Councilwoman and Municipal Fire Commissioner Michelle Pirone Lambros elaborated in a September 15 email. “The facade of the building will be the same, as the building will be adaptively reused,” she wrote. “Our partner, Princeton Community Housing, has agreed to include a community room in the building where some memorabilia will be housed.”
She went on, “The 16 units of affordable housing will be a great addition to the neighborhood, where the fire station use was no longer viable in such a condensed space. Homes for those who can enjoy walking to the amenities of the downtown and being so centrally located makes sense for planning for the future of our town, and adaptively reusing underutilized public assets makes good sense.”
Princeton Mayor Mark Freda discussed the focus on preservation. “The history of Princeton Engine Company No.1 will be preserved in a couple of ways,” he said. “The fire company memorabilia can be split between the new envisioned community room at Chestnut Street and the existing firehouse on Witherspoon Street. The same as what happened when Princeton Hook & Ladder Company moved from the former firehouse on Harrison Street to the Witherspoon Street Firehouse, all the memorabilia was saved and displayed. So that would happen again in this situation.”
Former Princeton Fire Chief and Engine Company No. 1 President William Shields is strongly supportive of preserving the extensive memorabilia and the legacy of the fire company, but he is skeptical of the ability of the Council resolutions and the affordable housing development to achieve that goal.
He has appeared before Council several times in recent years to advocate for the preservation of the Chestnut Street firehouse as a multi-use auxiliary fire department facility, community gathering space, and an Emergency Services Museum. He has presented several alternative plans and proposals for making the most of the building as it currently stands.
Most recently, on July 14, he appeared before Council in full uniform to question where all the memorabilia stored at the Chestnut Street firehouse would go in the wake of the building’s “adaptive reuse.” A community room would not be a sufficient repository, he said.
“This legacy mustn’t be erased, but preserved,” he urged. He described the firehouse as “a cornerstone of the community for more than two centuries,” and “a repository of stories, memories, and sacrifices that have shaped this town.” He added, “We need to find a way to preserve this legacy and show respect for the sacrifices that have shaped the fabric of Princeton.”
As renovation plans for the Chestnut Street Firehouse move forward in the months ahead, town officials and PCH, along with Shields and other fire department representatives, will face the challenges of working together to meet both goals.