To the Editor:
Last Wednesday, February 11, the Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a revised plan for a three-story apartment building, behind the historic Hornor House at 344 Nassau Street in the Jugtown Historic District. The approved plan — consisting of eight market-rate units and two affordable units — reflects a compromise that balances historic preservation with the need for new housing.
An earlier, significantly larger proposal would have encroached on the Historic District and its setting. That proposal was strongly opposed by residents of Jugtown and the broader Princeton community, as evidenced by the many “Save Jugtown” signs that appeared throughout the neighborhood over the past two years.
Following a strong recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission against that first proposal, the Save Jugtown Coalition of residents worked with the builder and architect to develop a revised design. The approved plan better aligns with the scale and character of the historic neighborhood, preserves the Hornor House, and complies with Princeton’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, while still providing additional housing, including affordable units.
We thank the Barskys for their willingness to meet with neighbors and engage constructively in developing a compromise. We also thank town officials for supporting a compromise, and the volunteer members of the Historic Preservation Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment as well as the Historic Preservation, Planning, and Zoning staff for their careful and thoughtful review of the application.
Finally, we thank the residents of Jugtown and the wider Princeton community for the strong and sustained support for historic preservation.
With additional development proposals anticipated in the area, we encourage residents to keep their “Save Jugtown” signs, as continued community engagement will be essential.