Writing in Support of the Prominent Historians Defending Historic Princeton
To the Editor:
I read with keen interest the statement in the full-page advertisement entitled “Historians in Defense of Historic Princeton” in your April 23 issue. I encourage everyone to read the ad.
Expressing “deep concern about the preservation of historic Princeton,” six nationally prominent historians — Ken Burns, Harold Holzer, James M. McPherson, Jon Meacham, Sean Wilentz, and Brenda Wineapple — have singled out a massive luxury high-rise development project in the Mercer Hill neighborhood as “destructive and self-destructive.”
The development sits partially within the Mercer Hill Historic District, adjacent to the Barracks at 32 Edgehill Street — the oldest structure in Princeton, dating to 1684 — and close to two National Historic Landmarks, Morven, and Einstein’s house.
It is adjacent to Edgehill Street, one of Princeton’s oldest streets with residences that date to the 1830s. But all the structures in the area will be degraded by the towering luxury blocks being proposed. Take note: the project calls for a rise of 50 feet above Stockton Street, but as seen from Mercer Street and including rooftop machinery it will reach more than 100 feet high. Nothing in historic residential Princeton comes remotely close to the height of this ill-advised development.
With its whopping 238 units and a 261 vehicle underground garage the project will be by far the highest in density in any residential neighborhood in Princeton. It will be more than twice as dense as The Alice beside Princeton Shopping Center. The looming traffic concerns, meanwhile, are nightmarish.
To be clear, this project is not an effort to achieve housing equity. It is an immense profit-driven luxury development with the absolute minimum set-aside for affordable housing as required by law. Alternative plans for the site with lower density but more affordable housing have been presented to municipal authorities for consideration and summarily rejected.
If the project advances, Princetonians in general, not just those who live in the neighborhood, will be the losers. Residents need to know that the municipality has committed a $40 million tax break giveaway to the developer. This will shift the tax burden for schools and other public necessities away from the developer to ordinary taxpayers. Moreover, as the historians remind us, Princeton is a national treasure, and this heritage is to our collective benefit, especially as we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Princetonians: please help protect Princeton’s unique historic heritage. First, please send a brief note of support to the historians at historicprinceton@gmail.com. Second, please contact members of Princeton Council and of the Princeton Planning Board to make clear your opposition and remind them that they will be held accountable. Third, please attend all public meetings about this project. In all, celebrate Princeton history by protecting it against this unwarranted private development, for today and for the generations to come.