GRAND OPENING: The upscale rental apartments at Nelson Glass House, former home of the business Nelson Glass, are finally finished after a three-year process. The building is shown here in a rendering by architects JZA+D.
By Anne Levin
Three years have passed since Robbie Nelson hired Princeton-based architect Joshua Zinder to turn Nelson Glass, her family’s longtime business on Spring Street, into high-end apartments. Between COVID-19, changes in materials, and some design alterations, the creation of Nelson Glass House has taken longer than Nelson expected.
But the six apartments — all leased except for the one unit designated affordable — are ready, and Nelson is inviting the public in on Friday, June 10 from 6-9 p.m. to take a look around. The units range from $4,000 to $8,000 a month.
“This is boutique living,” said Nelson “All of the units have balconies. It’s unique, and it’s very high end.”
Opening the doors to the public is part of being a good neighbor. “I felt there were a lot of people who have been walking back and forth for a long time, and were curious about what we were doing,” she said. “It was important to me to let them in. I wanted neighbors to be able to see it. I know I always wonder what the inside of places looks like.”
Nelson Glass was founded in 1949 by Nelson’s late father, who also owned the house next door. Instead of selling, she opted to turn the two buildings into rental units. The process has been enlightening.
“I had no idea what I was getting into,” Nelson said this week. “Josh Zinder created a design that is unique and special, but also so intricate. These are not cookie-cutter apartments. Every unit is different. Every unit has a different layout. We ended up making some changes along the way, including to the interior, because of what we felt the market would want.” more