Letter: Battlefield Society Not Trying to "Take" IAS Property

To the Editor:

At the March 1 hearing for the Institute for Advanced Study application to build on a portion of the Princeton Battlefield, a lady from the audience mentioned that she felt the Battlefield Society was trying to "take" the Institute land. My shock and horror at her statement was compounded by a member of the Board stating that he felt the same.

While the legal process continues, I wish to clear up this misconception. I have been a member of the Society for a short time, but at no time during my stay was taking the land mentioned. This was an attempt to influence the rezoning the IAS wanted to do.

The lady and the Board member should know that the Society tried to talk with the IAS to discuss land swap or land purchase when they first applied to build, or so I am told. The IAS resisted any discussion with us and have maintained that position all these years. A

few months ago, Professor Hacket-Fischer called Society President Hurwitz and asked the Society to send members to a meeting with the IAS to discuss a plan. The Society voted 100 percent to discuss a mediated plan. Mr. Hurwitz found out the next day that the meeting was not for mediating at all, but a "take it or leave it" proposal from the Institute. We declined participation and the Hearing became our option for opposing the IAS plan to build on the battlefield.

We don't want to take the land, but we don't want to lose the land either. We will continue to exercise our legal options as long as the Institute refuses to discuss options to building on this portion of the Battlefield. I assure you, we would never say "take it or leave it".

Respectfully,
Joe Carney, Glenwood, NJ

Joe Carney is a member of the Princeton Battlefield Society.