Princeton’s Joseph Hornor House Among Most Endangered Historic Places

PRINCETON, NJ — Preservation New Jersey recently released its list of 10 Most Endangered Historic Places. The Municipality’s Joseph Hornor House occupies a place on the 2024 list.

Located in the northeast corner of the 18th Century Jugtown village at the Nassau and Harrison Streets crossroads, the house was built in the 1760s by Joseph Hornor, the grandson of one of Princeton's Quaker founders.

The two-story, brick, side-hall house originally had a one-story kitchen wing. In the early 20th century, a second story was added on top of the wing.

The home is an important part of Princeton’s history.

In 2020, the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO-2) was adopted by Princeton Council to promote housing with 20 percent affordable units

It allows for four-story additions in conflict with provisions of the Princeton Historic Preservation Ordinance that warrant appropriately scaled and visually compatible new construction in historic districts, According to SAVE Jugtown Coalition.

The first development proposal in Jugtown under the AHO-2 would destroy part of the two-story Joseph Hornor House, according to the Coalition. A four-story, 20,000 square feet addition of 15 apartments, built partially on top of it, will overwhelm it physically and visually in conflict with the Historic Preservation Ordinance and National Park Service Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties, the group said.

“The addition as proposed would also overwhelm the historic Jugtown crossroads and set a negative precedent for future development in the Jugtown Historic District and in other historic districts in Princeton and elsewhere,” SAVE Jugtown said in a media statement.

For future inclusionary development in the Jugtown Historic District, Save Jugtown has had informal discussions with Princeton Council members for an amended, targeted overlay zone that explicitly recognizes the Jugtown Historic District, and protects its historic character and scale by complying with the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The new overlay zone would be adopted in 2025 as part of Princeton’s compliance planning for the upcoming Fourth Round (2025-2035) of fair share housing to ensure an appropriate balance between Princeton’s affordable housing and historic preservation goals.

The Princeton Historic Preservation Commission will review the development application for Hornor House, on Monday, May 13 from 5 p.m. -7 p.m., and will continue on Tuesday, May 14 from 5 p.m.

The Planning Board will review the application via Zoom on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m.

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