To the Editor:
I am writing in support of the Institute for Advanced Study’s faculty housing proposal under review by the Planning Board. As a direct neighbor of the Institute, I can vouch for their integrity and sensitivity to land use issues. In the five years that I have resided on Battle Road, they have never embarked on a change that might affect me without notifying me in advance. They have been responsive to any concerns I have had and have responded promptly to my requests for amelioration. The Institute is exceedingly respectful of the community. As a member of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Institute, and a former environmental regulator, I have been impressed with the thoughtfulness with which they have developed this project and I am certain that they will honor their commitments. Few people reside as close to this project as do my wife and I and, after careful consideration, I believe this project meets the objectives of respecting the neighborhood, the Battlefield, and the essential needs of my good neighbor, the Institute of Advanced Study.
Michael E. Morandi
Battle Road
I am sure the IAS is a good neighbor. However, respecting all, I don’t think so. Professor McPherson stated it best at the Planning Board meeting, “the Battle of Princeton was pivotal to the Revolution, the land that the IAS wants to build on is crucial to the battle and McPherson did not want the construction to take place as it would destroy the land.”
Mr. Morandi may not care about surrending a piece of his heritage to his good neighbor, but I do. I do not want my Heritage destroyed.
No matter how delicate or how conscience the IAS appears to be, they are still trying to roll bull dozers into the historic heart of the battle and desecrate the land. Whether by chance or design the IAS is custodian for a piece of the American Fabric that binds all of us too our founding. Providence or maybe chance has left that land undisturbed for 235 years, it seems odd and sad to destroy it after it has sat so long in a preserved state. I would like to end my thoughts with a quote from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, the group responsible for protecting the legacy of Washington, “As decision-makers, influencers, and leaders, I hope that the same can be said of your achievements in New Jersey as you recognize that preservation, too, is a form of progress.” I would add neighbors to the list of those who need to recognize that historic preservation is progress. There are certainly different opinions on what defines a good neighbor. Certainly a neighbor who “honors their commitments” could also honor history, the dead, and America.
Regards
Brian Kovacs