Historic Preservation

PROPOSED BUILDING – An artist’s rendering of the proposed multi-purpose building at the Rutgers Prep campus on Easton Avenue. Representatives from Rutgers Preparatory School on Easton Avenue have begun seeking the round of necessary approvals for a proposed new multi-purpose building. Their first appearance was at the May 7 Historic Preservation Advisory Commission meeting, where they gave commissioners an advanced …

With construction on the McDonald’s replacement location in Rutgers Plaza well underway, engineers for the project received on May 7 a thumbs-up to remove branding elements from the current restaurant in Village Plaza. A representative of the engineering company, Excellence Engineering, appeared before the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission for its approval of the plan. The Historic Commission’s Certificate of …

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT – An artist’s rendering of the proposed 4-story, 200-apartment building targeted for the former K-Mart building in Rutgers Plaza. The developer of a proposed 4-story apartment building targeted for Rutgers Plaza was told by the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission to “soften up” their building’s styling at the April 2 Commission meeting. Representatives from Levin Properties appeared before …

MAKING THE CASE – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker told the Open Space Advisory Committee on February 20 that the Meadows Foundation needs help in paying some of its bills. The Open Space Committee on February 20 voted to recommend that some of its money be used to help the cash-strapped Meadows Foundation pay some of its bills. The recommendation will …

The Howe House in Colonial Park is one of four historic sites receiving nearly $1 million through Somerset County’s Historic Preservation Grant Program. Organizations received grant money for the stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration, and/or preservation of historic sites. The funds were made possible by the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners through the Somerset County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation …

LOCAL HISTORIAN – Township Councilman Ram Anbarasan holds up the book, Community Collection for Kingston NJ, written by Kingston resident Markus McParland (right.) A 14-year-old Kingston historian was commended October 10 by the Township Council for his work in creating a book about the history of his home town. Marcus McParland was an 8th Grader at the Ying Hua International …

REVIEWING PLAN – Members of the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission review plans related to the proposed McDonald’s restaurant targeted for Rutgers Plaza. It took a few go-’rounds, but the McDonald’s Corp. finally got the needed approval from the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission July 18 for its new restaurant in Rutgers Plaza on Easton Avenue. The sticking point was …

McDonald’s has to provide a few more details about its planned restaurant in Rutgers Plaza before it can receive the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission’s blessing. Specifically, the Commission members want to see details of facade treatment for the enclosed trash area. The fast-food company won Planning Board approval in November 2022 to raze the former Burger King building fronting …

ON TO PLAN B – Plans to turn the historic Tulipwood House into an RVCC satellite campus were shelved due to cost and historic preservation concerns. A plan to convert an historic township building into a satellite campus for Raritan Valley Community College was scuttled, mainly because of renovation price constraints. The idea of converting the circa-1892 Tulipwood House on …

BUDDING HISTORIAN – 13-year-old Markus McParland described parts of his history book on Kingston to members of the township Historic Preservation Commission on March 7. A 13-year-old Kingston resident is putting the final touches on a voluminous history of the Village and is looking for help in tying up some loose ends. Markus McParland, an 8th Grader at the Yinghua …