A Princeton historical society appealed a judge's decision to allow a housing development at Maxwell's Field last week and now they're waiting to hear back.
PRINCETON - When a judge decided last month to allow development on a site the Princeton Battlefield Society has deemed historical, the group wasted no time in filing an appeal.
Now, within the next two weeks, the society is preparing to hear back from appellate court regarding whether or not Maxwell's Field - which some historians say played a role in the Battle of Princeton - will be turned into a site for faculty housing.
The faculty-housing proposal, brought forward by the Institute for Advanced Study was first approved a year ago by the Princeton Planning Board. The institute wants to build 15 faculty-housing units at the field near Einstein Drive.
But the suggestion didn't sit well with the battlefield society, which claims the site is historical. For the past year they've been locked in a legal struggle with the institute, even requesting an injunction over the summer.
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The injunction temporarily put a hold on the project's development until, in late Oct., Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson decided to lift the injunction and allow the institute to go ahead with their development.
But the society fought against that decision as well. Only a week after Jacobson's decision, they filed an appeal. The appellate court put a temporary hold on the development while they consider whether to keep the institute from developing the land, according to Bruce Afran, an attorney for the society.
A representative from the institute declined to comment on the pending decision Monday.
Afran said the appellate court should come back with a decision within the next two weeks.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.
