Princeton Resident Criticizes Plan To Demolish Valley Road School

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton resident Kip Cherry is critical of the $1,088,000 price tag being floated by the Princeton Public School District Board of Education for the demolition of the Valley Road School. His letter to the editor can be found below:

According to the School Board’s numbers, it’s going to cost $1,088,000 to demolish Valley Road School. Let’s get real.

First, Valley Road School (VRS) is a historical site, the location of the first integrated regional school in the area. In 2013, it was honored by Preservation NJ as one of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in the State.

Constructed in 1918, it gained a reputation for cutting-edge curriculum development. In the 1950s, under the Princeton Plan, VRS became integrated when students were assigned to the school on the basis of their grade-level, rather than their neighborhood.

In recognition of the historic importance of VRS, the original design for the new 5th/6th School included the limestone arch from Valley Road School to symbolize its history and importance to the community.

Community members, including two from the Historic Preservation Commission, met with Superintendent Steve Cochrane and the School Board’s architect. Since that time, each presentation has repeatedly incorporated the historic arch in the design.

Recently, and suddenly, the plan changed. The arch disappeared from the building design, leaving what looks like only one of the smaller arches as an alone landscape element, no longer integral to the new building.
Not only is this a radical change and a violation of a commitment, but it brings up a question – instead of spending more than $1 million to demolish the entire building, couldn’t portions be saved, such as the 1950s addition currently housing the District’s Administrative Offices?

Former Superintendent Judy Wilson — not that long ago, in fact — undertook a major renovation of this portion of the building, including installing a new chiller system. I can see us heading down the same road that led to the massive cost overruns, mistakes and litigation of the PHS Performing Arts Center.

Kip Cherry
Princeton resident