Executive director of Duke Foundation says it would "cost a fortune" to preserve the iconic structure.
SOMERSET -- The future of the grand mansion that heiress Doris Duke once called home may be decided Thursday night in a showdown between those opposed to it being demolished and the Duke Farms Foundation.
The two sides will square off during a hearing before the township's Historic Preservation Commission on the foundation's application to have the mansion razed.
The hearing, the second on the matter before the commission, starts at 7:30 p.m. in the township's municipal complex.
The mansion, which has been empty since Doris Duke's death in 1993, has fallen into disrepair and is an eyesore on the property. The 67,000 square foot, 600-foot long, three-story structure was once the shining jewel of the estate.
Opponents of the demolition want to preserve the building for its historical significance. Should it be preserved, they say the foundation could find creative ways to use the structure, such as hosting weddings, conferences, and other events that would help drive the local economy.
"We feel the mansion is an icon of Hillsborough," said Carl Suk, a former Somerville resident who started an online petition to save the mansion and has over 3,400 signatures. "That mansion is the heart of something that triggered everything that went on in that whole estate. Removing that mansion is like cutting out the heart."
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David Brook, one of the organizers of DORIS (Demolition of Residence is Senseless), said the proposed demolition is driven by the foundation's "inability to have a vision" for the structure. He said the foundation "isn't in touch" with the community and is acting "elitist."
Michael Catania, executive director of the foundation, said it would "cost a futune" toheat the mansion, address problems with asbestos and bring it up to code. He wants to bulldoze the structure, which was built in 1893, and open another entrance to the property which would highlight it's breathtaking splendor.
Brook has accused the foundation of being secretive in its handling of the mansion, not informing the public that it was in such disrepair, and not involving the community in its decisions. But Catania countered that Duke Farms is a private property.
Brook and Suk listed the following reasons why the mansion should be preserved:
* Brook says the Duke Farms Foundation is worth $1.79 billion and have plenty of resources to rehab and maintain the mansion.
* Brook says that adaptive usages to the mansion such as weddings would bring revenue to the local economy with visitors staying in hotels, going to local restaurants, buying gas and going to local tourist attractions. Furthermore, it would create jobs, he said.
* Suk said that included in the mansion's historical significance is that it was among the first structures to have hydro electric power and perhaps the first in Somerset County to have a telephone. James Buchanan Duke founded Duke Power Company.
* Suk said that "demolition isn't stewardship." He said the mansion fell into disrepair because of neglect, not a lack of money.
* Suk pointed out that Mr. Duke handpicked Hillsborough as the site of his country home and Doris Duke did a lot of her philanthropic work out of the mansion. Their legacy should be preserved there, he said.
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"It (demolishing the mansion) is very disrespectful of the benefactors," said Suk, who once worked at Duke Farms. "It's like wasteful children of their inheritance."
Catania admitted that the foundation has a $1.79 billion endowment but only five percent can be spent in any given year and six different grant programs compete for those funds.
He said the foundation has also thought of holding wedding and conferences in the mansion but it wouldn't be cost effective. "People think that's a panacea but it's not," Catania said. He added that Duke Farms currently brings in over 500,000 visitors annually, which helps bolster the local economy.
"We have a vision, it's just not their (the critics) vision," Catania said. "We have a shelve full of awards that speak to our vision. We haven't done everything right, but I think we've done some amazing things here."
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com.Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.