Historic preservation grant to benefit S.B.
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - The New Jersey Historic Trust announced its recommended list for historic preservation grants, and the South Brunswick Historical Preservation Committee has received one.

The list was ratified by the Garden State Preservation Trust and now must be approved by the Legislature. Twenty-six sites were selected and will receive a total of over $1 million in funding.

"The Historic Trust continues to work hard towards preserving our state's historic treasures," said Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Joseph Doria in a press release. "Historic preservation grants will help restore these sites and preserve their historic value for generations to come."

The money will be used to aid the Mapleton Preserve, a 53-acre property in the heart of the Princeton Nurseries lands.

Robert von Zumbusch, the chairman of the Mapleton Preserve Commission, explained what the money would be used for.

"It will go towards a plan for the reconstruction of the greenhouses in the Mapleton Preserve," he said. "There will be a cultural landscape report, not only for the Mapleton Preserve, but for other preserved properties."

He said that the township has chipped in an additional $16,667, or one-third of the grant.

"The report will provide the basis for how the various horticulture, like trees and fields, can be maintained," he said. "It will tell us what processes should be used to maintain it."

Von Zumbusch is not expecting the grant money for a while, quite possibly another year, as it has to pass through the Legislature and governor's office first.

He said it is possible the process could start sooner if they use the money from the township. However, that is up to the firm that will complete the report. It is not confirmed what firm will do the report as of yet, but von Zumbusch said it was an experienced one in this matter.

Sine 1990, the Historic Trust has given more than $108 million in grants to 582 preservation sites. It became affiliated with the DCA in 2002. Its mission is to "advance historic preservation in New Jersey for the benefit of future generations through education, stewardship and financial investment programs that save our heritage and strengthen our communities," according to the press release.