Group still fighting to block demolition of Duke mansion

FILE - Socialite and tobacco heiress Doris Duke is seen in a 1956 file photo. A community group hasn’t given up its efforts to stop the demolition of a historic New Jersey mansion that heiress Doris Duke once called home. The Hillsborough Township Historic Preservation Commission approved the demolition plans in October 2015. But the community group DORIS, for Demolition of Residence is Senseless, said Sunday, Nov. 8, that it has appealed that decision to the town’s Board of Adjustment. (AP Photo, File) FILE - Socialite and tobacco heiress Doris Duke is seen in a 1956 file photo. A community group hasn’t given up its efforts to stop the demolition of a historic New Jersey mansion that heiress Doris Duke once called home. The Hillsborough Township Historic Preservation Commission approved the demolition plans in October 2015. But the community group DORIS, for Demolition of Residence is Senseless, said Sunday, Nov. 8, that it has appealed that decision to the town’s Board of Adjustment. (AP Photo, File)

By Associated Press November 8, 2015 2 min read

HILLSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) – A community group hasn’t given up its efforts to stop the demolition of a historic New Jersey mansion that heiress Doris Duke once called home.

The Hillsborough Township Historic Preservation Commission approved the demolition plans last month.

But the community group DORIS, for Demolition of Residence is Senseless, said Sunday it has appealed that decision to the town’s Board of Adjustment.

The Duke Farms Foundation wants to demolish the 67,000-square-foot mansion that’s been empty since the tobacco heiress’ death in 1993. They say the building erected in 1893 has fallen into disrepair and would take at least $10 million to bring up to code.

But opponents have called on the foundation to explore several possible “re-adaptive uses” for the mansion that they say would generate income and attention.