The historic Union Hotel in Flemington, where reporters swarmed during the Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial in 1935, won’t be demolished after all. The developer of the property, Jack Cust, and the Flemington Redevelopment Committee have agreed to preserve the 1890s structure instead of demolishing it as originally planned.
“As the redevelopment of the Union Hotel site continues to move forward, the Borough’s Redevelopment Committee and Jack Cust and his team have continuously looked for opportunities to preserve historic buildings included within the project’s footprint,” the borough said in a statement. “Recent changes in the project’s outlook and market conditions have opened just such a door. Seeing an opportunity to shift physical and financial facets of the project, and despite all the time, resources, and funds invested in the current plan, both parties agreed to take another look at options to preserve the landmark Union Hotel.”
The borough said it would release details of a new plan that would keep the hotel intact. In March the borough had agreed to allow Cust to demolish the hotel to build a new 100-room hotel, 250 apartments, a parking lot, and commercial buildings.
