Summary
Overview
Princeton University. Office of Physical Planning.
Office of Physical Planning Records
1869-1994 (mostly 1946-1994)
194.87 linear feet, 136 boxes) plus 33 flat file drawers and 16 oversize folders
Abstract
The Office of Physical Planning was the division of Princeton University's Department of Facilities charged with oversight of the construction of new buildings on campus and alterations to existing structures. The records consist of office files and architectural drawings in a variety of formats.
Description
Description
The Office of Physical Planning Records document the activities of Physical Planning, one division of Princeton University's Department of Facilities, and are primarily related to the construction and modification of buildings and other structures on Princeton's campus. The records contain a variety of documents, including correspondence between Physical Planning and contractors/designers, interoffice memoranda describing potential projects, invoices for work completed, and studies and reports pertaining to the campus. Additionally, as the Office of Physical Planning was at one point the central repository for all architectural drawings and maps of campus, this type of material (in oversized and microform formats) constitutes a significant portion of the records.
Please see series descriptions in contents list for additional information about individual series.
Collection Creator
History
The Office of Physical Planning was the division of Princeton University's Department of Facilities charged with oversight of the construction of new buildings on campus and alterations to existing structures. The primary responsibility of Physical Planning was the management of construction of major structures and alterations to existing structures on the Princeton campus. Physical Planning also arranged for interior design, furniture planning, and landscape design in and around campus buildings. Its other duties included providing long-range planning support for campus building projects, particularly in regards to land use and zoning considerations as well as the maintenance of campus graphics including building plans and maps.
The antecedent to the Office of Physical Planning can be found in the Grounds and Buildings Committee of the Trustees, established in 1876. At the time of its formation the committee appointed a single individual to act as the Curator of Grounds and Buildings, later known as the Superintendent of Grounds and Buildings. As the campus grew in size so too did the level of staffing required for its management and maintenance. In 1964 the title of the position was changed accordingly to Manager of the Division of Physical Planning, and once again in 1986 to Director of Physical Planning. These changes in title were often spurred by the frequent arrival of new personnel, and the most singularly consistent figure in the administration of the Office of Physical Planning was Jon D. Hlafter *61, who served as its director from 1969-2004.
The title of the larger administrative department of which the Office of Physical Planning was a part also changed frequently throughout the University's history. At various times it was known as Grounds and Buildings; Property and Physical Facilities; Physical Planning and Facilities; and Planning, Plant and Properties. Since 1983, the department has simply been known as the Department of Facilities. Headed by the University Vice-President for Facilities, the Department of Facilities and its subsidiary units are located in the MacMillan Building.
Jon Hlafter's acceptance of the position of University Architect in 2004 came amid a reorganization of the Department of Facilities which resulted in the end of the Office of Physical Planning as it had been known. The tasks that had been overseen by Physical Planning were distributed among several newly created Facilities divisions, with the Office of Design and Construction being most analogous to the old Physical Planning office.
Collection History
Acquisition
The Office of Physical Planning Records were transferred to the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library in several accessions. The files which comprise Series 1: Building Project Records were transferred between 1996 and 2002, Series 2: Architectural Drawings (Microform) were transferred in 1986, and the bulk of the documents which comprise Series 3: Architectural Drawings (Oversized) and Series 4: Fire File were transferred to the library between 1972 and 1980.
Archival Appraisal Information
Appraisal has been conducted according to Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library guidelines. Nothing was removed from the records during 2007 processing.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Daniel Brennan with assistance from Joshua Muketha '10 in March 2007. Finding aid written by Daniel Brennan in March 2007. Additions were made by Christie Peterson with assistance from Suchi Mandavilli '14 between December 2010 and January 2011.
Accruals
Though the Office of Physical Planning has deactivated, transfers of similar records from the Office of Design and Construction and other divisions in the Department of Facilities are expected in the future.
Access and Use
Access Restrictions
All architectural drawings transferred by the Office of Physical Planning to the University Archives are open for research use. Other records are closed for a period of ten years from the date the record's creation.
Use Restrictions
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the University Archivist. Copyright is held by the Trustees of Princeton University.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Series 2: Architectural Drawings (Microform) consists of microform aperture cards. Series 3: Architectural Drawings (Oversize) and Series 4: Fire File contains oversized architectural drawings and blueprints.
Preferred Citation
Office of Physical Planning Records; 1869-1994 (mostly 1946-1994), Princeton University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
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Topics
Subject Terms
Other Finding Aids
A bound index listing the contents of Series 4: Fire File is available in the library for researchers.
Related Material
The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library holds many collections which relate to the development of Princeton's grounds and buildings, both from an administrative and a historical perspective. Chief among these are the Department of Facilities Operations and Maintenance Records (AC041), the Department of Grounds and Buildings Technical Correspondence Files (AC035), the Department of Grounds and Buildings Historical Subject Files (AC110), and the Robert Judson Clark Papers (AC208). The Board of Trustees Minutes and Records (AC120) also relate to the topic of campus development, particularly those records generated by the Committee on Grounds and Buildings found in Series 5 Subseries 4.
Additionally, the University Archives holds the Office of Physical Planning's University Chapel Stained Glass Windows Restoration Records (AC231), the Nassau Hall Iconography Collection (AC177), which contains historical depictions of one of Princeton's most recognizable buildings, and the Princeton Artwork Collection, which contains representations of other campus locations.
Finally, the University Land Records (AC028) include maps and surveys of the campus and other land owned by Princeton University, which were not necessarily generated or used by the Office of Physical Planning.
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