For the many Forbesians who call the Annex home, one might wonder how such a space — with its cinderblock walls, dimly lit hallways, and cramped bathrooms — became a residential hall. The answer dates back to the 1970s, when the University acquired the Princeton Inn, a formerly functioning hotel, and proposed an expansion, a decision that continues to influence student dorm life today.
On March 31, 1970, The Daily Princetonian reported that, “The Trustee Committee on Grounds and Buildings has approved preliminary plans for a proposed addition of spaces for 140-50 students in the Princeton Inn,” which would become what we know today as the Forbes Annex.
The Princeton Inn first opened its doors on Alexander Street in 1924. After the University’s Board of Trustees decided to admit female undergraduates in early 1969, the school acquired the Inn as it rushed to find housing for its expanding student body. Prior to the creation of the residential college system, the Inn officially became the Princeton Inn College in 1970.
The University had initially planned to renovate Witherspoon Hall, the oldest dormitory farther north on campus. But “the estimated cost of $1.8 million” was higher than building new facilities at the Inn, which was “expected to cost $1,250,000” and was “as much as we [the University] ever want to spend.” As The Great Inflation gripped the U.S. in the 1970s, the University faced financial difficulties. Then University President Robert F. Goheen ’40 *48 spoke to The New York Times in the summer of 1970, expressing concern over Princeton’s estimated $2.5 million deficit for that fiscal year. The pressure to balance costs while catering to an expanding, co-ed student population led to the Annex.
Final plans for the addition, designed by architect J. Robert Hillier ’59, were revealed later that year in September 1970. The addition would include three buildings constructed around the already existing structure, identifiable by its distinct taupe brick, that was formerly the Inn’s employees’ quarters. These buildings were to be built south of the main inn in the form of a courtyard. This addition would increase the Inn's capacity from 150 to 470 students. The project aimed for a “rapid construction” with occupancy expected to start in the fall of 1971, the ‘Prince’ reported. For the new women at Princeton, their housing options, limited to women-only dorms, were either the new addition or “condemned Witherspoon Hall,” which was renovated by 1974.
Today, the future of Forbes remains uncertain. In 2024, the ‘Prince’ reported that Hobson College, upon its expected completion in 2027, would house Forbes students and staff while Forbes undergoes renovations. But in a recent statement to the ‘Prince,’ University officials wrote, “plans for any renovations of Forbes College are still being discussed and are not finalized.” While no timeline has been announced, the University emphasized that residential renovations follow “a multi-phase, data-driven approach” to balance costs and construction logistics while accommodating student life.
University administrators described how renovation decisions are carefully made and influenced by various factors, such as student demand, infrastructure conditions, and long-term campus planning. These projects must also consider logistical challenges, such as maintaining dining operations and minimizing student displacement, while aligning with long-term priorities for student well-being and community life. The University aims to carefully sequence construction and limit disruption during the academic year “to renew facilities without eroding the traditions and daily rhythms that define each residential community.”
As the University considers potential renovations to Forbes and other dormitories on campus in the coming years, the expansion of the Annex in 1970 seems all too familiar. With an uncertain timeline, how many more students will experience the charm of a half-century-old room in the addition?
Katharine Shea is a staff Archivist for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections requests to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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