A 124-year-old mansion in Morris County could end up surrounded by new homes under a redevelopment proposal that would add as many as 38 residences to the historic property.
The plan centers on the Baker Mansion at 45 Lehigh Street in Dover, where officials are considering a project that would preserve the building while allowing new housing on the surrounding land. The revised redevelopment plan is expected to go before the Town Council for approval on Tuesday, November 10.
The proposal has already faced a difficult path through Town Hall. An earlier version failed to win final approval from the Town Council, and the revised plan would increase the maximum number of homes from 30 to 38.
The mansion dates to approximately 1902 and was once the estate of William H. Baker, a prominent Dover merchant whose family owned substantial property in the area and employed local residents around the turn of the 20th century…