May 2, 2022
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora said the city is looking for Request for Proposals for the Eagle Tavern as announced at a press conference this morning in front of the old tavern. The historic tavern is located at 429-431 South Broad Street near the CURE Insurance Arena. A PDF file of the RFP is below.
Some history of the Tavern provided by the mayor’s offices stated that researchers haven’t been able to substantiate the various tales of George Washington visiting this tavern, but we know it overlooked the American Revolution.
When Robert Waln purchased the surrounding Trenton Mills property in 1765, detaching from William Trent House estate, Waln became a big-shot mill owner without a swank home. So, he built the first version of this place. He operated it as a tavern and hotel intermittently until 1900, and it was likely used in the withdrawal of British and Hessian forces in the First Battle of Trenton.
Mayor Gusciora stated that the Eagle Tavern is one of the city’s oldest buildings, and we want to make it new again. We’re hoping to find something that’s befitting of the property and that contributes to the City’s revitalization.
We released this RFP and sent it directly to some of the sectors we hope to find interest in, like:
NJ Brewers AssociationRestaurant & Hospitality AssociationAmerican Institute of ArchitectsBrewers Guild of New JerseyNew Jersey Builders Association
Minority & Women Contractors & Developers Association