CAMP trainers Fred Raffetto, Esq. and Monica Callahan launch CAMP 2009. See more photos of this great event on PNJ's Flickr page!

Our intense fieldwork with historic preservation commissioners this past week was, as usual, a spectacular eye-opener: local preservation in New Jersey is diverse and intense, and local preservation efforts are tackling a host of challenges creatively and effectively each day. At Friday’s CAMP in Madison, we heard from commissioners dealing with everything from legal challenges to out-of-date resource surveys, and at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance forum we co-sponsored in Hammonton on Saturday, commissioners discussed their dealings with  issues as specific as sign ordinances and as broad as public education.

From all this discussion, however,  one overarching problem emerged as paramount: inter-commission communication. The home-rule nature of New Jersey’s municipalities seems to have gotten the better of most of our historic preservation commissions, resulting in a lack of communication between them. This is a problem that should be addressed immediately.

Historic preservation commissions are products of local legislation and therefore, all have slightly different procedures, political issues, and the like. Not to mention that, of course, each is dealing with a unique municipality and set of historic resources. All of this makes the tendency to be insular almost automatic: “Other cities and commissions are so different, what

HPC members collaborate on a hands-on design review exercise at this year's CAMP workshop. Help us continue our education efforts- donate TODAY!

do they have to do with us?” However, training days like those from this past week invariably reinforce that the basic functions, purpose, and activities of HPCs throughout the state are the same. All commissions deal with the same general challenges of  winning public approval, working closely with municipal authorities, reviewing applications for alteration, and the like. As a result, the potential for learning from one another is limitless!

If you are a local commissioner grappling with a problem or question,  post it in a comment here on our blog or on our Facebook page! Scores of other HPC members throughout NJ use these resources, and one never knows who might see your comment and be able to provide an answer. In addition, we are constantly adding the latest resources and information for HPCs to YOUR Local Preservation Commissions page on our website. Keep checking back for updates! Let us know what resources benefit you most and what you want to see more of.

These resources exist to serve you, so if you’re involved in local preservation, get connected and start talking! You are not alone- share your advice, and get your questions answered. Local preservation action in this state is diverse and strong, and a tight-knit statewide local preservation community will only makes things better!

We continue to pursue more effective ways to facilitate communication between HPCs- stay tuned!

We’re looking forward to the annual CAMP for local preservation commissions and their staffs this Friday in Madison.  No, no tenting at the Morristown National Historical Park, no need for bug spray, no campfires (well there might actually be those!).  PNJ sponsors each year, along with the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, a day long, intensive but fun training session called Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program (CAMP) for local preservation leaders.

It’s at the local level where preservation gets done, especially in the communities in New Jersey with preservation ordinances and commissions (or boards, committees or whatever they’re called), who save the buildings from being torn down, encourage property owners to make good and sustainable decisions, prevent demolition by neglect, make sure new construction fits in but doesn’t look like it was always there, maintain an up-to-date historic resources inventory, and keep their eyes on stuff that isn’t designated, but could be.  They have to do all this – as community volunteers! – while providing proactive public education and always-helpful customer service.

In this time of reduced economic resources and growing commitment to sustainability, it’s more imperative than ever that preservation commissions genuinely offer expertise and advice to homeowners.  Far better to be the energy-saving and money-saving experts than the “taste” experts!

(Thanks to Drane Wilkinson & NAPC)

The north, rear facade of the 1722 Nicholson House in Elsinboro, showing the diaper pattern brick east elevation

We spent an amazing weekend afternoon at the Abel Nicholson Study House in Elsinboro Twsp, near Salem, to see the tremendous progress being made by the Salem Old House Foundation on stabilizing that remarkable 1722 Pattern Brick House.  A National Historic Landmark (NHL), the house  is uniquely intact.  The 1722 portion, built adjacent to an even earlier house that was later replaced by the present west wing, has been unaltered for more than 285 years.  It has had no remodeling or restoration, no intrusion of electricity, plumbing or a central heating.  The Foundation plans to stabilize and maintain the house “as is,” as a place for scholars and architectural historians to study it in its nearly unchanged state.  Perhaps more than any other house of its period in the mid-Atlantic states, it tells the story of its evolution by its physical state today.

The Foundation recently received both Save America’s Treasures and NJ Historic Trust grants, among a host of donations, for roof replacement and brick pointing and stabilization on the diaper (diamond) pattern brick gable, east end elevation.  While working on the “newer,” west end wing of the house recently, the date stone near the gable top was carefully examined and what had been thought to be a construction date of 1859 was discovered to be 1839.  The wing had previously been regarded as a “late” rendition of a Federal house; now it seems it was pretty “modern” when it was constructed.

The Parlor fireplace. The mantel and woodwork probably date from original construction, the brick firebox a later infill.

Abel Nicholson was a prosperous farmer, whose father had been among the earliest Quaker settlers along Lower Alloways Creek starting in the late 17th century.  The house is described in the NHL listing as “an outstanding example of a Delaware Valley, brick, patterned-end house whose integrity allows it to stand alone as the only known, pristine survivor of an Anglo-American building tradition that existed for three-quarters of a century. When constructed, it was at a scale and with a level of detail that made it a mansion in relation to other dwellings of the period in the area; the crowning touch was the diaper pattern on the east end, culminating in the construction date…. The 18(39) addition, with a comparable level of architectural integrity, enhances the significance of the property.”

The interior, especailly of the 1722 portion, retains much of its original character and fabric; there are only two coats of paint on the walls!  Contained in the parlor is a writing closet adjacent to the fireplace, with a “desk” surface, bookshelves, windows to admit light, and ventilation grill.  Other unchanged elements from the period are interior partitions of beaded-board, a centrally placed stair tower, and second floor closet with bench.

The Nicholson study house will serve as an important study tool for architects, historians and scholars.  Kudos to the Salem Old House Foundation for its committed stewardship to an important New Jersey – indeed, American – landmark.  For more information, contact the Foundation: (856) 935-6462  or  PO Box 454, Salem, NJ  08079.

South (front) elevation, with the 1839 wing to the left

“There are times when I’ve been inside and I can faintly hear the roar of the Great Falls, and when I close my eyes, I can just imagine the roar of the crowds here during Negro League games,” says Brian LoPinto, cofounder of the nonprofit Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson.  “I like to just sit here and imagine what it would have been like to attend the Colored Championship of the Nation, or to have been here the day Dizzy Dean came and pitched just 10 days after winning the World Series with the Cardinals. Or when Elmer McDuffy, a Negro League pitcher, threw a no-hitter here in 1935. It makes you wish you could … and go back in time.”

Paterson's historic Hinchliffe Stadium. Photo credit: Kevin Cooley, National Trsut for Historic Preservation

Read the terrific cover article in the Nov/Dec. issue of Preservation Magazine about Paterson’s historic – and rapidly deteriorating – Art Deco-style Hinchliffe Stadium, home for decades to the Negro Leagues baseball, local high school sporting events, boxing matches and lots of local memories.

Paterson Mayor Jose Torres (a PNJ Board member), an outspoken proponent of the stadium’s revitalization, has had productive talks with the new Paterson Schools superintendent, Donnie Evans, whose agency owns the empty stadium, according to the magazine article.  Once an agreement is signed between the city and the School District, Mayor Torres plans to hold a referendum asking Paterson taxpayers for up to $15 million to renovate the stadium; he says he is optimistic it will pass.

Stay tuned; it’s a remarkable place with many many stories to tell, and with the designation of the new Great Falls National Historical Park, it presents a great opportunity for Paterson.

Tell us your stories about great memories of Hinchliffe Stadium.  Click on “Comment” above.

NJ Historic Trust Board Chair Debbie Kelly spoke about the incomparable benefits of Trust grants to New Jersey's heritage sites.

Today, state leaders, numerous heritage preservation organizations and building trade professionals gathered on the steps of the Essex County Courthouse to urge residents of Newark and Essex County to vote Yes on Public Question #1 on November 3^rd.  Voting Yes on November 3^rd will continue New Jersey’s commitment to the New Jersey Historic Trust, which contributed significant grant funding to the major rehabilitation of the historic courthouse and many other historic sites in Newark and across the state.  Today, the beautifully restored courthouse is a signature of Newark’s revitalization progress, and an example of the wise and sustainable investments that New Jersey must continue to make to enhance the quality of life of our citizens and protect our heritage while creating skilled jobs and stimulating the state’s economy.

Among the speakers on the steps of the Courthouse were Deborah Marquis Kelly, Chair of the Trustees of the NJ Historic Trust; Tom Gilbert, Chairman of the NJ Keep It Green Campaign; New Jersey Sen. Teresa Ruiz; Assemblywoman Grace Spencer, Lawrence Plevy,

Newark historian Elizabeth DelTufo, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, and Senator Teresa Ruiz discuss the need to pass Public Question #1.

CEO of Schtiller & Plevy Restoration Contractors and Board Member of Preservation New Jersey; Michael Mills, FAIA, of Courthouse restoration architects Farewell Mills Gatsch; Marty Wymbs of Sheet MEtal Workers Local #25, Mark Hall, president of Hall Construction, the General Contractor for the Courthouse restoration, and Newark historian Elizabeth DelTufo.

SEE THE FULL PRESS RELEASE

Big changes could be in store for the Federal Rehabilitation Tax credit- changes that indicate that more of our

Historic downtowns in communities such as Madison have been some of the biggest beneficiaries of the Federal Rehabiliation Tax Credit.

legislators are  finally beginning to realize just how effective this tool is at encouraaging community revitalization and creating jobs, not to mention saving our significant built environment. Within the last three weeks, two  extremely significant pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening and broadening the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit have been introduced!

First, on Tuesday, September 29th, Rep. Russ Carnahan of Missouri introduced the much anticipated Historic Homeowners Revitalization Act of 2009, H.R. 3670. The legislation seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code to “expand the incentives for the rehabilitation of older buildings, including owner-occupied residences.” That’s right, passage of this legislation would actually create a 20% Federal tax credit for private HOMEOWNERS. Federal tax credits are currently only available for properties that are to be used for income-producing purposes: owner-occupied residences are only eligible for state tax credits, which we do not yet have in New Jersey. This legislation could thereby change the fate of historic houses across the U.S., making their rehabilitation financially feasible to a much expanded group of individuals.

And the proposed improvements don’t stop there! Senators Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Olympia Snowe of Maine, along with Representatives Allyson Schwartz of neighboring Pennsylvania and Patrick Tiberi of Ohio, reintroduced the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act (CRRA) on Thursday, October 1st. The bill seeks to modify the existing federal rehabilitation tax credit program to better encourage re-use of historic buildings and to promote energy efficiency. Most significantly, this legislation would provide a small credit for some older buildings not listed on the National Register of Historic Places, once again greatly expanding the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit’s applicability.

To learn more about these bills and keep up-to-date on their progress, we encourage you to visit the website of Preservation Action, the national grassroots lobby for historic preservation. This group is working every day to ensure that this and other preservation-friendly legislation has fighting chance in Washington: find out what you can do to help support the cause!

Bear Tavern Road Bridge and Jacob's Creek Road intersection, September 30, 2009. Photo courtesy of Preservation New Jersey.

The Bear Tavern Road Bridge, spanning Jacob’s Creek in Hopewell Township, has been a topic of much discussion for several decades, and the issue has recently emerged into the spotlight once again. Mercer County has proposed replacing Bear Tavern Road Bridge, recently closed completely to traffic due to safety concerns, and realigning Bear Tavern Road at its intersection with Jacob’s Creek Road. The “Save the Victory Trail and Jacob’s Creek Bridge” local advocacy group is working to raise awareness of the plans and not only the bridge, but the surrounding landscape, which is, according to the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, extremely historically significant. It appears that this is one of very few locations along the “Washington Victory Trail” (the route taken by George Washington and his men on their December 26, 17776 march to Trenton) that remains much as did did during that nationally significant event 233 years ago.

Current plans include relocation of the truss bridge itself, a later addition dating to the 1880s that is designated a Hopewell Township landmark, to local Alliger Park for preservation. The bridge would then be replaced several yards downstream to coincide with the realignment of Bear Tavern Road. There has been much debate regarding the potential for rehabilitation of the bridge in place or replacement without realignment of the road. Mercer County officials are working with The Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, the State Historic Preservation Office, and other interested groups to balance the need for safety and access in the area with its historic integrity. Preservation New Jersey encourages further study of the area and situation in order to arrive at a final solution that protects the historic integrity of both the historic Bear Tavern Road Bridge and the  nationally significant landscape that surrounds it.

Click here to read PNJ’s October 9th letter to Mercer County regarding Bear Tavern Road Bridge

While the New Brunswick Presbytery’s “Administrative Commission” continues to consider the fate of the endangered 1867 sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church of Ewing, Preservation New Jersey has announced that the statewide historic preservation organization is accepting contributions that will be specifically restricted to the preservation of the historic church “at the bend in the road.”

In partnership with members of the congregation, the Ewing community and preservation supporters nationwide, PNJ is accepting contributions in any amount that will be placed in the “Ewing Church Fund” and expended only on preservation of the 1867 sanctuary.  All contributions are fully tax deductible: PNJ is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation with its mission to preserve historic buildings and places as a sustainable strategy to protect and enhance the vitality and heritage of New Jersey’s richly diverse communities. PNJ is the only statewide private membership-supported historic preservation organization in New Jersey.  All donations will be expended for the purpose of preserving, maintaining, repairing and rehabilitating the historic church building, as well as the administrative costs directly associated with the church preservation project.  Should the campaign fail and restoration not be accomplished, unexpended funds will be returned to donors on request.

Preservation New Jersey offered in August 2009 to take the landmark building and rehabilitate it for community uses.  PNJ’s offer was rejected by the Ewing Church Session, its governing body.  Subsequently, the New Brunswick Presbytery was asked by the Ewing Church Session to establish the independent Administrative Commission to decide the final disposition of the historic sanctuary building and deal with the disruption in the congregation caused by the preservation controversy.  The Administrative Commission began its work on October 7 and are expected to spend several months in deliberations, including how to use or return funds already donated over the past year to the Partners to Restore Ewing Sanctuary.

Online contributions are accepted on the Preservation New Jersey website, here.  Or, checks payable to “Preservation New Jersey” with “Ewing Church Fund” in the memo field may be sent to:  Preservation New Jersey, 30 S. Warren St., Trenton, NJ 08608, attn: Ewing Church Fund.  Please consider an additional, unrestricted gift to Preservation New Jersey to help us carry out our programs and assistance efforts, like the Ewing Church preservation project.

October 7th’s rally and public comment session at the Schools Development Authority (SDA) Board meeting shed an optimistic

Supporters of "A Better High School Plan for Trenton" rally outside the Schools Development Authority Headquarters on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

light on the potential that “A Better High School Plan For Trenton” will be thoroughly and objectively considered, including a public statement by SDA Board member Michael Maloney that, based on his past ties to TCHS, he could not vote for demolition. The SDA has indicated that their review of the modernization plan will be competed by the end of October. In the meantime, please visit the website for “A Better High School Plan for Trenton” to see how you can help!