newjerseynewsroom.com

Places in Newark, Trenton, Union City, Bridgeton among those selected

TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Newark's second oldest building, New Jersey's mid-20th century diners, a natural municipal swimming pool in Ridgewood, a deteriorating monastery chapel in Union City, and the neglected Trenton Central High School are among the places identified by Preservation New Jersey Tuesday as among the 10 most endangered historic sites in the state.

For the past 16 years, the non-profit Trenton-based organization has annually named 10 historic sites that preservationists worry are in imminent danger of deterioration, alteration or demolition.

Ron Emrich, Preservation NJ director, said in Trenton, "The endangered historic sites program spotlights irreplaceable historic, architectural, cultural and archeological resources in New Jersey that are in imminent danger of being lost. The act of listing these resources acknowledges their importance to the heritage of New Jersey and draws attention to the predicaments that endanger their survival and the survival of all historic resources throughout our state.

"The list aims to attract new perspectives and ideas to sites in desperate need of creative solutions,'' Emrich said. "Several challenges face properties included on this year's endangered sites list, including neglect and deferred maintenance, weak or non-existent local preservation ordinances, and simple misinformation.

"But on this year's list, the effects of an extraordinarily challenging economy are particularly evident: a dearth of funds, a lack of historically-sensitive and financially-capable buyers, and taxed municipal budgets are just a few of the difficult issues with which not only those sites on this year's list, but historic properties throughout New Jersey, are currently grappling.''

Here are the 2010 endangered historic sites:

Click on the thumbnails for larger images

• The 1759 Vought House, 34 Grey Rock Rd., Clinton Township, Hunterdon County -- An 18th century farmhouse threatened by deterioration and funding challenges.
• The Blue Chapel at the Monastery of the Perpetual Rosary: Sisters of St. Dominick, 605 14th St., Union City, Hudson County -- A circa 1914 monastery threatened by deterioration, vacancy, and lack of protection.
• The Bridgeton Free Public Library, 150 East Commerce St., Bridgeton, Cumberland County --  A library threatened by municipal budget cuts.
• Graydon Pool at Graydon Park at Linwood and Maple Avenues, Ridgewood, Bergen County -- A natural municipal swimming pool threatened with demolition and replacement.
• The Historic Diners of New Jersey, statewide -- Emblems of mid-20th century culture, classic diners are being abandoned, demolished, and relocated out-of-state at an alarming rate.
• Historic Windows, statewide -- threatened by misinformation, stemming in particular from incorrect energy efficiency tax credit literature, that encourages window replacement.
• Hoagland-Clark House, Kendall Park section, South Brunswick, Middlesex County -- An 18th century house threatened by neglect and deterioration.
• Hurstmont, 679 Mount Kemble Ave., Harding, Morris County -- A turn-of-the-century McKim, Mead and White designed estate threatened by neglect and deterioration.
• The Plume House, Newark, Essex County -- Newark's second oldest building, threatened by continuous degradation from highway traffic.
• Trenton Central High School, Trenton, Mercer County -- A monumental historic public school threatened with neglect and demolition.

The selections are based on three criteria: historic significance and architectural integrity, the critical nature of the threat identified, and the likelihood that inclusion on the list would have a positive impact on efforts to protect the site.

"As we acknowledge each year, selections to the 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites list are based on the likelihood that solutions can be found and historic buildings and places can be brought back to useful and productive life,'' Emrich said.

Being named to the list does not mean a site will be preserved, but Emrich noted shining a spotlight on them has led to historic sites named in the past being preserved and given new life.

Preservation NJ announced the list of sites at the state-owned, privately run Old Barracks Museum, which stands adjacent to the Statehouse. Gov. Chris Christie has eliminated funding for the Old Barracks, one of New Jersey's most popular historic sites, from the proposed 2010-11 state budget.

"In a year marked by continuously dire economic news, we are once again struck by the realization that every endangered historic place serves as a challenge to all of us who cherish our history and our quality of life,'' Stephanie Cherry-Farmer, Preservation NJ programs director, said.

"A deteriorating estate in Harding Township and a threatened library in Bridgeton represent forces that threaten everyone's cultural heritage and serve as a powerful reminder that difficult financial times imperil landmarks statewide. In Newark and Trenton, complex state legislation is currently presenting opportunities to save cherished municipal landmarks, while in Ridgewood, simple public misinformation may destroy one.

"Just as the entire environmental community rallies when the quality of a waterway is diminished or a bird habitat threatened, preservationists must stop seeing our battles as merely local problems,'' Cherry-Farmer said. "We must unite our advocates and strengthen our voice statewide by drawing attention to all our threatened historic places, the shared causes of those threats, and most importantly, the common solutions that we know can help save them."