May 17,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, 2018 Bergen County Historic Preservation Awards – The Dedicated Life honoring Isabella Altano, recipient 2018 Preservation Leadership Award, posthumously. Isabella worked tirelessly to save the historic Zabriskie-Schedler Jersey Dutch framed house.
“Isabella Cirilli Altano, 63, Ridgewood, New Jersey. Born in Molfetta, Italy, she came to America in 1969 at 15, settling in Jersey City, where she met her future husband, Brian Altano. The couple has been married for 39 years. Isabella earned an A.A. from Bergen Community College (B.C.C.), a B.A. from Columbia University, and a Masters in Architecture from Pratt Institute. She practiced architecture in Bergen County, specializing in educational facilities and hospitals. She was also an adjunct professor of Design at B.C.C., where she taught for 20 years. An indefatigable community activist, she spearheaded the drive to preserve the Zabriskie Schedler House in Ridgewood and have a park constructed on the property. She was also on the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Bergen County and a member of the Ridgewood Planning Board and the town’s historic commission.”
Well Deserved! I love this picture of her proud boys, husband and Mayor.
A fitting tribute to a very deserving citizen. Thank you Mayor Knudsen for following through with this.
I miss Isabella everyday. She was so talented, smart, funny, kind, loved animals and so very strong. I saw her stand up to one of our town bullies who was at least a foot taller than she was and she talked him down with facts and though she had to lookup, she made strong, unforgiving eye contact!
What a beautiful tribute to a truly magnificent person.
Isabella was fearless, bright, and talented. Anyone who met her is now better off from knowing her. It’s great to know her legacy lives on.
Isabella was a wonderful person but there were other sides to her that everyone was not fortunate enough to see. She was indeed strong, forceful, and persistent.