Ridgewood’s Historic Zabriskie-Schedler Site: $1.6M Contaminated Soil Cleanup to Begin This Month
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — A high-stakes environmental cleanup is coming to one of Bergen County’s most historic landmarks. Starting between April 27 and May 4, the Village of Ridgewood will begin a six- to eight-week project to remove contaminated soil and solid waste from the Zabriskie-Schedler property.
The $1.6 million remediation is a critical step in a long-delayed plan to preserve the site’s 1825 Dutch American farmhouse while preparing the grounds for a new multi-purpose artificial turf field.
The Cleanup Plan: What Residents Need to Know
At a recent community meeting led by Village Manager Keith Kazmark, officials outlined the logistics of moving thousands of cubic yards of soil. To minimize local impact, the project includes several safety protocols:
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Traffic Control: Trucks will enter and exit via Route 17 to keep heavy vehicles off West Saddle River Road. Ridgewood Police will be on-site daily for pedestrian and traffic safety.
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Air Quality Monitoring: Systems will run continuously to track dust and particles. Residents can register via a QR code provided by the Village to receive real-time alerts.
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Dust Suppression: Crews will use water tanks to spray excavation areas, preventing contaminated dust from becoming airborne.
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Site Protection: Fencing will be installed to protect the historic house, nearby wetlands, and “archeologically sensitive” zones.
The Controversy: 7 A.M. Start Times & School Safety
The project hasn’t started without friction. Dozens of residents voiced concerns during a three-hour public session, specifically targeting the 7 a.m. start time.
While village policy typically prohibits construction before 8 a.m., Manager Kazmark issued a waiver. He argued that an earlier start ensures maximum efficiency and allows trucks to move before the peak morning rush, ultimately aiming to finish the project before school lets out for the summer in late June.
“They will start earlier for maximum efficiency,” noted Police Chief Forest Lyons. “There are less people on the road, and school pickups haven’t started yet.”
The Historic Stakes
The Zabriskie-Schedler House, built circa 1825, is considered one of the last remaining Dutch American wood-frame farmhouses in the region. It was added to the State and National Historic Registers in 2019.
To date, Ridgewood has invested over $5.4 million into the property, including:
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$3M for the initial purchase.
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$1.8M for critical house repairs.
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Over $670k for grounds and field work.
Next Steps for Neighbors
Residents near the site are encouraged to establish a “baseline” for their property. Kazmark suggested that those with private wells submit their latest water tests to Ridgewood Water to monitor for any changes during or after the soil disturbance.
While the 5-foot-high noise berm along Route 17 must be removed due to contamination, the Village has promised a post-remediation landscaping plan to restore the site’s safety and aesthetic barriers.
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Who received the bid to haul the contaminated soil away, and where is it being transported to?
What a nightmare. Watch all the dirt that falls from the trucks onto the roadways, washes into the storm drains and blows into the air. If I lived there I would wear masks outdoors at all times.
What a waste of money, this whole project has been they were better off building townhouses or some small development. At least a village would’ve got some tax income on it. So far, what are we up to 7 million when is it gonna stop? And how much is the village in debt for?
Make it a nature preserve. Existing fields are often empty.
Almost ALWAYS empty.
the cost is actually 2.6 million….$1 million approved previously
What will be done to prevent the contaminated soil seeping into the Dunkin’ Donuts directly across the highway?
Excuse me, you’re not adding what the price of the property was when they purchased it, and then the amount that was put into the Home, and then going forward who knows how much money they’re gonna spend so it’s way over 2 million
A parade of idiots….
With the excavator already driven on top of the berm without any fencing or protection being built, hasn’t the contaminated soil already been disturbed and compromised?
“$1.8M for critical house repairs” ?? This should be investigated by the Attorney General. It’s the smallest house in the neighborhood. I spent a lot of time in that house, and there is no way it needed $1.8million in repairs.