New Jersey Children’s Museum in Paramus to close its doors
August 22, 2014 Last updated: Friday, August 22, 2014, 10:26 AM
By Jodi Weinberger
Staff Writer
The New Jersey Children’s Museum will close on Sept. 1.
Tears were spilled at the New Jersey Children’s Museum on a recent summer day. Not from a fight over sharing toys, or a youngster protesting the trip home, but from the parents and grandparents who brought them there.
After 23 years, the Paramus play space will permanently close on Sept. 1.
“You’re going to make me cry,” said Lisa Grassi, just moments before her eyes turned watery as she watched her grandson, Cody, operate a stationary backhoe on what would be their last “Grandma Day” at the museum.
The Dumont resident said she had looked forward to bringing Cody’s 1-year-old brother when he was old enough on his next birthday.
“If it’s raining or too hot … where are we going to bring them?” Grassi wondered. “And it’s a chance for him to play with other kids.”
Anne and Elliot Sumers, the museum’s founders, shared the news of the closing with their 22-member staff last week and then posted an announcement on their website and other social media where fans of the space could commiserate.
“It’s just the saddest thing in the world,” said Anne Sumers on a phone call Aug. 19.
Ridgewood-based Valley Health Systems, which purchased the building including the 15,000-square-foot museum at 599 Valley Health Plaza, offered the Sumers the option to terminate their lease “a couple weeks ago,” said Elliot Sumers, when it otherwise would have expired in October 2016.
“We couldn’t continue to operate the museum under the current circumstances,” Elliot Sumers said, adding that it would have needed “considerable improvements” to the bathrooms and other areas.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/children-s-museum-in-paramus-to-close-its-doors-1.1072133#sthash.v8PAp7lE.dpu
Didn’t see anything about offer to renew lease. Very civil of Valley to let them out early so they can get the kids out quick & start work with the Valley East mega complex.
The unanswered question, in both this story and the one appearing earlier in The Record, is why don’t the Museum’s owners try to move the venue to another location? The loss of a lease in and of itself is not reason enough to go out of business. There is more to this story. Anyone know either of the owners?
It was reported that Valley paid $13.5 million for the property assessed at $3.5 million. Talk about an offer you can’t refuse. The owner of the Children’s Museum works for Valley. Talk about a coincidence for a property that probably wasn’t even on the market. Maybe some of all that untaxed cash should be divied up with people in need. Will the Fashion Center be the next out patient clinic & The Fireplace be Kurth Cottage East?