the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Midland Park NJ, it appears that the David Baldwin House located at 60 Lake Avenue, Midland Park, is slated for demolition . The house was built in 1838. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983. David Baldwin was an engineer and inventor who patented various machines from the 1830s to 1870s.
Neighbors were very upset, We did hear back from the Bergen Country Historical saying “Unfortunately the only thing protecting the historic buildings are the town preservation commissions and their designations.”
Another neighbor summed it all up , “So we just received a letter that the David Baldwin House at 60 Lake Ave Midland Park will be demolished in mid September. The original house on that site was built in 1741, and then the main part of the house was added in 1838 by David Baldwin. It seems as though these historic homes no longer have value, but are only seen as lots to build new apartments. What a shame!”
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Disgraceful. Shame on these developers who only see their bottom line and do not care about history, just like Ridgewood with the historic Schedler property. The council doesn’t care about history, they just want a ballfield for the sports groups.
Nah, I disagree. Developers have always been @.ho.les and would screw any town, anyplace for a few extra $. It is the local politicians who are the real culprits here. They have no soul once they reach that chair. Quickly sell to highest bidder. Look at what they’re doing in HoHoKus crossing by end of N Maple. They had plans for a few luxury housing units and retail 10 years ago but waited and waited until they were able to declare it an area in need of development so they can build the monstrosity that you can see now.
There is destruction through construction everywhere in NJ. All planned.
Yup. “15 minute cities”
All rentals. Going forward, no one is to own anything.
Got that right! Just heard that after they take away our gas stoves the next step is to require all houses convert to total electric or you can’t sell until you do convert. Benjamin Franklin was right when he said “you have a republic, now keep it” .
This Council doesn’t care about much at all
Other than money and power….
Guess the Mayor and Council only care about ratables! All the crap they give us at election time is just that – a load of crap. So much for caring about the history, tradition and/or character of our town. They’re a disgrace!
Well, the people of the town should have a vote to purchase the property. How much is the home and land worth? It would be nice if the town would buy it and make it into a museum.
Their about to start layoffs and you think there’s coin for this?
1976 Bicentennial year the entire country was excited and patriotic restoring and saving these old historic buildings.
In 2026, the 250 year celebration, they may discover and wonder what happened to all our tangable history and landmarks.
We here in NJ are lucky to have some of the oldest buildings in the entire country dating back to the 1700s. There is a lot of other horrific recent architecture that deserves to be torn down other than these old historic locations.
what a disgrace
Shame on them
I owned this house from 2004 until 2011. Put lots of money in to restore her to the beauty she was in 2011. I can’t explain how upset and hurt we are that this could happen. It was an awesome house. I hope the ghosts that live there and in the servant house really act up!
Jesus. Everybody in town should chip in a small amount to save it and have local landscapers, plumbers, carpenters, etc. volunteer to maintain it. Lots of hardworking Dutch background family working man businesses in town who would love to save her I’ll bet!
Such a shame that all of our history in this area is being wiped out! What’s next? The little schoolhouse museum on Glen Ave!! So wrong and so disgraceful!
Did Rurik Halby have something to do with this?
Not every house is historic just because it is old (for example, the POS Schedler House is not “historic”)
Save the old Paramus Church and Schoolhouse but some of these things just are not historic.
I guess the Midland Park mayor ‘understands’ too!
Midland Park has the money.
To Harvey wall banger, I’m sure there’s other professional construction contractors that are not Dutch
willing to participate. That’s such a rude comment. Talk about racial remark. Midland park is not 100% Dutch anymore. It’s one big melting pot. Oh yes, the Dutch politics are far over.
The award for “Most Incomprehensible Comment on The Blog” goes to…
This is supposed to be a blog that believes in laissez faire and market-based solutions, isn’t it? The market has determined that there is more value to that property redeveloped into a new form than in the existing form. Seems simple enough, why should the government get involved?
and if it would cost taxpayer money to buy it the question is would people pay to use it or see it as a museum to offset the initial purchase cost? Otherwise, it costs the taxpayer’s more money. The answer is NO, don’t buy it. Let it be developed within the zoning rules.
To Harvey wall banger, you are remarkable
The place is pretty decent shape, it’s just nice to see the old world history in construction. I’m surprised Account didn’t get involved, because they are buying so much property making so many parks too bad they couldn’t pick up the home and move it somewhere. I’m sure on a deer a town believe me they’ll be people interested in the artifacts regarding the stone blocks and I’m sure there’s some old mill wood inside. They will not throw all that away.
The town of midland park could of used the house at a park or something like that. It’s history. Well I guess the old days are over in the Dutch town. That’s why all the old people are moving up to n y state. Up on the lake
Right Harvey.
Right Harvey.
The town could obtain county Trust fund $$’s for a Preservation easement for open space conservation and historic preservation.
Unfortunately today none and making more is the rule of the day. This home could be designed to fit in with any apartments they are going to build on that lot. But most developers just see the money and that is all they care about. And the town politicians are in the developers pockets. I have first hand knowledge of this wa=hen I was a board member in a near by town and a developer wanted us to change our position on his property. The board said no and he was not happy. They are are just greedy people and so are the politician.
Unfortunately today money and making more is the rule of the day. This home could be designed to fit in with any apartments they are going to build on that lot. But most developers just see the money and that is all they care about. And the town politicians are in the developers pockets. I have first hand knowledge of this when I was a board member in a near by town and a developer wanted us to change our position on his property. The board said no and he was not happy. They are are just greedy people and so are many politicians. Just follow the news today.
This is cultural displacement. Mass migration post-WWII saw a flood of second generation Americans with zero ties to local culture, history, or customs. There is little sense of historical belonging on the part of most Bergen County residents. If they actually cared, town architectural and historical preservation would be a high priority and these truly unique-to-the-region historical homes would never be demolished. The ancestors of the founders and early settlers are nearly completely displaced at this point, with little to no sway.
Agree
Disgraceful
welcome to midland park.
The new melting pot of Bergen County.
Demolished today by developers.