Many residents from the east side spoke on the value of preserving local history and creating a community center . The Zabriskie Schedler House (circa 1825) is one of the last wood framed house from that time period . Preservation will further enhance the Village’s cultural assets.
On August 2012 ,three Bergen County Freeholders came to see the Zabriskie-Schedler house . Freeholders Mitchell, DeNicola and Hermanson wanted to learn about the history of the house and property and offered to help us save the house.
In October of 2012 “Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh favored preserving the house on the property and said the proposal needs to incorporate more than walking paths to cover the passive recreation component. Mayor Paul Aronsohn looked to Habernickel Park and said the process to complete that park should be used as a model.”
At the time as a result of these meetings held on the Schedler property, the Open Space Committee made a presentation to the Mayor & Council that will set the stage for the future design of one of the last open spaces in the Village.
Many who attended the three meetings and voiced their opinions. Some of you talked about safety, the importance of “true” open spaces, balance between sports facilities and park-like settings. Most importantly, nobody spoke against the demolition of the Zabriskie-Schedler house, the 1820’s Dutch wood frame farm house that greets all of us who exit Route 17 and enter West Saddle River Road. The demolition of this home should be prevented because it is one of the last remaining wood structures connected to our past.
At the time a group was interested in using the house. Such group, the Bergen Museum of Art & Science is proposing to house some of its antique collections in the Zabriskie-Schedler House.
However the council majority at the time took a different direction focusing on the clear cutting the park and building a 90 foot baseball diamond , but a new broom sweeps clean and at the RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING AND PUBLIC WORKSHOP SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING. MAY 24, 2017
17-56 Award Professional Services Contract – Professional Historic Architectural Consultant – Zabriskie-Schedler House Stabilization Project (Phase I)(NTE $50,000) –
This resolution authorizes the hiring of Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects to document the current conditions of the site, restore and stabilize roof, prepare and present nomination to New Jersey and National Register Nomination, and provide assistance for preparation of 2017 Bergen County HPTF Application.
Thanks for highlighting the approval of the grant application; just one addition: it was the Bergen County Historical Society President who came twice to the meeting and said they wanted the house for a library, open to the public, and a place to keep important county documents. The Museum also wanted it, but they were not willing to support the building, the BCHS was willing to pay for expenses relating to the building. It was a great disappointment that the previous council never approved this use. Thanks to this council to see the value in keeping the building for a public use.
We must be loaded with extra cash to spend any money on this. The truth is the local residents don’t mind spending other peoples money to keep their buffer zone.
12:25–not to mention a very important local resident…the mayor’s father who lives directly across the street. lest anyone wonder why people are skeptical of government….
Has anyone with true historical authority yet entered the house to see if any part of it is actually historic? All I have seen presented was the letter from the member of the historical commission. In his letter he stated that it would be necessary to enter the house and see if any of the roof trusses or basement foundation proved that a part of it was actually historical. Please, please post that validation for all of us to see. Otherwise we may be spending $50,000 on a building that in no way is historical. We know that the second floor and most of the original floor were add-ons. If we have proof that some of it is actually historical, please post it. And, if it does have some historical value, how is it going to be made handicapped accessible?
A lot of people in town do not mind “spending other people’s money” for things they personally desire. I for one have paid what feels like a zillion dollars to support sports fields and many other expenditures of no personal interest to me (while to my mind basically destroying the parks) without complaint. If we got to choose where our own tax money went, the world would be a very different place. I fervently wish that those pushing for the continual sports spending and the destruction of open space for that purpose would go lick their wounds and let other people call the shots for a change.
Puh-leez cut it out with the little digs against Mayor Knudsen and her family. It’s getting old and it’s simply dumb.