Perillo Tours Family Helps Finance $58K Move of Landmark Achenbach Barn to Former Exxon Site
photo courtesy of Saddle River Mayor Albert Kurpis
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
SADDLE RIVER, NJ – A valuable piece of Saddle River’s 19th-century history has been rescued from potential demolition. A resolution passed by the Planning Board on November 3rd has released escrow funds to help finance the relocation of a historic 1800s Dutch colonial barn.
The barn is set to be moved from its current location at 4 Apple Ridge Road to a high-visibility, borough-owned property at the intersection of East Allendale and West Saddle River Roads—the site of a former Exxon gas station.
The Historic Bargain: Barn for a Driveway
The 25-by-36-foot barn was originally part of the landmarked John George Achenbach property. The property was subdivided in 2002 under the condition that the barn and an existing driveway be moved. While the barn remained on the Apple Ridge property, the driveway removal condition was never lifted.
The property was sold in 2023, and the new owners struck a preservation deal with the borough:
- The Exchange: The owners agreed to let the borough take possession of the barn for historic preservation purposes.
- The Consideration: In return, the borough officially declared the original 2002 driveway removal requirement as “satisfied.”
Financing the Move: A Community Effort
The successful relocation project is being financed through a public-private partnership. The Planning Board’s November 3rd approval released escrowed funds to a trust established by the family that owns Perillo Tours.
- Total Estimated Cost: The project, which involves disassembling and reconstructing the barn, is estimated at $58,000 (down from preliminary estimates as high as $130,000).
- Funding Split: The borough is contributing $19,000, with the rest of the costs covered by the Perillo family, including a personal contribution of $19,000 from Steven Perillo.
A New Life for a Historic Structure
Once relocated to the former blacksmith site, the barn will undergo renovation to restore its original doors and details, transforming the long-vacant corner.
Mayor Albert Kurpis celebrated the effort: “This project restores beauty, signals our community’s commitment to reclaiming and reusing historic structures, and affirms one of the values that make Saddle River a peaceful, proud, and special community.”
The project, which builds on years of efforts to utilize the borough-owned property, will give this authentic piece of Saddle River’s past a new, prominent life opposite the borough’s landmark buildings in the Historic District.
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