Historic Ridgewood house should be moved to a new site, a consultant says

RIDGEWOOD — Move it.

That's the advice the Village Council has received from a consultant hired in April to assess a future course of action for the historic Zabriskie/Schedler house.

The consultant told council members at Wednesday's meeting that the circa-1825 Dutch American wood-frame house should be moved about 528 feet north to a yet-to-be-purchased single-family property at 510 West Saddle River Road.

Peter Primavera of Peter Primavera Partners LLC said the land would remain landmarked under this proposal, but an artificial turf sports field approved for the site would more easily win state approval with the house at a greater distance.

Alternatively, Primavera suggested that the village file an amended application to remove state and national historic landmark status from 6 acres north of the house so the sports field can be installed there without interference from state historic preservation agencies.

The house was given state landmark status in August 2019 and national landmark status that November. Primavera said he was unable to determine in 10 weeks of research how or why state and national landmark status was given to the property sometime between 2020 and 2021.

"The question for me personally is at what point did the 7 acres become historic," Primavera said. "It took everyone by surprise."

Landmarking the land protects it from disturbance without the approval of the state's Historic Preservation Office. In March, Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser cautioned council members that a warning from the office said any proposal for an artificial turf field on the land would require the additional approval of the Historic Sites Council. However, the Village Council approved an artificial turf football/baseball field for the property during the same meeting at which it hired Primavera.

Rutishauser said the Historic Sites Council seldom meets, and that could significantly delay approval. However, Primavera dismissed the additional Historic Sites Council review as a minor delay.

Different values

The land's historic significance is different from that of the house, a fact that has complicated plans for its use.

The land is a quarter-mile northeast of Old Paramus Reformed Church, where George Washington maintained his headquarters in 1778 and 1780. It is speculated that artifacts from that era remain on the site, and a 2019 Hunter Research study recommended that a metal-detection survey be conducted to determine whether any artifacts remain on the site before the land is disturbed.

A primary cause for interest in such a survey is the often-cited discovery of a Revolutionary War sword on the site. However, Deputy Mayor Pamela Perron said Wednesday that her research indicated the sword's connection to the property could not be verified.

Primavera said the house was once surrounded by a much larger property that was cleared for farming and that the 6 acres north of the house are "not significant."

"There are some 700 Revolutionary War sites in New Jersey, and they have traced the movement of troops," Primavera said. "There is no documented activity in this area."

The house's significance is architectural, Primavera said. It is one of the last wood-frame Dutch American farmhouses in Bergen County. Remnants of auxiliary buildings such as barns or sheds may remain northeast of the house, he said. The Hunter Research study said a "ground-penetrating radar" survey of the area "would benefit the overall management of the property's archeological resources."

The house is not wired or insulated. Ellie Gruber, president of the Friends of the Historic Zabriskie-Schedler House, has said in the past that the house's small-room configuration makes it most appropriate for small gatherings, a community center or lectures for a section of Ridgewood with no place to meet.

Primavera countered that the house would be better protected if moved to a new site and could eventually be altered so it could become an income-producing property as a site for weddings and club functions.

'Sinkhole'

So far, $4 million of the $7 million appropriated for restoring the Schedler property has been spent: $3 million on the property, $623,276 on the field, and $330,771 on the house. It was purchased in 2008 for $2.7 million, offset by a $1.57 million open space grant, which requires the property to be used for active recreation.

Former Councilman Jeff Voigt labeled the house a "sinkhole" in a 2020 letter to the editor after 2015 and 2017 proposals for sports fields north of the house failed to materialize and 2019 bids for an estimated $784,800 in restoration projects came in at $1.14 million to $1.25 million.

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Mayor Paul Vagianos cautioned that the adjacent residential property had not yet been purchased, and he questioned the cost of the move, which Primavera estimated at $25,000.

Vagianos asked about additional costs for the foundation, which Primavera indicated would be minimal. Councilwoman Lorraine Reynolds noted that the cost of a new well would have to be added, since the area is not accessible to Ridgewood Water lines, although the house is not currently connected to water.

Reynolds said moving the house would only tempt the council to approve an adult-size 60-by-90-foot ballfield for the site. But Vagianos and Councilwoman Siobhan Winograd said they would not approve a larger project for the space.

The council took Primavera's recommendations under advisement, but no decision was made.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ridgewood is told its historic house should be moved to new site