Passaic County to launch next phase of $10M Lambert historic estate overhaul
Passaic County is preparing to kick off the next phase of its $10 million overhaul of Catholina Lambert's historic Garret Mountain estate.
County commissioners last Tuesday approved a $5.16 million contract with M&M Construction for rehabilitation and restoration work at the site's carriage house. Heavily supported by grants from state-level sources, the project dovetails with ongoing and planned efforts at Lambert Castle and the nearby gardens and grounds.
The two-story carriage house is one of the few extant buildings on the estate from the time of Lambert, said Kelly Ruffel, the director of the county Department of Cultural and Historic Affairs. A silk magnate, Lambert used his extravagant wealth to create his Garret Mountain estate Belle Vista with its centerpiece Lambert Castle in the 1890s.
Sold by his heirs to the city of Paterson three decades later, the estate soon came under the ownership of the county government. In the 1930s, officials chose to demolish some of the smaller buildings that couldn't be easily reused. That included the gatehouse, greenhouse and chicken houses.
Saving the carriage house for modern reuse allows the county to obtain preservation grants, conserve existing resources and preserve county history, Ruffel said.
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"We want to preserve what remains of [Lambert's] story and legacy," she said.
Until 2019, the county's Sheriff's Office occupied the carriage house. When it reopens, it is due to have county office space, archives and a visitors center to serve as the starting point for tours, programs and events, Ruffel said. Some exhibit space, visitors service areas and public restrooms are planned.
"The building will be open seven days a week for parkgoers," Ruffel said.
The oldest portion of the carriage house dates from the estate's early days. That section, with a brownstone and sandstone façade to match Lambert Castle, will be restored. An expansion executed in the 1930s under county ownership is due to become a modern, climate-controlled space to house the county's historical archives, Ruffel said. The newest part of the building, dating to the 1970s and '80s, will be demolished, she said.
The project is expected to take 12 to 18 months, Ruffel said. Ideally, the carriage house will reopen in 2024 alongside Lambert Castle, the estate's Gilded Age mansion. Restoration work there is near completion, Ruffel said. Minor work remains outstanding with the elevator, art display system and decorative interior finishes, she said.
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Beyond the castle and carriage house, additional phases of the Belle Vista overhaul are also planned, county records show. They include the restoration of the north lawn and a project to connect the carriage house with nearby Lambert Tower.
Though incomplete, the multi-phase project recently received an award for Outstanding Preservation of a Public Building from the City of Paterson Historic Preservation. The nonprofit group Preservation New Jersey also awarded it a Preservation Craftsmanship Award.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic County embarks on next phase of Lambert Castle project
