Firehouses kept off historic inventory
Officials ask for delay pending talks on future of houses
BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer
The 19 sites the Red Bank Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) proposed to add to the borough's historic inventory were approved Dec. 5 by the Borough Council, with the exception of four firehouses, which were left off the 2006 list.

Engine Co. 93 on Mechanic Street

Fire department officials asked the council to exclude the firehouses from the fourth annual HPC report until they had time to discuss the inclusion with the rest of their departments.

"The main objection was the Liberty, Union, Independent and Westside [fire companies] because there have been some recent discussions," said Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels. "Those facilities don't meet current standards … and there have been some discussions about consolidation of companies.

"It was just a thought that they'd rather not be included because they don't want such inclusion to prohibit furthering those discussions," said Sickels, who is also the borough fire marshal.

Relief Engine Company was previously included on the inventory and is included on the 2006 proposal as well.

First Deputy Fire Chief Noel Blackwood was present at the meeting, and when a straw vote of the council led to a tie vote and a decision was left up to Mayor Pasquale Menna, council members looked to the back of the room where Blackwood was perched, for his recommendation.

"I would say you should table it until we have a discussion on it," he said.

With Blackwood's input, the council unanimously approved the 2006 inventory minus the firehouses.

"It's just to be courteous to the fire department chiefs and to the leaders of those companies, that they have a chance to discuss it and bring it back to us," said Councilman Arthur Murphy as to why he voted against the inclusion of the firehouses on the inventory during Menna's straw vote.

Joining Murphy in opposition to including the firehouses were Councilmen R.J. Bifani and Michael DuPont. Councilman John Curley and Councilwomen Sharon Lee and Mary-Grace Cangemi all voted for inclusion.

Menna, who drafted the historic commission ordinance with former Councilwoman Jennifer Beck, said he did not see any reason not to include the firehouses on the list and explained that their inclusion would simply allow the HPC advisory privileges on plans for the buildings.

"Our HPC is an ordinance that says in very brief terms that if you are on this particular list of historically significant structures, prior to any demolition of that particular structure that the HPC be notified of your intent to demolish the structure and they have a right to be heard. It doesn't mean they can stop the destruction of a structure, but they have a right to be heard," said Menna at the council meeting.

He added, "They cannot compel the Planning Board or the Zoning Board to not take action or to take … action; theirs is only advisory and moral in nature."

Back in 2004, three firehouses, Relief Engine Company, Independent Engine Company and Liberty Hose Company, were again the center of scrutiny when a fire station facilities assessment was conducted by Kellenyi Johnson Wagner, Peters Place.

The assessment found that some of the facilities were not up to code and included a preliminary estimate of construction costs for proposed upgrades and improvements, which in each of the three cases totaled more than $300,000.

"It is important to note that the majority of the currently recognized 'standards' for fire station design cannot be implemented. The constraints of the existing structure and sites severely limit the extent to which any of the borough fire stations can be brought into line with these guidelines," it states under the section Fire Station Guidelines.

The approved additions to the borough's historic inventory of more than 100 sites include several churches and other places of worship, the Red Bank Library and former Mayor Edward McKenna's residence, which was the former home of writer Edmund Wilson.

"Anything on the inventory is the fabric of this town. The historic fabric is on that inventory. What greater fabric, if you will, for the history of Red Bank than the firehouses?" asked HPC Chairman George Bowden at the Dec. 5 council

meeting.

The criteria for inclusion on the inventory consists of eight parts and include: location in one of the three historic districts; association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of borough history; association with the lives of persons significant in Red Bank's past; embodiment of the distinctive characteristics of type or period or method of architecture representative of the work of an important builder or designer or artist or architect.

Also, unique location or singular physical characteristics that make the site an established or familiar visual; containing elements of design, detail or craftsmanship which represent a significant innovation; and able to, or likely to, yield information important to the prehistory or history in Red Bank, according Bowden.

He added previously that as long as a structure meets one of the criteria on the list, it could be added to the historic inventory.

"The firehouses are all on because they are all historic … they are part of the lifeblood of Red Bank," Bowden said previously. "The churches, houses of worship and the firehouses all represent the real roots of Red Bank."