FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 29, 2020

More Than $10.7 Million Awarded for Preservation Planning, Heritage Tourism and Capital Projects and Special Initiatives 

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Historic Trust, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), today approved $10,227,499 in grant recommendations from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund for 50 preservation planning, heritage tourism and capital projects to save and promote historic sites throughout the state. In addition to the Preserve New Jersey grant applications, two special initiatives have also been included for funding, the Passaic County Regrant Program and an allocation of funds to the Discover New Jersey License Plate Fund. Together, these special initiatives total $550,000, which brings the total amount of funds recommended for the 2020 round to $10,777,499. 

“Investing in historic properties is key to preserving our past, present and future,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner.  “Each project represents a piece of New Jersey’s rich history. Restoring and preserving these properties will allow for the continued use of these structures and ensure that they continue to enrich and benefit the communities in which they are located.” 

Twenty-three of the grants will help fund preservation planning projects such as condition assessments, historic structure reports, archaeological investigations, and construction documents. Four grants will help fund heritage tourism initiatives to improve the visitor experience at historic sites. Twenty-three grants will fund capital preservation projects on sites listed in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. All grants awarded to nonprofit organizations or entities of municipal, county and state governments require a match from the recipient. 

“We’re happy to recommend this year’s grants, which will help to provide the financial and technical support needed to stabilize and revitalize historic properties throughout the state,” said New Jersey Historic Trust Executive Director Dorothy Guzzo. “We will continue to advance historic preservation and ensure that our historic treasures are available for future generations.” 

The grant recommendations, which have been approved by the New Jersey Historic Trust Board, will be presented to the Garden State Preservation Trust at its next meeting and require a legislative appropriations bill and the Governor’s approval before funds are made available. Funding for the current grant round is dedicated from a voter-approved constitutional amendment that created the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund. The Preserve New Jersey Fund continues the work of the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund and voter-supported referendums that have committed over $166 million to more than 950 historic preservation projects since 1990. All funded resources are listed in the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places, either individually or within designated historic districts. 

Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund Grant Recommendations  

Note: the project names are as listed on the National Register of Historic Places and may not reflect the current or common name of the property. Projects are listed in each category alphabetically by county. 

Historic Site Management Grants (up to $50,000)  

Applicant

Project Name 

Municipality  

Property County 

Recommended Award 

Palisades Parks Conservancy

Palisades Interstate Park 

Fort Lee Borough

 

Bergen  

$50,000 

The Radburn Association

Radburn 

Fair Lawn Borough

 

Bergen 

$42,255 

Woman's Club of Englewood

Brinckerhoff Carriage House  

Englewood

City

 

Bergen  

$39,600 

Newton Monthly Meeting

Newton Friends Meetinghouse 

Camden City

 

Camden 

$21,390 

Siloam Cemetery Association

Siloam Cemetery Historic District

Vineland City

 

Cumberland  

$30,000 

Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society

Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society Building

Vineland City

 

Cumberland 

$20,790 

Montclair History Center

Israel Crane House  

Montclair

Township

Essex 

$45,150 

Borough of High Bridge

Solitude House  

High Bridge Borough

 

Hunterdon  

$25,500 

Trent House Association

William Trent House  

Trenton City

 

Mercer 

$42,360 

Mercer County Park Commission

Pleasant Valley Historic District

Hopewell Township

 

Mercer 

$46,937 

City of Trenton

Mercer Cemetery  

Trenton City

 

Mercer 

$50,000 

First Presbyterian Church of Trenton

First Presbyterian Church

Trenton City

 

Mercer 

$44,482 

Borough of Jamesburg

Ensley-Mount-Buckalew House  

Jamesburg Borough

 

Middlesex 

$48,750 

Borough of Metuchen

Middlesex Avenue / Woodwild Park Historic District 

Metuchen

Borough

 

Middlesex 

$15,000 

SLTCC Landmark Friends, Inc.

Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club 

Rumson Borough

 

Monmouth 

$17,738 

Museum of Early Trades and Crafts

Madison Public Library and the James Building

Madison Borough

Morris 

$50,000 

Morris Museum

Twin Oaks (Peter H.B. Frelinghuysen Residence)

Morristown

Town

 

Morris 

$30,180 

Ayres/Knuth Farm Foundation, Inc.

Ayres’ Farm (Ayres Knuth Farmstead)

Denville

Township

 

Morris 

$29,738 

Borough of Mendham

Phoenix House  

Mendham Borough

 

Morris 

$12,000 

City of Paterson

Great Falls / S.U.M. Historic District (ATP Site)

Paterson City

 

Passaic  

$50,000 

Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church 

Montgomery Township

 

Somerset 

$50,000 

NJ State Park Service

Six Mile Run Historic District

Franklin Township

 

Somerset 

$23,531 

Jerusalem Lodge No. 26 F & AM

Plainfield Masonic Temple 

Plainfield City

 

Union  

$45,000 

 Historic Site Management Grants for Heritage Tourism (up to $50,000)  

Applicant

Project Name 

Municipality  

Property County 

Recommended Award 

City of Camden

Camden City Hall  

Camden City 

Camden

$50,000 

Rutgers University

Queen’s Campus 

New Brunswick City

Middlesex  

$22,275 

Navesink Maritime Heritage Association

Grover House  

Middletown Township

Monmouth

$22,291 

County of Passaic

Dey Mansion 

Wayne 

Township

Passaic  

$19,443 

 Level I Capital Preservation Grants ($50,000 – $150,000)  

Applicant

Project Name  

Municipality 

Property County  

Recommended Award 

NJ State Park Service

Absecon Lighthouse 

Atlantic City 

Atlantic  

$88,560 

Borough of Fieldsboro

White Hill Mansion 

Fieldsboro 

Borough

Burlington  

$24,000 

Cape May MAC

Emlen Physick Estate 

Cape May City  

Cape May  

$81,620 

Llewellyn Park Preservation Foundation, Inc.

Llewellyn Park Historic District 

West Orange Township 

Essex 

$150,000 

Morris County Park Commission

Speedwell Village 

Morristown Town  

Morris  

$115,000 

Level II Capital Preservation Grants ($150,001 - $750,000)   

Applicant

Project Name 

Municipality 

Property County 

Recommended Award 

Save Lucy Committee, Inc.

Lucy, the Margate Elephant 

Margate City  

Atlantic  

$673,668 

County of Burlington

Burlington County Prison  

Mt. Holly Township 

Burlington  

$526,500 

Home Port Alliance for the USS New Jersey, Inc.

USS New Jersey  

Camden City  

Camden  

$500,000 

Newark Performing Arts Corp.

Salaam Temple (Symphony Hall) 

Newark City  

Essex 

$750,000 

Borough of Hopewell

Hopewell Railroad Station 

Hopewell Borough

Mercer 

$249,907 

Lake Hopatcong Foundation

Landing Railroad Station 

Roxbury Township

Morris  

$254,879 

Roxbury Historic Trust, Inc.

King Store and Homestead

Roxbury Township

Morris  

$177,127 

Town of Boonton

Stone Arch Bridge  

Boonton Town  

Morris  

$320,000 

Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Mary Etta Cox House  

Barnegat 

Township 

Ocean  

$750,000 

NJ State Park Service

Ringwood Manor 

Ringwood 

Borough 

Passaic  

$550,000 

New Jersey Community Development Corporation

First Presbyterian Church of Paterson 

Paterson City  

Passaic  

$750,000 

City of Clifton

US Animal Quarantine Station 

Clifton City  

Passaic 

$300,750 

Stand Up For Salem

Broadway Historic District  (J. C. Penney)

Salem City  

Salem  

$630,000 

Township of Warren

Mount Bethel Baptist Meeting

House 

Warren Township  

Somerset 

$218,495 

Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Frazee House Inc.

Elizabeth and Gershom Frazee House 

Scotch Plains Township 

Union 

$337,161 

Musconetcong Watershed Association

Hoffman Grist Mill

Franklin Township 

Warren

$525,000

 Multi-Phase Capital Level II Preservation Grants ($500,000 - $750,000)   

Applicant

Project Name 

Municipality  

Property County 

Recommended Award 

Save Ellis Island Inc.

Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island 

Jersey City  

Hudson 

$560,422 

Monmouth University

Shadow Lawn  

West Long Branch Borough 

Monmouth 

$750,000 

 Special Initiatives  

Applicant

Project Name

Municipality

Property

County

Recommended Award

County of Passaic

Passaic County Regrant Program

Paterson

Passaic

$500,000

New Jersey Historic Trust

Discover New Jersey License Plate Program

Trenton

Mercer

$50,000

 

A full list of project descriptions can be found here

Established in 1967, the New Jersey Historic Trust is the only nonprofit historic preservation organization in New Jersey created by state law. The Trust became a DCA affiliate in 2002 in an effort to better realign the state’s smart growth initiatives with historic revitalization. Its mission is to advance historic preservation in New Jersey for the benefit of future generations through education, stewardship and financial investment programs that save our heritage and strengthen our communities. 

The Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund was established by legislation in 2016 after New Jersey voters approved a change to the state constitution to provide a stable source of funding for open space, farmland and historic preservation by dedicating funds from the corporate business tax. The Preserve New Jersey Fund continues the work of the Garden State  Historic Preservation Trust Fund (2000-2012) and the Historic Preservation Bond Program (1990-1997). Since 1990, more than $166 million in matching grants has been awarded to worthy historic preservation construction and planning projects throughout the state. 

 For more information on the New Jersey Historic Trust and its funding programs, visit www.njht.org

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CONTACT:
DCA:
Tammori Petty
Gina Trish
Lisa Ryan
(609) 292-6055