Little Red Schoolhouse work starts

Century-old building in Washington undergoing work to stabilize structure.

By: Mark Moffa
   WASHINGTON — The Friends of Washington, with the support of the Sharbell Development Corp., last week began stabilizing the Little Red Schoolhouse.
   Tom Troy, a member of the Friends and senior vice president of Sharbell, is spearheading the effort to stabilize the historic schoolhouse, located near the library at the municipal complex on Robbinsville-Allentown Road.
   The building, more than 100 years old, is one of several single-room schoolhouses that once existed in the township and now may be the only one left.
   Mr. Troy said workers, supported by money, equipment, and supplies from Sharbell, began restoring the building’s cedar roof, the exterior trim, and the wood siding Dec. 5. He said the structure’s exterior will be secure and weather-tight before winter weather arrives.
   "It’s up to the town to decide how they want to use the facility," he said.
   Mr. Troy in August received permission from the Township Committee to begin the stabilization. He said approximately $15,000 worth of work is being done.
   An additional $35,000 would be needed to get the building usable, he said. Those funds would have to come from the township or the community, he said.
   That money could be used for electrical work, heat/cooling installation, and restoration of interior surfaces, he said. Mr. Troy said the Friends have not yet begun to ask the public for money.
   He also said as much as an additional $100,000 may be needed to bring the building into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act while maintaining the structure’s historic properties.
   Originally located near Circle Drive, the schoolhouse once was slated to be demolished when construction began in the early 1970s on Route 195 and Exit 7A of the New Jersey Turnpike, which were being built near the schoolhouse.
   A resident named Russell Hulse wanted to save the building, so he donated a 1-acre parcel on Spring Garden Road, where he owned a farm, as the new location for the schoolhouse.
   The building later was moved near the municipal complex, in part to protect it from vandalism.
   Currently, Mr. Troy, former Mayor Nancy Tindall, former Committeeman Glen Beebe and resident Connie Carey make up the Friends of Washington.