New friends hope to help renovate historical house

Friends of Vanderveer House envision possibilities

By:Melissa Edmond
   The once beautiful and historical Vanderveer house on Route 206 has been unused and deteriorating in recent years, but a new group is working to raise money to improve the house.
   "We decided that the house had to be saved," said Marianne Fenwick, president of Friends of Vanderveer House.
   The newly formed group will be working with the community in saving the house built in the mid-18th century. The property was home to the Hillsborough Municipal Utilities Authority from the 1970s until 2000.
   She said the group’s goals include establishing a township museum with township artifacts added to the property.
   So one of its next moves will be fundraising.
   The group hopes to use "off-site contributions" from developers to help preserve the property as well, and the township appears willing to help. The Township Committee unanimously introduced an ordinance placing $13,000 from Larken Associates in the Vanderveer house’s preservation program.
   The money will be used for the study and preservation of the house including related grant proposals, engineering survey services, design services, and construction inspection.
   The committee introduced the ordinance at the April 26 meeting. The public hearing will be Tuesday.
   "Anytime we can preserve history here in town, it’s a good thing," Committeeman Anthony Ferrera said. "It’s great that we’re looking at this historic preservation in Hillsborough."
   The Township Committee also amended their agreement with Farewell Mills and Gatsch (FMG) to pay FMG less than $4,500 to apply for a Historic Site Management Grant. The grant will be for up to $50,000 from the New Jersey Historic Trust (NJHT).
   It could assist the township pay for professional service fees for the preparation of construction documents for repair and renovation work. The township has already met matching requirements for the grant with the money spent on the preservation plan for the property.
   Anelle Di Sisto, associate of FMG, said there might also be a grant opportunity through NJHT for a Capital Preservation Grant in 2006. The grant is for up to $750,000 for construction projects. To receive this grant, however, the township must match the amount requested.
   FMG has already helped the township apply for one grant to preserve the property.
   Ms. Di Sisto said FMG recently applied to the Somerset County Historic Preservation Grant Program for $333,735. There is no match required from the township for this grant.
   She said the grant would address the most urgent repair needs outlined in the final preservation plan FMG will send to the township this week. The repairs include fixing the deteriorating siding, replacing the roof, and fixing water infiltration to ensure the building exterior is water-tight.
   The plan was originally commissioned by the township and partially funded by a grant from the Somerset County Historic Preservation Grant Program.
   "I don’t know the likelihood of getting the grant," Ms. Di Sisto said. "It is in the hands of the reviewers."
   "Lets hope for a positive outcome on this," Mayor Bob Wagner said. "I hope we get this one."