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BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
TENAFLY, NEW JERSEY —— A repurposed Liberty School – designed as a community, arts or cultural center – could be a “cultural anchor” in downtown Englewood, said an architect specializing in restoring and reusing historical buildings at the Feb. 6 city council meeting.
The presentation followed a Jan. 25 decision by the Planning Board to recommend Liberty School as an “area in need of redevelopment.” The council must vote to accept or reject the recommendation. No action was taken Feb. 5. Two council members, Michael Cohen and Cheryl Rosenberg, were absent.
The presentation by architect Peter Scaglione of Beyer Blinder Belle, New York, provided council members an overview of how “adaptive reuse” of historical buildings in major cities, including Newark, Montclair and Teaneck, often led to a revitalization of the area.
Following a 15-minute presentation by three speakers sponsored by Project Liberty, Michael Shannon, chair of Project Liberty, which presented three speakers Feb. 5 to address Liberty School’s future, asked about the next steps.
Council President Wayne Hamer said the council will soon create a request for proposals and the Planning Board will review the RFP before it is issued.
‘Highest and best use’
“The table is wide open, we are willing to hear what the possibilities are. My personal feeling is apartments necessarily are not the highest and best use. There’s a higher calling here that we have to deal with. And that’s the benefit and welfare of the city…now and moving forward,” Hamer said.
Shannon said Liberty School has “tremendous potential” and offered Project Liberty’s assistance to develop an RFP for the Liberty School site.
“We’ve not arrived at that decision yet. Every council person has some ideas of what they’d like to see take place at that site and now’s the time for those forward discussions to begin,” said Hamer.
“How we can utilize your skill set we don’t yet know. We still have to get our bearing on exactly which direction we’re going to begin to go,” said Hamer. “This is more the beginning of the process,” he added.
Mayor Frank Huttle asked if a work session or “a planning process” would be undertaken prior to an RFP. Hamer said the council would “spend as much time as we need to” planning before a request for proposals is issued for Liberty School.
“This is way too important for us to rush through. We will establish a process and a major planning component,” Hamer added.
‘A cultural anchor’
“I’m here to support the reuse of Liberty School for arts and community uses,” said Scaglione. He said a school building is “ideal” for these uses and could be “a cultural anchor” in the downtown area.
He said Liberty School is “recognized as one of the most handsome school designs” in Englewood and “the architects who did this building also did other great buildings in Englewood.”
Scaglione showed examples of projects involving downtown revitalization that used repurposed buildings as arts, cultural or community centers. He said the projects served as catalysts for further investments, business growth, and area rejuvenation.
A ‘distinct district’
Liberty School has great potential to be a center for creative entrepreneurship for cultural activities,” said Leo Vazquez, executive director of a national consortium that “strategically connects arts and local culture to social, cultural and economic issues.”
He said Liberty School could anchor a “distinct district” bounded by Liberty School, Mackay Park, Veterans Memorial Park, and bergenPAC.
“By connecting the dots here, you can develop a distinct place [or] district that can increase the dollars circulating in Englewood…which can create more jobs, more opportunities, enhance local businesses, honor the rich legacy of communities that are here and embrace the growing diversity you have in Englewood,” said Vazquez.
He said a recent broadcast report called Englewood “the second most diverse community in New Jersey.”
‘A rare opportunity’
“You have a rare opportunity because of these anchors, to create a sense of place that can be equitable and inclusive,” Vazquez added.
Shannon said Project Liberty, a newly formed LLC of Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, would offer professionals and assistance to help with Liberty School’s future use.
“This is the beginning and I think we’ve got a very experienced and competent team involved,” he said.
Liberty School was erected in 1901 by architectural firm Davis, McGrath and Kiessling of New York City, whose firm is also responsible for numerous homes in the city’s East Hill section. It features a Jacobean Revival style popular between 1890-1915, and combines aspects of Jacobean and Elizabethan styles.
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Graphic courtesy of Leo Vazquez, National Consortium for Creative Placemaking