WESTWOOD — A historic designation first headed to the Westwood governing body’s agenda this winter is now official: The Westwood Trust building at 1 Westwood Ave. — the prominent corner property home to Rosangelly’s Restaurant Café & BakeHouse — has been designated a local historic landmark, according to the Westwood Historic Preservation Commission.
The designation follows months of commission action on the property. In January, Pascack Press reported that the mayor and council were set to consider an ordinance establishing the site (Block 907, Lot 9) as a historic landmark after the commission adopted a resolution of intent to nominate the building under borough code and referenced a designation report documenting its history and architectural features.
The commission describes the structure as a four-story Art Moderne building with neo-Classical detailing, originally constructed as a bank with vaults and offices. Its location at the entrance to downtown, the commission noted, gives it a distinctive “gateway” presence in Westwood’s streetscape.
As a designated landmark, exterior alterations will now require review by the Westwood Historic Preservation Commission, including the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness, before permits can be granted for work affecting the building’s appearance. Interior features are not regulated. However, the commission said the current ownership recognized the building’s significance and took care to rehabilitate and preserve historic interior elements, including flooring, wood paneling, and coffered ceilings.
The commission called the project “an excellent example of adaptive reuse” and said it plans to share additional details about the site’s history, including historic photographs, in future posts.
Local architect William J. Martin said the building’s importance lies not only in its architectural style, but in how it reflects both its era and the aspirations of the community that built around it.
“The Westwood Trust building not only symbolizes the spirit of its time, but also serves as a reminder of the evolving hopes of the people who call Pascack Valley home,” Martin said. “Its preservation honors the borough’s architectural heritage and reinforces its role as a centerpiece in Westwood’s past and future.”
Martin also pointed to a lesser-known geometric feature that contributes to the building’s striking appearance: the 10-degree shift in the alignment of Westwood Avenue at the intersection.
“The monumental quality of the building is partly due to that subtle shift,” Martin said. “The off-angled corners are not typical square intersections, and that geometry creates an unexpected visual impact — both from the outside and within the building itself. It’s a quiet design moment that surprises and delights the observer.”
Martin, who has served for decades on local and county boards including the Westwood Zoning Board of Adjustment, Westwood Planning Board, Closter Historic Preservation Commission, and the Bergen County Historic Preservation Advisory Board, said the designation ensures that this defining feature of downtown will endure.
“It’s great to know that the building will now be officially preserved for future generations to enjoy,” he said.