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Tenafly council accepts Railroad Station Preservation Plan; preservation commission to advise
Summary
Council members accepted the Tenafly Railroad Station Preservation Plan and agreed the Historic Preservation Commission should provide advisory oversight; commissioners flagged staged phasing and grant opportunities and the council agreed unanimously to accept the plan as submitted.
The Tenafly mayor and council accepted a preservation plan for the borough’s historic railroad station and agreed the Historic Preservation Commission should serve in an advisory role on implementation.
Members of the Historic Preservation Commission recommended adoption of the plan and suggested the commission help oversee a proposed building advisory committee and advise on compliance with preservation requirements. The plan outlines short- and long-term steps, phased work over two to 10 years, and potential grant opportunities to offset costs.
Council members asked staff for clarification about which work has been completed and what remains. Council members and staff confirmed roof repairs and electrical work had been completed; additional internal structural and attic work remains and will be phased. The plan includes immediate short-term recommendations (some already done) and longer-term structural work. Participants noted the plan’s utility for pursuing grants and recommended phasing improvements to match available funding.
The council indicated it would accept the commission’s input, have borough engineers coordinate the work with state rail and engineering stakeholders as needed, and allow the Historic Preservation Commission to provide advisory oversight if the council approves subsequent improvements. The acceptance was recorded as unanimous.
Council members emphasized the plan’s potential to support grant applications and to phase work so the borough can pursue state and private funds over time. No formal appropriation was made at the meeting; council members requested a clearer list from staff of completed tasks and outstanding work so the borough could prepare grant applications and budget requests.
Speakers on the item included members of the Historic Preservation Commission, Borough Administrator David and multiple council members. The council did not create a separate permanent building advisory committee at the meeting but agreed to solicit the commission’s input and suggested staff would coordinate with borough engineers and state rail authorities where required.
