Passaic County seeks $3.37 million in Green Acres funding to restore Lambert Castle grounds

Michael Hanrahan, a principal with Clark, Kate and Hintz Architects, told the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 21 that the county is seeking Green Acres funding to complete Phase II of the Lambert Castle Historic Landscape Restoration, and that the firm's independent cost estimator put the price at "$3,365,000."

The Phase II plan would connect the recently constructed pedestrian promenade and carriage house area to the castle's North Lawn and repair failing features on the castle grounds. "This proposed project, this next phase, Phase 2, will connect what we've been calling the pedestrian connection to the North Lawn," Hanrahan said. He described work including repairs to retaining walls, resetting the marble terrace on the east side of the castle, installation of a new paver plaza at the foot of rebuilt stairs, new plantings and reconstruction of the historic steps from the parking lot down to the castle.

The county held a public hearing as part of the stewardship application to the State of New Jersey Green Acres program. The hearing notice, read into the record, said that project materials'including a concept plan, preliminary cost estimate and environmental impact assessment'are posted on the county website. The hearing was held Jan. 21 at 6:15 p.m. in Room 220 of the Passaic County Administration Building and solicited public comment on the county's application for funding.

Why it matters: The restoration is intended to enable the castle, the carriage house and parts of the site to remain open to the public long-term and to make key elements ADA-accessible without requiring future closures for construction. Hanrahan said the scope was designed so completed phases will appear consistent when the entire restoration is finished. "The goal with any restoration is to use as much of the existing material as you can," he said.

County staff and commissioners asked planning questions about sequencing, related projects and funding. Hanrahan said the North Lawn design drawings are complete but are awaiting funding; he said a number of past improvements at Lambert Castle have been completed using grant funds from Green Acres, the New Jersey Historic Trust and a state appropriation from the county's legislative delegation. A county director noted that Phase 1 (the pedestrian connection) was out to bid with bids opening Feb. 7 and said the Phase II work would be "teed up" for the following year if the Green Acres award is successful.

Public comment at the hearing was limited. Anne Schmackenberg asked whether planned work includes the North Lawn and asked about other site features; the hearing and presentation clarified that the North Lawn drawings exist but are not part of the current Green Acres stewardship application.

No formal vote on the Green Acres application was recorded in the transcript excerpt. The public hearing record and the application materials were solicited and will be part of the county's submission to the State of New Jersey Green Acres program.