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Paterson HPC seeks county and state support to save Van Houten House; Barber Estate fire deemed salvageable
Summary
Director John Franco Arcamidi told the commission he is pursuing county partnership and New Jersey Historic Trust funding to rehabilitate the Van Houten House in Westside Park; he also updated commissioners on the recent Barber Estate fire, saying the main building is salvageable and emergency stabilization steps are underway.
The Paterson Historic Preservation Commission heard updates on two preservation matters on March 9: a push to secure county and New Jersey Historic Trust support for the Van Houten House in Westside Park, and an update on a recent fire at the Barber Estate in the Eastside Park Historic District.
Executive Director John Franco Arcamidi said the commission secured a council resolution urging collaboration with Passaic County to preserve the Van Houten House and that staff plan to meet with the New Jersey Historic Trust about a potential grant that could cover roughly half of rehabilitation costs, with the remainder matched by local funds. Arcamidi said a meeting with county commissioners and with Senator Neli Poe's office is planned to build support for a property transfer or other county involvement, and that the commission will ask residents to attend county meetings to advocate for the project.
On the Barber Estate, Arcamidi reported that a fire burned part of an upper‑floor wing but that a retained structural engineering firm (PS and S) found the main masonry building salvageable. He said that debris removal, boarding and a temporary flat roofing system have been completed or planned to prevent further water infiltration, and the owner is expected to mobilize contractors to execute emergency roof repairs. Arcamidi said longer‑term adaptive‑reuse discussions continue privately and may include combinations of public and commercial uses; he urged that stabilization steps be implemented promptly to protect the building while planning continues.
Arcamidi said staff will continue outreach to potential grant sources and to county partners and will report progress to the commission, including any opportunities for commissioners to participate in public advocacy.
