Site sought for third Takanassee building

Site sought for third Takanassee building
Port Huron house will become a museum
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Agroup interested in preserving the historic Takanassee buildings in Long Branch met last week to find a new location for the third and smallest of the buildings.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Above: Councilman Brian Unger [second from right] leads a tour of people interested in preservation of the Port Huron house in Long Branch on July 2. Left: The tour included a walk through of the interior of the structure, which is slated to be relocated prior to the redevelopment of the site.
Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger led a group through the Port Huron house as well as the Captain's House on the Takanassee Beach Club site in the Elberon section of the city on July 2.

The group of about 20 interested individuals also looked at the lot adjacent to the Church of the Seven Presidents as a potential site for the relocation of the Port Huron house.

The former Takanassee Beach Club site on Ocean Avenue was originally U. S. Lifesaving Station No. 5.

Developer Isaac Chera, principal of Takanassee Developers, purchased the property for just under $18 million from members of the Peters family, who were split on the sale of the historic site.

Chera was issued a Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permit by the state Department of Environmental Protection to construct a luxury condominium project on the oceanfront site.

He cannot proceed with the project until he complies with the conditions listed in the CAFRA permit, which include preserving the three historic buildings on the site.

Plans call for one of the structures, the boathouse, to be preserved on-site and become part of the new development, and for the others to be relocated and restored off site.

A county official has confirmed that the county will move the Captain's House to Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, which is county-owned.

The Port Huron building, a former residence, is the structure whose fate remains uncertain.

"You all know the idea was that we need a home for this structure," Unger told the group.

Last week's tour was organized by Unger and was attended by people from several local organizations, including the Long Branch Historical Association, lawyers for the developer of the Takanassee property, members of the Long Branch governing body, and the Atlantic Maritime and Surfing Museum.

Unger explained the different sites being looked at and noted that one option would be part of the tour.

"Graciously, we were given permission to look at a site today adjacent to the Church of the Presidents," said Unger, adding to the locations of the two other sites being looked at.

"For the record, the other two sites being considered are Hoey Park and Manahasset Creek Park," Unger said.

One of the topics that came up at the tour was the possibility of securing grant money for moving the structure.

James Foley, of the Long Branch HistoricalMuseumAssociation, said that initial grant money might possibly snowball into bigger grants.

"The historical commission does have a preservation grant for nonprofit buildings," Foley said. "It's rather a modest program. Others have used it to get greater grants elsewhere."

Unger also mentioned that he spoke with Rep. Frank Pallone (D-12th District) and is confident funding can be secured for the move.

"He [Pallone] feels confident that we can obtain federal funding for renovation and rehabilitation in the next federal fiscal year," Unger said.

One idea discussed at a recent city council and historical association meetings is turning the Port Huron house into a museum.

"The idea of the museum focuses would be part a surfing museum, part a maritime museum and part a Takanassee museum," Unger explained. "So by combining these three maritime uses, it could be a very interesting resource for the community."

The circa-1900 Port Huron building is a 2 1.2-story, 3,446- square-foot, shingle-style structure. Originally built as a single-family residence, it has been divided into three apartment units and is in fair condition after being vacant for several years.

Some tour participants expressed optimism about the future of the Port Huron House.

"It's a great building; it should be preserved," Joe Reale of the Long Branch Historical Association said. "I'm sure something can be worked out so we can move it and restore it."

But for some members of the preservation community, the ideal solution is to not have to move the buildings at all.

"We want this building to stay here," Dr. Richard Fernicola, LBHMA, said. "I'd like all three buildings to stay here."

Fernicola went on to say that if that is not possible, keeping all the buildings in Long Branch is important.

"But honestly finding a place here in Long Branch would just be fantastic," Fernicola said.

The tour proceeded to the Church of the Seven Presidents, which is the second to last property in Elberon before the border of Deal, on the southbound side of Ocean Ave.

With the lot already expected to house the Captain's House, relocating a second building to the site may be a long shot. However, the opportunity is something that will be looked at.

"We think that it is a unique opportunity to have two museums on the same site," Foley said. "There appears to be plenty of room to house the building."

Foley went on to say that finding the appropriate funding is an important issue.

"Now the most important thing is to find the money to do it," Foley said. "To move it, to renovate it, to prepare the site."

While the building may lose some historical significance with the move, if it is relocated south to Elberon, there is some historical significance already on-site.

"What's cool is that we are at the corner of Garfield and Lincoln," Fernicola said.

The work needed to be done to the building is mainly securing a foundation.

"There is site preparation that needs to be done and a foundation for it to be housed on," Reale said.

"There is some basic geo-tech," Lawrence Jacobs, attorney for the developer, said. "Then determining whether the foundation would be a basic slab foundation or a crawl space foundation.

"Port Huron is a little different since its original intent was a residence," he added. "It's a different type of structure."

Jacobs went on to say that wholesale changes should not be made to any of the buildings.

"The idea is recreational facility," Jacobs said, "and also to mimic the historical integrity of the building."

Jacobs, who is with Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, Woodbridge, also said the idea of bringing the Port Huron House next to the church is an idea that has previously been considered.

"There is more then enough space on this lot for the Port Huron [building]," Fernicola said. "What if that is something that would be proposed?"

"Let me know and we can talk," Jacobs said addressing the group.


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