No. 16 Vol. 1
www.mypaperonline.com
January 2018
Commission Works To Preserve Mendham’s Historic ‘Streetscape’
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by Elsie Walker s with any area, Mendham Borough has seen changes as life moves forward. Once horse drawn carriages were the means of transportation; now, it is automobiles. While a shopping trip might have once included going to the local dry goods store, shoemaker, hardware store, etc., needs have changed and businesses such as hair and nail salons, retail clothing, and jewelry stores have taken their places. The Phoenix House which once served as a hotel welcoming guests such as Abner Doubleday, the man is credited with inventing baseball, has evolved and is now the Borough Hall. Buildings such as that are historically significant, not only for what happened within their walls, but the structure of the buildings. East and West Main Street are Mendham’s Historic District. Preserving the living history
The historic Phoenix House which is Mendham’s borough hall, is key to the overall historic landscape of the Mendham Historic District.
of Mendham is the work of Mendham’s Historic Preservation Commission (HCP). “Mendham’s Historic Preservation Commission was formed in the mid 1990’s for the protection, enhancement and preservation of districts, sites, buildings and structures of historic, cultural or architectural value and interest within the borough,” explained Dr. Michael S. Zedalis, commission’s current chair. A formal Historic Preservation Commission is also a requirement of a federal statute; Mendham’s Historic District is listed on the State and National Historic Regis-
ters,” Zedalis added. A member of the commission for the past 15 years, Zedalis said the commission is made up of five members and two alternates who have been appointed by the mayor with the approval of the Borough Council. A requirement is that all members must be residents of Mendham Borough, with an added requirement that one member be a licensed and practicing architect. Zedalis summarized the commission’s work this way: “Our role is largely focused on preserving the historic ‘streetscape’ of Mendham Borough to the best of our abilities, and
sometimes within engineering / structural / budgetary limitations.” What does preserving the streetscape mean? Zedalis explained that it is keeping the original look of the structure. He went on to give an example: “We have had applications proposing the use of oval or round windows, only to steer the applicant towards rectangular windows because curved windows simply didn’t exist when the house was built. We have constructively advised people on the design, shape and size of pillars, additions, changes to roof lines and cont. on page 6