Green Hotel Selected for Preservation NJ's 2013 10 Most Endangered List

image: Denise
Henhoeffer/Courier-Post

Very excited to announce that the Green Hotel located at the corner of Cooper and Railroad Avenue has been selected for this years 10 Most Endangered List from Preservation NJ. For the back story which began way back in February, 2012 see my earlier post. We hope the listing brings the current owners extra resources and help to work with saving this important historic structure in our downtown!

Whereas, historic preservation has been proven an effective tool for revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and maintaining community character while enhancing livability, we believe a restored Green Hotel will help fortify a strong gateway into the City of Woodbury and help spearhead further preservation efforts. Saving the Green Hotel is quite literally the environmentally green choice. Rehabilitating old buildings keeps existing materials out of landfills and eliminates the energy consumption that the process of demolition, landfilling, the production of new materials, and new construction necessitates. Demolishing the hotel for the creation of a parking lot was the original desire of the Holy Angels Parish, the buildings current stewards. It has been repeatedly shown that eliminating traditional downtown density damages the aesthetic quality, walkability, and vibrancy of urban areas; such as when buildings are replaced by parking lots. In addition we believe saving a locally important historic building is completely aligned with Main Street Woodbury's latest branding: Arts. History. Home.

 

Local Press Coverage:

Philadelphia Inquirer: Trying to rejuvenate Woodbury a building at a time

South Jersey Times: Nonprofit lists Woodbury, Camden sites as 'most endangered' in state

Courier Post: Preservation group aims to save structures

Times of Trenton: N.J.'s Top 10 Most Endangered Historic Places 2013 list includes Sandy damaged communities, sites in 8 counties

From Preservation NJ's press release:  

PRESERVATION NEW JERSEY'S 2013 10 MOST ENDANGERED

  

TRENTON, NJ - In recognition of National Preservation Month, Preservation New Jersey, Inc. (PNJ) announced its 19th annual list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in New Jersey.

The 10 Most Endangered Historic Places program spotlights irreplaceable historic, architectural, cultural and archeological resources in New Jersey that are in imminent danger of being lost. Unique this year, the list includes 11 entries: 10 places, and one issue that endangers historic resources statewide. The act of listing these resources acknowledges their importance to the heritage of New Jersey and draws attention to the predicaments that endanger their survival and the survival of historic resources statewide. The list, generated from nominations by the public, aims to attract new perspectives and ideas to sites in desperate need of creative solutions.

  

10 Most Endangered Historic Places list are based on the likelihood that historic buildings and places can be brought back to useful and productive life. PNJ proudly points to many properties previously listed among the 10 Most Endangered that have now been saved and preserved or rehabilitated, and have once again become character-defining assets to New Jersey’s communities.

  

As always, selections to the 2013 10 Most Endangered list are based on three criteria:

• historic significance and architectural integrity,
• the critical nature of the threat identified, and
• the likelihood that inclusion on the list will have a positive impact on efforts to protect the resource

Founded in 1978, Preservation New Jersey is a nonprofit organization that helps homeowners, organizations, public officials and citizen advocates working to preserve the historic neighborhoods and sites that are important to our communities. Preservation New Jersey produces this annual list of New Jersey's 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in addition to other advocacy programs; provides educational workshops; publishes a monthly online newsletter, interactive website, and blog; serves as a resource for technical assistance and general advice for the public; and addresses legislation and public policies that impact New Jersey's historic places and communities.

  

Visit Preservation New Jersey’s websites at www.preservationnj.org and www.pnj10most.org for more information regarding the organization and the 10 Most Endangered program.