Quaintly set back off Southfield Road, the Schenck Farmstead is nicely buffered by the surrounding cornfields and rows of trees and shrubbery. The historical landmark in the heart of the township may not be quite as noticeable in the hustle and bustle of everyday life in West Windsor, but plans for its restoration took a big step forward with the West Windsor Township Council’s endorsement of a Master Plan for the site this month.##M:[more]##
And township officials are hoping that in the coming years, the site — its structures date from approximately the 1740s to the early 1900s — will serve as a tool for educating residents about the town’s agricultural roots, as well as serve as the home base for the township’s historical society. The three structures on site — the Dutch-English barn, the carriage/wagon house, and the school house — complement the main house, which now serves as the historical society’s home.
The West Windsor Township Council held a special meeting in the barn on August 19 to showcase the restoration work that has been completed on the project up to this point, and to hash out which work is further needed. Up to $720,”000 has been spent so far on the restoration project, which spans all the way back to 1991, when the land and its structures were donated to the township by Max Zaitz.
From 1991 to 1993, officials worked on a restoration plan and repairs for the site’s house, said project architect Kyle Van Dyke, who made the presentation to council during the meeting. In 1994, public sewer and water was brought to the site, and the schoolhouse was relocated to the Schenck Farm from its original location at the Maurice Hawk school on Clarksville Road. A foundation was quickly put in, but it didn’t resemble what a school house from that era would have looked like, and the building was also placed improperly, causing leaks. No money was put into the capital budget at the time to fix it, and the schoolhouse just sat there for years.
In 1995, heating, venting, and air conditioning was added to the house, and in 1997, planning for the barn restoration began. Initial bids were set out in 1998 for the barn work, but originally came back a lot higher than were anticipated. From 1999 to 2000, the barn frame was disassembled, and the shed portion of the barn was supported and enclosed. By 2000, officials were ready to evaluate the school house to see what needed to be done and the costs involved. Between 2001 and 2002, the barn foundation was constructed. In 2002, work on the house had been completed, so it was opened up for tours to the public.
Between 2002 and 2003, the timber frame of the barn was repaired and reassembled, and between 2003 and 2004, its light framing, siding, and roofing was installed.
Work continued all the way up through this year. Most recently, between 2007 and 2008, the barn’s shed repairs, roof, siding, electrical work, lighting, and emergency exits were added, and the school house was disassembled, stored, and moved off site for safe keeping until it can be restored.
Van Dyke said the disassembled pieces of the school house were placed into a trailer and moved off site, but that it would eventually be “repaired, fumigated, and placed back onto foundation.”
Last fall council discussions centered around whether the council should spend money to fully restore the unstable wagon/carriage house, built around 1910, or leave it alone while officials try to find a similar structure to replace it. The council ultimately gave township staff a year to try to find a replica carriage house from surrounding area farms that date back to that era. However, an appropriate replica still has not been located, and officials will probably replicate it with a new structure similar to what would have been in place.
Van Dyke explained that up until this point, architects and engineers have done bits and pieces of the restoration as they could get the money for them. Last fall, during another meeting at the farm, council asked him to look at the school house, what it would look like, and where it would be placed on site. He was also asked to look at the location for parking and restrooms on site, since officials plan to bring school children and the the public to the site for educational events.
The few gravel parking spaces currently located on site in front of the garage are sufficient for the few visitors to the site as it currently is, but “the idea is hopefully, there will be more visitors here, and we’ll need more parking” after the site is fully restored.
Van Dyke then presented the concept for the Master Plan his firm decided would be the best option to finish out the work on site, which is projected to continue into 2010.
The plan showed the school house relocated to the front of the site — the rest of the structures are set back from the road — to the right of the gravel road entrance (when looking at the site from the road). He explained that it would be a logical spot for the school house because historically, a farmer who would donate land for the site of a school house would do so further from his own structures and in a more accessible location.
“The one-time school house is again being used for education,” he said. “Now it’s in a spot where it’s a symbol to the community.”
The drop off area for school buses bringing children to the site would be further up the entrance, also to the right of the driveway.
The architects also decided that parking for the site would best be located further toward the back of the property, to the left of the house in an unobtrusive area, with trees surrounding it, without visibility to the nearby neighborhoods.
The restrooms on site would be located right next to and designed similarly to the site’s garage.
The plan also allows for other historical structures to be located on site in the future. Some planned structures include a windmill, which has already been donated for the site, and a pump house, which would have historically been located on the property.
There were three other concept plans that were drawn up. The first kept the schoolhouse on its current foundation, near the barn and carriage house, but Van Dyke explained that the set up would not have been historically logical, and would present a visual distraction.
The second study showed the parking more toward the front of the site, still to the left of the driveway, but “it starts to look more commercial than anything else,” Van Dyke explained. In this plan, the school house was also located to the left of the driveway, in front of the parking.
The last study showed the school house to the rear of the site, on the right side, near the restrooms.
Van Dyke also highlighted the costs that would be associated with finishing the project in correlation with the preferred Master Plan. To finish the bar, which includes finishing the work for the artifact area, shelving display, the windows and doors, and installation of better lighting, would cost $127,”000. Work on finishing the carriage house is estimated at $72,”000; the schoolhouse is estimated to cost $159,”000; the restrooms are estimated to cost $100,”000; the hard paths on site are estimated to cost $50,”000; and parking is estimated at $80,”000.
So, all together the cost for the actual building is estimated at $588,”000, but architectural and engineering costs would add $60,”000, and legal costs would add $4,”000, bringing the subtotal to $652,”000 with a contingency of $64,”000.
The total cost would therefore be $716,”000, he said.
Broken down into time lines for upcoming years, Van Dyke said that $25,”800 would be needed from 2008 to 2009 to complete the Master Plan and install the barn doors and windows. In 2009, he estimated that $262,”000 would be needed to prepare bid documents for the barn, restrooms, carriage house, and school house, as well as costs to construct the final barn phase and carriage house and to construct pathways for barn accessibility.
In 2010, he is estimating that $296,”200 would be needed to construct the schoolhouse and restrooms, and in 2011, $132,”000 will be needed for pathways, parking, and landscaping.
Councilwoman Linda Geevers asked Van Dyke whether there are any possibilities for applying for grant money.
“Historical grants, a lot of times, tie your hands,” because they may elevate the costs because those grants would come with specific requirements, Van Dyke said.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said over the next three months, he will be working to get the historical society recognized as a nonprofit organization, like local businesses. “That will help to secure money from the private sector,” he said. “If you try to secure funding from state and county organizations, there will be restrictions.”
Geevers said she and resident Mike Huey were already working on getting the historical society recognized as a nonprofit organization, and Hsueh emphasized he felt it was important that they coordinate efforts. “Hopefully, one day this will become the historical site for West Windsor,” Hsueh said, comparing West Windsor to Plainsboro, which has a museum as a home for its historical society.
Hsueh also pointed out that the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. has a replica of the barn in West Windsor, and that there are only really about 600 barns of this type left in the nation.
Councilman George Borek suggested another form of fundraising. “Why not have a program like ‘Buy a Brick?’” he asked. “That might be a good way of generating funds.”
“When I’m long gone, I want to see people 100 years from now be able to have this, and it not be long forgotten,” Borek added.
Geevers said the council is excited about this project, and that it will move forward with a business plan. Business Administrator Chris Marion said he would be working the project, along with the new time lines and estimates, into the six-year capital budget.
Beth Feehan, of the West Windsor Farmers’ Market, suggested the council look into having a table at the farmers’ market to educate residents about the project and raise awareness, like other groups, including the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance and the Friends of West Windsor Open Space have done. “Please use us as a conduit to the public on a weekly basis for six months,” she said.
The council unanimously voted to endorse the plan for the site.
