Resident offers suggestion for preserving old building

I’ve read with interest recent articles in the News Transcript concerning historic buildings in this area, particularly Freehold Borough.

The July 18 issue ran a feature on a private home built in 1898, designed by Warren Hartshorne Conover, a local architect of some note, and now placed on the market by his granddaughter.

The same paper also included a story about Martha Maghan Biddle, age 100, rooting her in local history and telling how she attended the old Freehold High School at the corner of Bennett and Hudson streets.

This beautiful brick building, built in 1902 and graced by magnificent trees, now houses the Freehold Borough Police Department. Before the police department (and municipal court) move to the Rug Mill Towers later this year the Borough Council must decide what to do with the old school building. Naturally they would like the property back on the tax rolls.

Freehold Borough Councilman Richard Daesener, quoted in the News Transcript of July 3, stated, "I think one of the options would be to tear down the existing (Bennett Street) building to make room for an appropriate commercial use."

I have an alternative suggestion.

Move the municipal offices currently on Main Street to the Bennett Street location. This would preserve this historic building and the residential neighborhood surrounding it. Then the borough could offer the current municipal building on Main Street (with its ample parking) for a commercial enterprise.

I believe this exchange would offer our town a better profit, while still preserving its historical character.

Let’s hope that our council doesn’t follow the example of the juveniles accused of desecrating the historic Solomon house in Freehold Township, as also reported in the News Transcript of July 25.

Donna Koloski

Freehold Borough