THE OPPORTUNITY

In order to upgrade and improve park facilities, the Hudson County Improvement Authority sought to redevelop the outdated and disused Casino-in-the-Park restaurant and catering facility in Lincoln Park, Jersey City. Although the building was not listed in either the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places, municipal rules require that all demolition permits for buildings 50 years of age or older be reviewed by the Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission (JCHPC) prior to demolition. As a condition of the building’s demolition permit, the JCHPC required documentation of the building’s historic volumes and photographic recordation of the remaining historic materials located on the building’s exterior.

THE CHALLENGE

Originally constructed circa 1929, the Casino-in-the-Park facility underwent multiple campaigns of additions and renovations that substantially changed the massing and configuration of the building and resulted in the significant loss of historic materials. The extent of changes to the building made identifying and documenting the remaining historic elements a particular challenge.

THE PS&S SOLUTION

Using floorplans, aerial photographs, and visual evidence, PS&S architectural historians identified the circa 1929 volumes of the Casino-in-the-Park building. The resulting documentation highlighted these volumes on floorplans and provided photographs of all elevations, detailing which remaining elements of the building dated to the building’s original construction. The report fulfilled the JCHPC’s conditions and allowed for the demolition of the old facility and successful redevelopment of the park facility; construction of a new facilty.