Fight not over yet to save Forney Clinic
Residents rally opposition as bank seeks fed'l approval
BY JESSICA SMITH
Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO The Forney Clinic building in Milltown is slated to be demolished to make way for a Valley National Bank branch.

Though many in Milltown see the Forney house and clinic as being on its last legs, a group of residents is working to ensure that it remains standing.

Valley National Bank has borough approval to build a branch where the approximately 150-year-old North Main Street house now stands, but it still must obtain permission from the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) before moving forward.

"I think that, generally, people think that it's over," said Kathy Heilman, a resident who wants to save the house. "This is about the history of that property, and it remaining intact."

The building is reported to date to the mid- to late 1800s, and was built by the Evans family, whose son served as Milltown's first mayor. The house was converted to a medical facility, which operated from 1907 until the 1970s. Dr. Norman Forney Sr. was the borough's first surgeon, and many residents were born in the house.

Heilman joined the crusade to save the Forney house in February, when opponents of its demolition distributed fliers to enlist the help of other residents. Since then, and despite the bank's gaining approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, she has joined forces with the borough's historical society, and members of the shade tree and environmental commissions, among others, to reach out to the OCC and gain their support.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) deemed the house eligible for both the state and national historic registers under three of four criteria back in October. With eligibility comes the requirement of review from SHPO before taking any major action on a given site.

In a letter dated April 12, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Dorothy P. Guzzo wrote that interested parties, such as the environmental and shade tree commissions, were not included in the consultation process with the bank. She also pointed out that while Valley National's representatives provided an alternatives analysis, they did not provide a list of alternative sites that were investigated in town for the branch.

Fredric Azrak, Valley National's attorney, could not be reached to comment for this story.

The activists are in the process of trying to obtain a list of alternate sites from Valley National, according to Heilman.

"We can't understand why the bank is bent on coming into our community, only to take down a core piece of the history of our Main Street," Heilman said.

She said the house is the last remaining structure once owned by the Evans family. The Provident Bank that stands across the street from the house replaced the former home of John Evans Sr., and the original Evans family homestead burned down.

Michael Shakarjian, vice chairman of the Milltown Environmental Commission, said it is unclear why Valley National chose the site, as the demolition process was sure to prove costly. He said Ford Avenue, South Main Street or Milltown Road could have served as better locations for the branch.

"I think their major interest is not to serve Milltown," Shakarjian said.

The bank seems to be seeking that location in order to capture traffic passing through Main Street from North and East Brunswick, according to Shakarjian. While the bank claimed to have demographic information proving the need for a bank there, the town's population has grown only a negligible amount since 1980, he said.

"I don't think it really stacks up," he said. "We haven't forgotten about [the house]. We're still sad about the way the zoning board ruled."

While Mayor Gloria Bradford said she is also saddened at the thought of losing the house, she stands behind the decision of the zoning board.

"If we can't support our boards, then we shouldn't have boards," Bradford said. "I'm about as Milltown as they come. I love history. But I also know the taxpayers can't support the restoration of this building. In theory, it's wonderful - it's motherhood, it's apple pie, it's Americana - but when it comes down to the reality of who is going to take care of it, it all falls apart."

Shakarjian said those in support of preserving the house are hoping to find someone to at least stabilize the structure.

"There is really a lot of value in this house," Shakarjian said. "And the value of this house is being underestimated. I think we can highlight to others the value of that house as it stands."

During testimony before the zoning board in previous months, representatives of the bank said the house is in a state of disrepair, and the structure is deteriorating. They said it could not be adapted for use as a bank, and it would be too costly to rehabilitate.

An agreement struck between the bank and the house's current owner, Dr. Bhudev Sharma, allowed members of the town's historical society to tour the house recently to identify architectural elements that they would like to see preserved. The walk-through was done at the recommendation of the SHPO, according to Heilman.

"The grandeur of the home is. . .vibrant and strong," Heilman said. "It looks like you're ready to sit down to Sunday dinner."

The supporters of saving the house have garnered the support of U.S. Congressman Rush Holt (D-12), who wrote a letter to the OCC, and supporters have also reached out to U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Heilman said.

"We're all pretty excited," Heilman said. "The OCC has never received such a response, and the town has really rallied."

Milltown's Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, formed early this year, has contacted the OCC, and Chairwoman Stacy Waters said the house would likely be included in a proposed historic district that the committee will recommend to the Borough Council in the weeks to come.

"Any efforts that can be done to save this building, or any other buildings in the future, would be appreciated," Waters said.

The OCC will accept input from the public until June 5, after which time it will schedule a meeting with the SHPO and Valley National Bank to discuss possible solutions that will satisfy all parties, Heilman said. From there, the OCC will notify the historical society regarding its findings, then reconvene for a final decision.

Concerned parties can send correspondence to the OCC, addressed to Ramah Chansen, Senior Licensing Agent, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Administrator of National Banks, 250 East St. SW, Washington D.C., 20219. All letters must be received no later than June 5.

Heilman suggested sending copies of all communications to both Dan Saunders, New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office, P.O. Box 404, 501 East State St., Trenton, NJ, 08625-0404; and Margita Simek, Valley National Bank, 1455 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ, 07470.