Township Forms Task Force for Woman's Club

Maplewood Township will form a task force to explore potential uses and partnerships for the Woman's Club, the Township Committee decided at Tuesday night's meeting.

Committee member Jerry Ryan and Deputy Mayor Kathleen Leventhal will head the task force, which will also include Township Administrator Joseph Manning and other staff. The task force may bring in experts and members of the public as needed. 

The decision came after a lengthy brainstorming session about the Woman's Club, which the township has agreed to purchase for just over $1 million. 

Mayor Vic DeLuca said the township had spoken to several non-profits interested in partnering with the township on the building, including the South Mountain YMCA, HK Project and others. He would like to solicit a non-profit main partner in a 1-5 year cost-sharing arrangement.

He said the partner should have experience in educational, cultural and recreational ("ECR") activities, and have at least five years of experience either working in Maplewood or with a similarly multi-generational and multi-ethnic population.  

Ryan and Leventhal recently toured the building with the township engineer, building inspector and DPW director. "There are many, many things that need to be addressed," said Leventhal, speaking of repairs and maintenance. However, she said, there is a "real opportunity in this challenge."

Ryan said the TC should discuss if there is a "point of no return" in terms of how much the township is willing to pay to refurbish the building.

He suggested the township "think a little bigger" and find an outside entity to take over Cultural Affairs programming for the town, which would include performing arts, cultural activities, meetings etc. at both the Woman's Club and the Burgdorff Cultural Center.

Tom Kerns, president of HK Project, who recently dropped out of purchasing the building, told the committee that HK was putting together a proposal to be the township's main partner for the project.

"I regret the fact that I couldn't complete the purchase of that property, but I was very encouraged by hearing what the township wanted to do with that property." He said the Woman's Club was an amazing building that could accommodate many different purposes.

"We are very interested in being that partner," said Kerns, who noted that HK operates educational, cultural and recreational activities throughout town.

Other speakers included Jenny Turner Hall and Marcy Thompson of Studio B, the cultural arts arm of HK Project. Hall asked the committee to remember the importance of the arts to the township, and to put in the necessary improvements to the building.

"You're going to drive artists out of our town," said Hall, if the building were demolished or not sufficiently restored.

Thompson asked the committee to include people in the task force with experience in soliciting grant funding, particularly capital improvement funding involving public-private partnerships. She said those grants tend to go to strong and innovative community partnerships.

"I really commend you for your vision and even having the discussion," said Thompson, who offered to assist the task force. "It's a sign of a great town."

Anthony Mazzocchi, SOMSD's director of fine arts, said there is a need for more space in the community for arts education and performance, both in the schools and privately. "There is a want and a need, but not the space," he said.

Several speakers asked the committee to preserve the building. Daniel Wright, a resident who has started a Facebook page called "Save the Woman's Club," asked the TC to consider designating the building a historic landmark.

All the members acknowledged the possibility of having to demolish all or part of the building if the township is unable to restore or maintain it. Committeeman Marlon K. Brownlee also said he was wary of locking the town in to the potential restrictions of historic designation before figuring out what repairs might entail.

Also, the committee voted 5-0 to file a motion to intervene in the current litigation against the Zoning Board of Adjustment involving the Woman's Club. Township Attorney Roger Desiderio suggested the motion as a way to "resurrect" the lawsuit that he said had been "languishing" in court.