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[quote="Cranbury Press"]CRANBURY: Water tower to be demolished
Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:47 AM EDT
By Natalie Lescroart, Staff Writer

CRANBURY— After a 10-year battle to preserve the “Historic Cranbury” water tower, members of the town’s Historical and Preservation Society disappointedly acknowledge its necessary demolition.

The New Jersey American Water Co., which owns both the water tower and the land it sits on, received the Historic Preservation Commission’s approval of its request to remove the structure about two weeks ago.

According to a release on the township’s Web site, the company will begin the process of dismantling the tower “on or around June 22.”

”We have secured a contract to dismantle the tower,” said Richard Barnes, spokesman for American Water.

Mr. Barnes added that the engineering and construction firm, Henkels and McCoy, will begin the process at the end of next week. In the meantime, American Water will place public notices around town.
   Somber resignation has been the general sentiment in the wake of the decision to take down the tower, which has served as a prominent feature of the community’s skyline since its construction in 1906.

Although the water tower has been out of service for a decade, members of the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society had talked of perhaps buying the tower from the company in order to preserve its “iconic” structure.

”The water tower has much historic significance to the town and village,” said society member and long-time Cranbury resident Mark Berkowsky. “It has been an icon in Cranbury’s history, and it is visible from almost any place around the township.”

But, at a cost of approximately $300,000, the plan didn’t prove economically feasible.

”It’s a matter of dollars and cents, and it’s much more than we could deal with right now,” said Township Historian Betty Wagner.

Ultimately, Mr. Berkowsky and other society members say the situation is one of “demolition by neglect,” noting the tower’s steadily worsening condition. Mr. Barnes has said that the water tower has begun to leak in the last few years.

”Part of our lack of total objection (to the demolition) is the fact that there are serious structural issues with the water tower, which means safety issues,” said Mr. Berkowsky.

”We certainly would have preferred the water tower’s being protected 10 years ago so that we could have prevented it from getting to this point,” said Mr. Berkowsky. “So, we’re disappointed, but we understand.”

The New Jersey American Water Co. has promised to allow the historical society to keep any artifacts, photographs or documentation deemed to be of historical significance.

Mr. Barnes and American Water will present the society with the small “finial ball” from the top of the water tower as an historical souvenir.

Both Ms. Wagner and Mr. Berkowsky expressed their appreciation for the cooperation of the company during this difficult time.

”The New Jersey American Water Co. has been cooperative in offering to provide us with any historical artifacts that might come up, and we appreciate that,” said Ms. Wagner.

With the demolition now imminent, some Cranbury residents, including Frank and Peggy Brennan, have urged that “adequate precautions” be taken so as to avoid the dangerous dispersal of lead paint and debris in the area around the water tower. Mr. Barnes wants to assure the Cranbury public that the contractor will keep all paint chips secured.

”No lead paint chips will be dispersed in the air or will fall on the ground,” said Mr. Barnes. “The whole thing will be done in a very environmentally conscience way.”

http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2009/06/18/cranbury_press/news/doc4a3a6072778b3933647595.txt[/quote]

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