The Beach Haven Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, primarily focused on preserving the town’s cultural and historical heritage, celebrated its 10th anniversary this month by honoring four residents who have gone “overboard” in restoring their houses in the historic district. During the town’s monthly council meeting, held Monday, Sept. 8, Jeanette Lloyd, chairwoman of HPAC and town historian, and the group’s eight other commissioners presented plaques to those individuals.
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| Photo by Jack Reynolds Bob Serbo, accompanied by girlfriend Carol Minervino, accepts his plaque for the Converse Cottage from HPAC. |
“They’ve done a lot,” Lloyd told The SandPaper in an interview. “They’re our poster children for how historic preservation is viable. It locks a community together that’s proud of its past.”
Two plaques were presented to Belen Flores, who is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of four historic homes, including the Curlew, Fairwinds, Pierrot by the Sea and Wilson cottages.
“She can be called the mother of historic preservation,” Lloyd announced, arousing a laugh from Flores and the audience.
The Blahut family received recognition for their hard work in restoring the Williams Cottage Inn, one of the onion domes. Before the Blahuts turned it into a bed and breakfast, the house had been sectioned off into 12 apartments, with hidden walls and staircases, Lloyd explained. She gave the family the title of “First Poster Child of Beach Haven” for their determination in fixing the home.
“Beach Haven is a special place, and the Blahut family will do whatever we’re able to do to keep it the special place that it is,” Richard Blahut told the audience.
Later during the meeting, Mayor Robert Keeler said his brother stayed at the Williams Cottage Inn during the summer, “and he was just blown away by the service, the dedication of the people and what they knew about the buildings.”
“Not only are they huge construction jobs, but the fact that these are functioning for families and for activities for the town, I think is absolutely wonderful,” he added.
Bob Serbo, who restored the Easton Sprague house on Amber Street and Beach Avenue and then “caught the historic bug” and bought the Converse Cottage, the other onion dome, on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Marine Street, was also recognized during the event. Before he purchased the house, it had been sectioned off into 18 apartments. Serbo restored the home to its historic essence and even painted it to complement the Williams Cottage Inn next door.
Russ and Odette Andrew, who purchased and renovated the Nearsea Cottage on the corner of Coral Street and Beach Avenue in 2004, also received a plaque. Before the couple acquired the house, a New York developer had wanted to tear it down and build a duplex, Lloyd said. Local attorney Richard Shackleton and then-Mayor Deborah Whitcraft helped enact a 90-day moratorium, which led to the Andrews purchase.
“It is now a gem on Coral Street,” said Lloyd.
The local cottages were originally used as second homes by prominent individuals who lived on the Main Line on the outskirts of Pennsylvania, or in Philadelphia. The local commission was approved by the borough government in 2004 to keep the old tradition alive. Three years later, the historic district was enlarged to include 30 square blocks, which runs from Chatsworth Avenue to Fifth Street, from Atlantic to Bay avenues. The district is comprised of 384 houses.
In June, the commission was honored at the New Jersey History and Historic Preservation Conference for having the best practices in the state, Lloyd announced. Since forming, the group has hosted over 300 public meetings and over 200 technical review meetings. The group has also won three major grants through the years.
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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