Cliffside Park Post Office

DESCRIPTION:
The Cliffside Park Post Office is a fine, Colonial-revival structure that is an architectural landmark for the community. Built in 1935, the building is a one-story, rectangular structure capped by a hipped, copper roof. The exterior walls of the Post Office are built of brick trimmed with limestone. Flat arches with limestone keystones head its large, multi-paned windows. The building is centrally located next to the town library and the municipal government complex.

Recently it was sold to a developer who announced plans to tear it down and build a medical/ professional center. After obtaining demolition approval the developer considered that his plan might not be commercially viable so he received alternate approval to reuse the building adaptively.

The Post Office is a prime candidate for adaptive reuse because it is a handsome building in perfect condition located where it can be a key structure in a revitalized downtown. Many post office buildings serve as downtown landmarks in New Jersey municipalities. But too often fine buildings such as this one are left to deteriorate or are torn down.

We hope that calling attention to the plight of this building will encourage the developer and local officials to cooperate to preserve this elegant building. We also hope that Cliffside Park will become a model to other communities in New Jersey of how to preserve important architectural heritage elements.

CONTACT:
John Francis Borrelli, AIA
211-685-7354