Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • April 8, 2009 Glen Rock Though they may not recognize his name, Bergen County residents have long been entranced with the fairytale Norman Revival homes designed by local architect Carl Kemm Loven. These homes, which date from the 1930s through 1965, feature turrets, dovecotes, leaded glass windows, and hand-forged hardware. On May 9, the AIA-NJ will host a Homes of Carl Kemm Loven tour that will feature visits to about six homes Loven AIA-NJ to hold Homes of Carl Kemm Loven tour Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from ome “Trouble putting a lid on a plastic container? Run hot water on the lid for 30 seconds; it will close easily.” 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 Pat Says... Nancy Atkins Peck designed in Ridgewood and Glen Rock. The tour will also include the exteriors of other Loven houses in the area, and directions to other Loven works. The tour was arranged by Nancy Atkins Peck and the Architects League. A Glen Rock resident, Peck brought this architect out of obscurity with the publication of a pamphlet, “Carl Kemm Loven: Designer of Dreams,” financed in part through the Bergen County Department of Parks, the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Glen Rock Historical and Preservation Society. Peck was recently hon- ored by the Architects League of Northern New Jersey, a section of the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects, for her work in bringing the public’s attention to Loven’s work. “Peck has done an enormous service in calling attention to the work of an architect whose ideas have help shape the landscape of Bergen County,” said Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, president of AIA-NJ and a member of the Architects League. “We are pleased to offer a new generation of architects the opportunity to become acquainted with his designs.” The goal of the tour is to raise awareness of Loven’s work, and to enlist the help of architects in identifying other Loven structures, to expose architects to his work in hopes that it will serve as an inspiration for their own designs, and also to allow them to see how the houses have been thoughtfully updated. Born in Jersey City in 1906, Loven grew up to be a talented artist. While studying architecture at Columbia University, he won a scholarship that paid for a year of study and travel in Europe, including a stint at the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design, which stressed the charm of French rustic design. He later incorporated European architectural details in his house designs. Loven was an active member of the New Jersey State Board of Architects, and a past president of the Architects League. He is known to have created more than 500 designs, mostly for structures in Bergen County, but only a fraction of these are known. Called by her husband the “Sherlock of homes,” Peck is not above knocking on doors to inquire whether owners know the name of the architect who designed their homes. Often homeowners know the name of the builder, but not that of the architect, Peck said. On other occasions, she has had the pleasure of discovering knowledgeable owners with original plans and stories about Loven. (continued on page 8)