Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • June 17, 2009 Ridgewood Pease Library building has first paying tenant by John Koster The newly restored Pease Library has its first paying tenant since Ridgewood philanthropist David Bolger and his son J.T. fulfilled their pledge to restore the venerable building. Gilsenan and Company Real Estate will lease part of the building as office space in compliance with the plan to retain use of the foyer and one wing of the building for public gatherings and lease the remainder of the building to business enterprises for 10 years. At the end of the term, the entire building will be returned to Ridgewood as a public structure. The deal is said to represent $12,000 that will be returned to Ridgewood’s tax base. The Bolgers paid about $1.4 million to restore the 1923 building to prime appearance with due regard to its original structure and materials. Pease was Ridgewood’s first library, and later became a satellite library, but was substantially abandoned as a library in the 1990s, while the lower section of the building was used as headquarters by Central Dispatch. The library proved vital again in 1999, when Tropical Storm Floyd flooded the police headquarters on the first floor of the municipal building and the police relocated to the Pease Library for the next six years. They moved into The exterior of the newly renovated Pease Library. Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from ome “To control outdoor pests, correct moisture problems such as leaking flashings, clogged gutters and downspouts” 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 a second floor headquarters when the new Ridgewood Village Hall reopened. The Pease Library was later considered for use as an archive, an adjunct of the Bergen County Museum, and as the office of an architectural firm, but all the plans fell through due to lack of money or other issues. Rick Says...