Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 8, 2013 Midland Park The conversion of the vintage barn on the Marlow Park property at 445 Godwin Avenue in Midland Park is well underway. The project is not only a source of pride for philanthropist David Bolger and his son JP, who are funding the work, but also for Dave Visbeen, the owner of the construction company doing the job. The building will become the headquarters for the Midland Park Ambulance Corps with a multipurpose room for community use on the second floor. It will be known as the Bolger Community Center. Barn gutted; original materials salvaged for recycling Left: Reviewing building plans, from left: Contractor David Visbeen, Architect Peter Wells, JP Bolger and job manager Mark Vander Weit from Visbeen Construction. Right: View of partially gutted building. “It’s fun for me to build something new in my own town,” said Visbeen, who lives only a couple of blocks up from the project. “It’s so exciting to be preserving the barn, which is a local landmark, and also building a beautiful community center,” he added. Visbeen said the demolition work took longer than anticipated because it was done slowly and carefully to salvage as many original materials as possible. The recycled wood will be used as base window and door trim to preserve the old-barn look, and as trim for the meeting room exposed beams. “I’m pleased with the progress,” said Bolger Foundation President JT Bolger during a recent site visit. The Bolger Foundation purchased the acre and a half property in January, and, once the barn is refurbished, will turn it over to the volunteer ambulance corps. Should the ambulance corps cease to be an active organization, the property will be turned over to the borough. The building will have Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, so much attention is being placed on using materials that aren’t harmful to the environment, Visbeen said. Counter tops and siding to be used are made from recycled concrete, and heat and air conditioning will be powered by a geothermal system. “It costs more and requires more paper work, but the benefits are in the operation. They don’t use fossil fuels and they can heat and cool the building for much less,” he said. “It’s fun and a learning experience for me,” he added, noting that he recently attended a LEED seminar. The first floor will house ambulance garages, office and meeting space, a kitchenette and bathroom facilities with decontamination showers for the use of the ambulance corps. The second floor will become a community center to be administered by the corps, with new bathrooms, office space and a commercial kitchen. An elevator will be installed for barrier-free access.