Damage proves too much to save landmark
American Hotel's oldest section is demolished; new building will rise
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
There is good news and bad news this week for a Freehold Borough landmark that has graced Main Street for 180 years.

The businessman who bought the American Hotel, Freehold Borough, said it became apparent several months ago that the 180-year-old section of the landmark was structurally unsound. The historic hotel was demolished last week. A new structure will be built in its place.

The good news is that work is progressing to bring the former American Hotel back to life. The bad news is that the oldest part of the hotel - the part that held most of its history - had to go in order to make that happen.

As workmen raised their axes last week to clear the way for a new structure that will be built to replace the aging building that code enforcement official Hank Stryker III called structurally unsound, memories of almost two centuries dissipated into debris, sprinkling the building's historic past over the parcel of land where it had made its home since 1827.

"The ghosts are homeless now" is the way Steve Goldberg put it.

ERIC SUCAR staff

Goldberg bought the American Hotel in a public auction for $2.5 million in March 2006. When he purchased the building, Goldberg said he was well aware of the historic significance of the hotel, its memories and the place it held in the hearts of many Freehold Borough residents.

This week Goldberg told the News Transcript he was sad to have to tear down the oldest part of the landmark building, but he said it had to go.

"There was no other way," he said. "That part of the building was 180 years old. It suffered a great deal of interior structural damage from past neglect. The decision had to be made."

However, Goldberg said he is excited about the prospect of bringing the American Hotel - which had not rented hotel rooms for years before its demise - back to life. He said the new building that will take the place of the Main Street landmark will be designed to come as close as possible to the original look of the old hotel.

Goldberg said the situation became apparent several months ago when work began on the interior renovations.

"Removal of the interior finishes revealed that the real structural elements were in very bad shape, and it was the consensus that this part of the building could not be saved," he said.

Goldberg said he held off on the demolition work because he did not want to disrupt the downtown area with heavy equipment and noise during the holiday season.

According to Stryker, when the interior work began, it was discovered that the second and third floors of the old hotel were not structurally sound.

"It was questionable whether or not the first floor could be saved," Stryker said.

Upon closer examination, Stryker said, the condition of the foundation and footings were not structurally sound enough to carry and support the new structure that was to be built.

"It is possible to remove a second and third floor and build onto that, but only if the footings and foundations are structurally sound. If they are not sound you end up with structural problems," he explained.

According to Stryker, the current plan for the site is to add additional footings and foundation and to rebuild the footings and foundation in the existing basement.

The removal of the front portion of the hotel does not change the design plans which include the creation of an upscale café restaurant, a lobby and lounge with a bar, renovated ballrooms and 22 guest rooms.

Goldberg said he is hoping the hotel will be complete and ready to open by the summer.

Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina said, "Having to take down a part of this historic building is better than leaving the blemish and the eyesore that has existed in the downtown area all these years.

"We are now hoping that within the year a building that the mayor has always called the focal point of western Monmouth County will once again be just that. This is good for Freehold, good for the downtown area and great for western Monmouth County," he said.

Borough Councilman Marc Le Vine, who is the liaison to the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, said, "We all lament what the march of time, the elements and poor previous ownership have done to our downtown centerpiece. We can, however, take much solace in recognizing that Mr. Goldberg is trying to restore the American Hotel to its familiar appearance by addressing its recent neglect and natural decline.

"By providing our historic property with some new infrastructure to support its greatly anticipated face-lift, the new ownership can begin to ensure a brighter future for this grand old building's structural and historical integrity, as well as its business viability," he said.

Le Vine said he will await the return of the building's familiar appearance, the identifying welcoming sign and the restoration of many fond memories.

"There, once again, will proudly stand Freehold's landmark, the American Hotel," he said.