NEXT UP for demolition: The Circa 1863 ironworks workshop and pond retaining wall.  This small brick building is THE last, only, remaining building from the period in which the ironworks were in intensive operation. It stands on top of a magnificent stone retaining wall which used to hold back a massive retention pond, which in turn held back water from the Morris canal after it had been used to power blowers in the blast furnaces. Water from this pond flowed through huge iron pipes, which are still visible protruding from the retaining wall, and was then again used to power equipment to produce nails in the nail factory, and then finally for operation of the sawmill on the ironworks site which was used to make wood barrels for the nails produced here. The wall, as it stands now, tells a story of the ironworks, of the canal, and the power of falling water which was such an important piece of our town’s history. In addition to advocating for the Esten house, the BHPC and a coalition of other entities including the Boonton Historic Society, the NJ Highlands Commission, and the Canal Society of NJ have been desperately trying to save this wall and building and work it into the site plan for the condominiums/apartments. The wall itself lies on the property line between town owned land and the developer’s land. Parts of it actually protrude onto town owned land. The chair of our commission, a licensed NJ architect and historian, has provided several alternatives to the developer’s proposed (and still unsubmitted) site plan which could retain the Esten House, retaining wall, and workshop building with only very slight modifications to driveways servicing the new buildings and no decrease in unit density or building footprint. All of this has been submitted to the mayor and council. However, the opinion of your town leaders seems to be that saving the rocks from the retaining wall, a pile of unassembled bricks, and a couple things from inside the Esten house is all that is needed to do to “preserve” the town’s history.  Any items salvaged from the buildings and site lose their historical relevance when disassembled, moved, or disturbed. Rocks that are moved from the wall are just rocks. Bricks that are removed from the workshop are just bricks. The real shame is that we believe the developer might be interested in engaging in a good faith discussion of the preliminary site plan with our coalition, members of which are experts in their field and already represent the town in an official capacity, but that would require the support of the town council and mayor, which is absent despite our best efforts. Very shortly, this building and the wall will fall under the wrecking ball and working them into the site plan will no longer be an option.