Downtown – Suffern, New York
It’s not every day that I get chance to take multiple trains from my home in Metuchen to just across the state line into New York. When visiting for a few short minutes I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Suffern is a town with Revolutionary War ties and today has the character of a commuter town with a theater scene.
Right off the train the first thing that I saw was The Sheldon – a multifamily transit oriented development. Other housing within a half mile transit shed of the train station clearly signals aspirations to be a commuter town.
While insensitive modifications have been made to the windows and the storefront of the brick building, the cornices are intact and have some lovely detail.
While I did not go inside, this business is trying to stand out with hand painted lettering and an arrow pointing to their door.
These handsome kiosks installed by the Chamber of Commerce give a chance to highlight events in the town. They appear to need a fresh coat of paint.
The storefronts here lack clear signage and use of color to bring their brand story out on to the street and sidewalk. A minor investment in paint, new signs, and lighting could enliven this block.
The handsome Schuart Building from 1916 has an oriel window that terminates in an elliptical wall dormer with giant brackets. Brick trim work and the chimney on the table end give this building presence.
I was pleased to find this outdoor dining area for a local Italian restaurant. Enclosed from the street, it creates a restful oasis in the heart of town. Some overhead lighting could further activate this space.
This is what is left from the majestic Victorian era Suffern Depot that was unfortunately demolished in 1941 when the depot was moved south. Tracks reached Suffern from Jersey in 1848. For the next century Suffern became a destination for people getting away from the rapidly developing city centers. A small railroad museum operates from here in what was the Western Union package station.
This building across the street from the depot has a handsome central projection with broken pediment, that rises through an elaborate cornice with swag ornament in the frieze. This is one of several buildings that achieve an architecturally distinct character.
Across the street is a handsome building with a rounded corner, adapting to the unique lot size.
The Comesky Block from 1916 is a classic Arts and Crafts revival. The unique roof form, distinctive corner tower, and architectural enrichments set this building apart. I was particularly intrigued by the glass canopy over the entrance to what are likely residences on the second floor. The soundness of the building and it’s prime location is evidenced by every storefront being filled up.
The Village Hall appears to need some help. A cornice on the front has been entirely removed leaving a scar on the building. To the sides it has been enclosed.
This historic marker for Rochambeau’s Encampment recounts how 5000 troops encamped here on their way from Newport to Yorktown and the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.
Long a grassy triangle, after a cannon was donated a wall was build. Dismissively called Porter’s Fort after the then mayor, residents sought to have it removed. Later a sculpture was placed on the island and soldiers from many major wars are remembered.
The church had a handsome tower with rounded semidome surmounted by a cross.
Whenever I see a gazebo it makes me think about what this replaced. It appears that some Revolutionary War era heritage is tied to this site.
This historical wayfinding marker places Suffern in the context of important trails that passed through the area.
This artist rendering shows the Suffern Tavern around the time of the Revolution.
The Lafayette Theater, celebrating over 100 years, is another architecturally distinct building. The buff stone base with five sets of Chicago windows on the center floor divided by pilasters has a presence. The marquee is mirrored on the second floor with a pediment rising through the roof line, a frequent feature in Suffern.
This vacant building of more contemporary vintage (I’d guess the early 1990s) shows that architectural design and quality construction matter. Appearing prison like with the heavy horizontal bands, the storms below are like an afterthought with their signs jammed in above the storefront and not visible.
This bank has wonderful Classical Revival design. Eagles surmount the parapet. An attractive pediment has Security and Service written on scrolls around a central wreath. The compound columns have capitals with acanthus leaf and lotus.
The prismatic glass in the central building is truly wonderful. So much glass like this on a storefront ensures that light will be drawn in and diffused through the interior space.
These three buildings are united by massing but details vary, particularly with the two storefronts to the left.
Another artistic revival inspired block has not dated as well as the others with the prismatic glass painted over. This building and these storefronts are candidates for a sensitive restoration project.
As we prepared to leave the scale of the new transit oriented development was clearly a different scale from the one and two story buildings in the foreground. While redevelopment is not inevitable, this appears to be the next logical place for development to occur if these properties can be assembled and approvals to build secured.