Quick - What was the first post-war cluster-style housing development in New Jersey? I'll give you a hint - it's right here in Hillsborough.
To find New Jersey's first post-war cluster development you have to take a drive north on Route 206 all the way to Duke's Parkway East. Yes, you're still in Hillsborough, and you've found The Village Green - the development that started it all. Held up as a prime example of cluster housing - a planning concept that allows for smaller lot sizes with more communal open space - the development reportedly completely sold out in six months. A gentleman by the name of James Macris wrote his senior thesis for Columbia University about Hillsborough's Village Green 39 years ago in 1968, and several books on urban planning tout the benefits of the Village Green's clustered homes in a well planned suburb.
The first two paragraphs are my way of telling you that today I visited the Village Green Park and Ball Field located near that old development on Brooks Boulevard. Here's my thesis of the park, in pictures.
Greg,
ReplyDeleteYou're wrong about the Village Green. It was built in 1962.Green Hills on Dukes Parkway East was built in 1956. In 1962 there was a major concern that the Village Green development, if built, would flood Green Hills, since it was draining into a small brook that ran thru the older development. The township assured everyone that their engineers had come to the conclusion that it would not adversly effect Green Hills. Forty five years later, Green Hills still floods because of that decision long ago.....
JH, I'm so glad you left a comment on this topic. At a recent meeting of Hillsborough's Historic Preservation Commission, we were discussing the oldest post-war development in Hillsborough. After someone on the commission mentioned Country Club Homes, a member of the public corrected us, stating that it was that development on Dukes Parkway East, called Village Green. So she was half-right!
ReplyDeleteAfter I did a little research, I saw that Village Green had many citations in urban-planning texts, so I assumed that was the one.
Would you let me know which streets comprise the Green Hills development? I'd like to write this story again in about a week or so.
Thanks again for your insight.
Greg,
ReplyDeleteTaylor Road, Johanson Ave, Hawley Road, Claudia Road, Hamler Road, Gail Road and Kimberly Road make up Green Hills. There are approximately 150 houses on half acre lots. They sold for $13,999 in 1956. Village Green sold for $21,000 in 1962. About the cost of a new Honda..
JH, you appear to be very knowlegeable, so maybe you can comment on this: On the 1945 Hagstrom map, there is a grid of streets right in the exact area where the Dickerson Rd./Campbell Rd. development exists today. The grid is built on an extension of St. John St. and Green St. west from Manville into Hillsborough, with streets named Hamilton St., Sylvan Ave., Roselynd Ave., Frazee Ave., and Garretson Ave. running north and south. Did these streets ever exist?
ReplyDeleteGreg,
ReplyDeleteI don’t think any of those streets ever existed.
Years ago, there was a dairy farm where the Dickerson Road development is today. Bothers Woodworking moved into the converted milking barn in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s and is still there today. The white brick commercial building across from Gerber Field (Business Solutions?) on Dukes Parkway was originally a milk dairy and later in the 1960’s it became Kita’s Deli.
What is interesting, is that most people don’t know that the last couple of houses on all the streets west of 13th Street in Manville (John, Chestnut,Green) are actually in Hillsborough. Even most of Jack Gerber field, home of the Manville Mustangs, is in our township.
Greg,
ReplyDeleteI think I'm wrong about the houses west of 13th being in Hillsborough - but Gerber field is correct - its in Hillsborough
My wife and I were among the initial homeowners in Village Green. I believe we moved in some time in December 1963. Bill Roach, the County Planner who was much involved with making cluster developments happen there, was our next door neighbor on Magda Lane.
ReplyDeleteIt was one of the earliest cluster developments in the country, and as you've indicated, it was very successful. In fact it was so successful that Hillsborough Township, concerned that the town would be overwhelmed by such developments, promptly rescinded the town ordinance under which it was built.
In mid-1964 my work took us elsewhere, and, albeit regrettably, we moved away. I was pleased to see your pictures of how beautifully the common parkland there has been developed. When we left it was still pretty scruffy.
Cookie
Cookie, thanks for your comments. You might be interested to know that Hillsborough Township's Historic Preservation Commission, of which I am a member, is investigating the possibility of formally recognizing Village Green for its place in New Jersey's suburban history.
ReplyDeleteOops, I should have said we moved in to Village Green during December 1962, not '63.
ReplyDeleteCookie
my family moved to Village Green in Dec. 1962...the street we were on was Magda Lane, named after my Aunt, Magda Halpern, she was married to Sid Halpern, the exclusive realtors for the development...it was a wonderful place to grow up...my aunt and uncle had a very good friend, Irene King, who was from England and helped name the other two streets with a British flair, Nottingham Way and Sherwood Close...what fabulous memories you have brought back...my parents sold our family home in 1986, so we were there a very long time...thanks the walk down memory lane...I also have many color slides that were taken as we were moving in and there was nothing but dirt surrounding the homes...no landscaping had been done...quite a change from today...
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