ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO TAKES FIRST HAND LOOK AT

PROGRESS TO RENOVATE OLD ESSEX COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Two Courtrooms and One Restored Mural are Highlighted during Tour

Newark, NJ – Almost 350 years after leaving England and landing in Newark Bay, Captain Philip Carteret has returned.

For the last 14 years, “The Landing of Carteret,” a historic mural created by Howard Pyle, has remained in obscurity – hidden beneath years of dust and grime and held beyond the public’s view in the Old Essex County Courthouse that has been closed to the public while it is under renovation. Contractors hired by the County brought the mural back to life after several months of cleaning and “inpainting.” It is the first of the famous murals to be completely restored.

The painstaking work to restore the historic building was viewed for the first time on Tuesday, June 22nd when Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. toured the Old Essex County Courthouse. Two courtrooms that are near completion and the restored mural of Carteret were highlighted during the tour.

“This historic building was once the centerpiece of County government and we are committed to returning it to that status,” DiVincenzo said. “The Old Courthouse has been closed for almost 15 years. Our tour will be our progress report to show that we have restored order to the project and are on track to have the building reopened by the end of this year,” he added.

Previous administrations kept the project in a holding pattern and did not have plans developed to complete or fund the third phase of the project. When DiVincenzo took office in January 2003, the interior renovation work was just 10 percent completed after being closed since 1990.

Following the model he created during the construction of the New Essex County Correctional Facility, the County Executive met weekly with Essex County Engineering staff, the contractors and representatives from the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, State Superior Court and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office to resolve problems, ensure deadlines were met and make sure the project would not be delayed any further. He also directed his staff to develop the scope of work for the third phase of the work and create a plan to have general contracting and restoration work performed simultaneously so the project could be completed by December 2004.

With the support of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, a $14 million bond ordinance was passed to provide funding for the restoration phase of the courthouse project, and it will be completed with existing funds. As of the tour on Tuesday, June 22nd, the project was about 75 percent completed and is on schedule. The total cost of the project will be about $49 million.

DiVincenzo also worked cooperatively with the Essex County Bar Association, which had filed a lawsuit that compelled Essex County to finish the renovation and reopen the Old Courthouse. His hands-on approach and commitment to the project convinced the Bar Association to give Essex County an additional three months to complete the project, which is now scheduled to reopen in December 2004.

“This building is a testament to the greatness of the legal system in Essex County,” Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said. “I am proud that it is finally being restored to its past greatness,” she added.

Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver commended DiVincenzo for opening the building for the tour because it will show taxpayers how their money is being spent.

County Counsel Frank Giantomasi said he argued his first lawsuit in the Old Courthouse in 1978 and then watched for 12 years as the building deteriorated before it was closed in 1990. “I also watched three consecutive county executives fail to restore the building, and in two years Joseph DiVincenzo has brought this building back to its former glory,” he noted.

The June 22nd tour – which included representatives of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, State Superior Court, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and Essex County Sheriff’s Office and elected officials – provided a sneak peek into the extensive amount of work that is occurring in the Old Courthouse. Two courtrooms that are near completion were highlighted; one of the courtrooms is home to the “The Landing of Carteret,” one of the historic murals located in the building.

Located in Courtroom 2300, “The Landing of Carteret” depicts the arrival of Captain Philip Carteret in Newark Bay in August 1665. The scene shows a group of settlers who have come to the shore to greet their new governor and a number of immigrants who sailed with Carteret leaving the ship. Captain Carteret is at the center of the mural and he is accompanied by the captain of the ship, the surveyor and his secretary Vauquellin. Vauquellin is reading the credentials of Carteret to those assembled, who have removed their hats out of respect.

The scene of the historic landing was brought back to life by cleaning the dust and grime off the painting as well as removing previous overpaint campaigns to touch up the mural. Artists then “inpainted” or recreated areas that were missing from the mural.

Canvas wall coverings also were restored or replaced in Courtroom 2300. The ornamental canvases suffered from water damage and were filthy, and were just as unrecognizable at the mural. Many of the canvases were cleaned and inpainted; three were replaced because they were beyond repair. The ceiling of this courtroom also had serious water damage, which destroyed 52 of the 81 ornamental plaster molds. These molds were replicated and painted to match the original ornamental molds. The white Vermont marble was cleaned, and chipped areas and scratches were repaired.

In Courtroom 2200, the second room that is near completion, the mahogany wood paneling on the walls was split, warped, scratched and stained with water. These defects were filled and the room was cleaned.

The final finish coat on the wood paneling and other wood fixtures still needs to be applied, and carpets, lights and furniture need to be installed. These will be among the last things done so they are not damaged or soiled by other ongoing renovation work.

The tour began in the basement of the Essex County Hall of Records and visitors entered the Old Essex County walking through the completely refurbished 150-foot pedestrian connector tunnel that runs beneath Martin Luther King Boulevard. JA Alexander Construction Inc. of Belleville performed this work at a cost of $269,555.

Opened in 1906, the Old Courthouse was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. The courthouse was closed in 1990 because of deteriorating conditions. Hall Construction of Wall has been awarded a $14,475,000 contract to complete the current and final phase of the project, which consists of restoration work.

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