The former home of the Visiting Nurse Association on Bodman Place falls to the wrecking claw this morning.
The longtime home of the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey on Bodman Place is being torn down today.
The building hasn’t been used since the completion about two years ago of newer facilities fronting on Riverside Avenue, VNA officials tell redbankgreen.
“It’s terrible to watch it come down, isn’t it?” says Ken Hallett, the VNA’s facilities manager.
Hallett says the building was erected in or about 1908 by the J.E. Conover Co., which had a cloth waterproofing factory there.
The VNA took over the building in 1958 and named it for Geraldine L. Thompson, who in 1912 founded the outreach group that later took the name Monmouth County Organization for Social Service (MCOSS).
“It was researched at every level whether the building could be renovated, and the answer was ‘no,’” says Nancy Montserrat, VNA director of development.
The lot will be used to create additional parking for staff and patients, she says.
Those terracotta tiles, by the way, turn out to be fake, as you can see from the sheet of them hanging off the roof.
What's this? A Red Bank business creating more parking? We've got to put a stop to this. If businesses start providing parking for their customers, we'll be back to Dead Bank in no time.
Seriously, though, that was kind of a nice building, even if the terra cotta was fake.
Dan,
The building is being torn down to provide parking for VNA workers - following the expansion and consolidation of offices at the top of the street (the brick building). It was probably far more cost effective to expand the newer building than repair an old building and just switch parking lots from one end of the street to the other.
On a related note, please remember, the VNA provides valuable community based services for Red Bank and area residents - such as the WIC program. Your statement reiterates the need to educate yourself - prior to passing judgement and spreading potentially inaccurate information.
Dan,
Hope your not allergic,
You just got stung by a bodman resident.
Ouch!
I could be wrong, but I thought Dan was being sarcastic.
I thought starting the second paragraph with the phrase "Seriously though" would make it really obvious that I was kidding, but I guess it wasn't enough.
For those who thought I was serious, let me be clear: I think it's a good idea that the VNA will be creating more parking for the use of its customers and employees. I think more businesses should do so.
According to the article, Nancy Montserrat says the lot will provide parking for customers (patients) as well as employees, so my statement about the VNA's actions was not inaccurate. My prediction of the demise of Red Bank's downtown was, of course, inaccurate, because it was supposed to be humorous.
Bodman Place Resident- Your statement reiterates the need to read postings closely- prior to passing judgement and spreading potentially inaccurate information.