Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

RED BANK: TOP BID $392,587 FOR FIREHOUSE

rb-independent-engine-93-061016-1-500x375-2749326The Independent Engine House on Mechanic Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD
hot-topic_02-220x137-6360205

Red Bank ‘s second firehouse auction in two years attracted four times the number of bidders as the first one, but ended at a lower top bid.

David Glassberg of Little Silver was the apparent bid winner of the Independent Engine Company, at 32 Mechanic Street opposite Globe Court.

Glassberg’s offer of $392,587 was the highest of four bids opened by Administrator Stanley Sickels in the council chambers Tuesday morning.

The other three bids were:

• $125,000, offered by Anthony Faustini, of Faustini Wines on Broad Street

• $326,875, by Morco LLC, the owner of a handful of downtown buildings

• $334,526, bid by Engine of Art LLC, of Little Silver, represented by David Epstein.

Glassberg’s plans for the property aren’t publicly known. He was not present at the bid opening, and could not be reached for comment.

The auction went ahead despite a request by Red Bank RiverCenter that the firehouse be demolished and the site used for parking.

RiverCenter would be willing to pay for the demolition, which would produce an estimated 22 additional parking spots in the adjoining East Side lots, executive director Jim Scavone told the borough council in a recent letter.

“The borough would gain the parking income from the new spaces every year instead of a one-time infusion of cash into the budget from the sale of the property,” Scavone told redbankgreen, and would also “significantly” increase the parking inventory.

Sickels said the apparent winning bid, and RiverCenter’s suggestion, would be presented to the council for consideration in a closed-door session, likely to be held September 14.

The Independent firehouse auction comes two years after 40 White Street, the former home of the Liberty Hose company, sold at auction for $400,000 in 2014. Morco was the sole, successful bidder, and has since won approval to create stores and apartments in the structure, though construction has not begun.

The twin firehouses were built in 1910 and in need of costly repairs, Mayor Pasquale Menna told redbankgreen.

The sale also comes as the town’s six free-standing volunteer fire companies and first aid squad are nearing completion on a consolidation plan, officials have said.

If the Independent sale goes through, the borough would be left owning just one firehouse: the Relief Company’s home on Drummond Place, attached to the former borough hall and police station at 51 Monmouth Street. The Union Hose on Leighton Avenue, Westside Hose on Shrewsbury Avenue and Navesink Hook & Ladders — just doors away from Independent, at 7-9 Mechanic Street — each own their home  structures.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
redbankgreen Classics
Partyline
REAL BRICKS!
Pardon our nerdiness, but we were excited to see the facade of the long-vacant building at 42 Monmouth being renovated with a facade that ap ...
NAVESINK SUNRISE
Sunrise colors Sunday over the Navesink. Shot from Maple Cove. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)
PET OWNER TO RED BANK: SCREW YOU
(photo and text by Partyline contributor Anna Cruz; headline by redbankgreen) Remember to scoop the poop!  
A HAIR DRYER IN A TREE?
(Photo and text by Partyline contributor Nicole Taetsch) If someone is missing a red hair dryer, it’s hanging from a tree on Oakland S ...
FROM DEEP LEFT FIELD..
(Photo and words by Partyline contributor Peter Cavalier) Shapes, Angles, and Colors: an Artist’s Canvas Where: A frigid Saturday morn ...
SUNSET ICE BOATING
Sunset ice boating Saturday. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)
ICY NAVESINK BLISS
Ice boating is back, baby! (Photo by partyline contributor Boris Kofman)
TEACHERS GET COUNCIL KUDOS
The Mayor and Borough Council honored five teachers from the Red Bank Borough Schools who were selected for the Governor’s Educator of the ...
RED BANK LIBRARY HEAD BIDS ADIEU
Eleni Glykis in her last day on the job in Red Bank Thursday (photo by Brian Donohue) redbankgreen stopped in the Red Bank Public Library to ...
TO TOWER HILL!
Parents and kids flocked to Tower Hill on Monday morning, taking advantage of the federal holiday and perfectly timed Sunday snowfall.
BROAD STREET IN WHITE
Taken during the snowstorm Sunday. (Photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)
Stunning Sunrise at Marine Park
Sunday’s sunrise from Marine Park. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)  
WALL STREET CLOSED FOR LEAK
Wall Street in Red Bank closed for water leak.
INDOOR SOCCER KICKS OFF
Pre-k and kindergarten aged kids were at Red Bank Middle School bright and early Sunday, participating in the indoor soccer program hosted b ...
SUNSET OVER FROZEN NAVESINK RIVER
Sunset colors Saturday evening over the ice shot from  Shrewsbury Ave. (Photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)  
ICY VIEW FROM TRAIN WINDOW
View of the partially frozen Navesink River Saturday afternoon from NJCL Train #7244. (Photo by Partyline contributor Karly Swaim)
RBR BEATS RBC IN BOYS HOOPS RIVALRY
 Red Bank Regional's boys basketball came out with the win at home against their crosstown rivals Red Bank Catholic on Tuesday in Little Si ...
FRIGID DINNER FOR WATER LINE WORKERS
Work continued into the late night hours on Bank Street Tuesday night as a crew replaced several water lines to homes under the town wide le ...
SNOWY THREE KINGS DAY
The three kings in the St. Anthony of Padua Nativity scene have a dusting of snow on their crowns as well as the gold, frankincense and myrr ...
River Road Closed for Emergency Repairs
River Road was closed for emergency road work between Harrison Avenue and Lake Avenue Friday, Jan. 3.  An alert sent out by the Borough of ...