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‘Free’ Queen Anne Home ... but There’s a Catch



A turn-of-the-century late Queen Anne house in a trendy enclave in Montclair, New Jersey, could be yours – for free! But there’s a catch ... you have to move it.



In recent weeks, the Redeemer Church of Montclair announced the three-story house at 23 North Willow Street is up for grabs, free of charge. The unit is currently used as church offices and classrooms, but an addition to the main building is planned, so the old structure must go to make space for the new construction.



The church planned to raze the 3,300-square-foot Jersey Shore-type Victorian, but this has prompted an outcry from local preservation officials. “The Historic Preservation Committee in town asked if we could make the house available to someone who wanted to pay to move it before we demolished it,” Redeemer senior pastor Daniel Ying said.



Ying acknowledged the project is a serious undertaking, as the new owner would also have to temporarily relocate the power lines hooked up to the three-story home when moving it. “That’s just as big of an obstacle as the cost,” he added. Though precise figures remain unclear, Realtor.com estimates total costs of moving the old home could range from $15,000 to $200,000.





The Redeemer Church does not intend to demolish 23 North Willow until January and Ying hopes to find an interested buyer sooner rather than later.



Kathleen Bennett, chairwoman of the Historic Preservation Committee of Montclair, is crossing her fingers that someone will be interested. “Save it and move it. Then it would be saved and loved by another generation,” Bennett told NJ.com.



According to property records, the six-bedroom home built in 1910 has two full bathrooms plus a half-bath.



Montclair residents are probably wondering whether history will repeat itself on the heels of the July demolition of the Aubrey Lewis House. In 2017, the historic 4,000-square-foot Victorian era mansion similarly hit the market for $10, but the new owner had to be willing to move it. Unfortunately, there were no takers and the stunning property was ultimately demolished this summer to make way for new construction.



Source: Janine Puhak, Fox News, November 19, 2019.