HK Project and Woman's Club: Perfect Together?

This article originally ran on March 28.

When local philanthropist Tom Kerns announced in January he was walking away from a deal to purchase the Maplewood Woman's Club after the sale's completion was bogged down by a lawsuit, many residents feared the building's last hope for salvation was gone.

Kerns -- president of the non-profit HK Project -- was widely seen as a "white knight" when he decided to buy the property in 2011 (through a limited liability corporation) and restore the 1930s building to its former glory, adding a new kitchen, lighting, air conditioning and even a recording booth for the private and community events he envisioned would take place.

After he dropped out for personal reasons, the Maplewood Township Committee swooped in to announce the township would purchase the property for just over $1 million. And in a bit of serendipity, Kerns and HK Project might play a role in the building's future after all.

"That building is so important" for the community, said Kerns in a recent interview with Patch. “It is extremely important for it to be saved, and if HK can be included, we can bring a lot to the table.”

When the township announced it would form a task force to investigate private-public parnterships to manage the building, Kerns told members publicly that HK will submit a proposal to be the main partner.

"We are very interested," he said, noting that HK operates the sort of educational, cultural and arts activities and programs in Maplewood and South Orange that the TC said it is looking to use the building for. 

Such events, like the recent sold-out Studio B Speakeasy, bring revenue to the town and burnish its reputation among outsiders, said Kerns. “Having a thriving performing arts culture is extremely beneficial, and these events bring the community together.”

He said the Woman’s Club is the only space large enough to accommodate such gatherings as the Speakeasy, community events like the Maple Leaf Awards (being held in Kenilworth this year), as well as local PTA galas.

He said HK could locate grants and form alliances with such groups as the Maplewood Arts Council (MAC) and YouthNet to increase arts and education programming in town. "I would love to see so much more happening here," he said. "Obviously, I feel very strongly about it.”

The $2.5 – $3 million that had been mentioned for Kerns to restore the building would actually have included his purchase price, he said. “That would have been an investment,” he said. "I was OK with just breaking even." 

"There are other ways to run the building to make it viable," Kerns said. (Kerns said he thought the township had gotten a good deal on the purchase, with the parking spaces alone a "windfall.")

As for renovations, he said the building is well-built and structurally sound. The township will need to assess the electricity and plumbing systems, and potentially remediate mold and asbestos, he said. "I don't know how much [it would cost] but it is nowhere near the numbers being thrown around," he said.

Committeeman Jerry Ryan said the township is currently evaluating what is needed to stabilize the building and make it ADA compliant. 

"I’m particularly concerned about any environmental issues," said Deputy Mayor Kathy Leventhal, who along with Ryan will head the task force.

Kerns flatly denied a rumor that the township's "end game" was to purchase the property and have Kerns run it all along. "That is categorically not true," said Kerns. "[The township committee members] were not involved with me purchasing the building."

Township committee members have said they are pleased to learn of HK's interest but want to keep their options open. "I would like to cast the net and see what we catch here," said Ryan, who mentioned the South Mountain YMCA, the Union Boys and Girls Club and the Achieve Foundation as potential partners. 

Ryan said a partner could pay for renovation costs and do the "heavy lifting" of grantseeking and planning. The purchase will cost the town $85,000 a year for the next 15 years, plus carrying costs. Potential revenue will come from renting out the building and the parking spaces.  

"We welcome HK's proposal and others," said Mayor Vic DeLuca in an interview with Patch. He also noted he would like to have a "seamless" transition so the building would not have to be shut down in the interim.

Marlon K. Brownlee said he wanted to look beyond Maplewood's borders “if someone comes in with more money."

Committeewoman India Larrier said that any partnerships should "promote the values of our community while offering a financially sound contribution to it." 

While Larrier has indicated she would like to preserve the building, if possible, Brownlee would not rule out demolition if renovation becomes cost-prohibitive. The situation "has a lot of moving parts," and is a piece of a larger puzzle that includes development of the Maplewood Post Office site, he said.

Kerns said he doesn’t think demolition is a serious consideration. "I think [it] would be foolish," he said, "because it would take away the possibilities" of utilizing the club for programming.

"This is not just about saving some historic building," said Kerns. "It's about what it means to the town from the standpoint of community engagement, economics and reputation."

The township plans to issue an RFP sometime in May, said DeLuca.