“We are giving NJIT our preservation award,” said Adriana O’Toole, chairman of preservation for the Society, “because we like to recognize good restoration and usage still compatible with education and social needs.  Eberhardt Hall demonstrates these qualities and more.”   The ceremony was held May 15, 2006, at the Montclair Women’s Club, Montclair.  A reception in honor of Queen Victoria’s birthday month followed the presentation.  NJIT will use the building for alumni activity, administrative space and conference facilities.  The university purchased the castle in 1948 from the late industrialist Frederick Eberhardt, an alumnus, university friend and former trustee.

Beth Altenkirch, wife of NJIT President Robert A. Altenkirch and Carol Mauermeyer, wife of NJIT Treasurer and Senior Vice President of Administration Henry Mauermeyer, attended the ceremony at the Montclair Woman’s Club.  “I accept this honor on behalf of the NJIT community,” Altenkirch said.  “NJIT, home of Newark College of Engineering and the New Jersey School of Architecture, has a long-standing respect for the world of fine design and architecture illustrated by the restoration of Eberhardt Hall.”

Mauermeyer said the renaissance of this landmark structure, with its Victorian grace and charm, was planned as a counterpoint to the university’s new sleek, contemporary campus center.  “The juxtaposition of the two buildings makes a strong statement about NJIT’s identity, the pioneering technological university leading the way into the future, but the institution with a rich history,” she said.   International architect Charles Gwathmey designed the campus center.

 Princeton architect Cody Eckert of Cody Eckert & Associates PA, described the physical changes made to the house while firm senior associate architect Warren Buonanno offered a slide presentation. Eckert was the architect of record who managed the project.  Architect David Gibson, of DF Gibson, Inc, Newark, who acted as a consultant to the project, described the history of the house.

Also working on the project, but not in attendance were Israel Berger & Associates, New York City, who provided consulting services to NJIT for exterior restoration work.   Turner Construction, Somerset, handled building and construction.  A&J Consultants, Clifton, was responsible for the mechanical and electrical design. Harrison – Hammet PC, Pennington, performed the structural engineering analysis.

The university completed a $13 million restoration of the structure last fall.  The building was designed as an asylum for orphans in 1857 by noted 19th century church architect John Welch.  Today it is considered a rare example of Victorian architecture. 

The exterior was restored using authentic 19th-century materials — red brick and brownstone with mortars chemically matched to those used by the original builders. The university removed and repaired 20th-century adaptations such as holes for air conditioners. The front parking lot was replaced with a terraced green and a bluestone forecourt for outdoor events. Inside, the public areas on the first floor were restored, with simulated gaslight fixtures, authentic reproductions of late Victorian wallpapers and wood trims.  Restorations include the creation of a grand, central lobby, board room, dining room and more.

The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a beautiful example of the Gothic architecture of the mid-19th century, built in the Elizabethan style with elements reminiscent of 15th and 16th century castles. “It’s a rare building,” noted Gibson. “There’s only one other Elizabethan Gothic in New Jersey and maybe a handful on the entire Eastern Seaboard.” Welch, a founder of the American Institute of Architects, was a noted church architect, who in 1850 designed another nearby Newark landmark structure, St. James A.M.E. Church, noted for its stained glass windows. 

The building was state-of-the-art for 1857, with modern conveniences including gaslight, steam heat and hot-and-cold running water, amenities that were rare even in the period’s most affluent homes. Contemporary records show unusual safety features including an early fire-extinguishing system and emergency exits.  According to Gibson, the interior was designed for the comfort of the children, which the low banister height on the grand staircase demonstrates.

“In many ways, the building is a monument to the City of Newark and its tradition of compassionate humanitarianism, in providing such a gracious and well-equipped structure solely for the benefit of orphaned children,” added Altenkirch