GAF Wayne

Up until the mid 1960s the tract of land at the confluence of Ratzer & Alps roads was quiet and largely undeveloped. In 1964 a small racial uprising in Paterson drove flocks of white residents into the hills of the neighboring towns, bringing new commercial interest to an area that didnt make sense beforehand. So, in true New Jersey fashion, a large industrial chemical laboratory was built right in the middle of this peaceful woodland.

The history of the property at 1361 alps is a little murky. Several different companies formed to create GAF right around the time the complex was built. However, they didn't formally take that name until the late 1960s, several years after the buildings were finished. By the point of reincorporation they had been a major producer of movie film as well as roofing products and other adhesives. 

A few structures and improvements were added onto the campus throughout the 1970's, including a large office building. In 1983 a man named Samual Heyman became the head of the company. The following year he moved their headquarters from Manhattan to the Alps Road location. 

Over the next several decades the company realligned their priorities, focusing more heavily on roofing materials. Their iconic Timberline brand of shingles are sold throughout the country, dressing the tops of millions of US homes. 

As time went on the comapany continued consolidating operations further. By 2015 it was announced they were moving to Parsippany, and the Wayne heaquarters would be vacated.

When the buildings went dark the nearly 100 acre property swiftly began reverting back to nature. The driveways and walking paths were swallowed by overgrowth, while a sole security gaurd was stationed at the front gate. 

The large buildings were entirely invisible from the main road, which allowed them a bit of time to decay naturally despite thousands of cars passing each day.

Eventually the bored Wayne youth started spreading the word about the complex. The presence of security on the grounds kept the damage mostly to the edge of the property, but that could only last so long. 

In 2021 the land was sold to a developer who planned a housing community for the site. Around the same time I decided to head back to the grounds to see how far I could get.

The complex consisted of eleven buildings of various size and purpose. The main point of interest for me was Building #4, the Pilot Plant. 

At the time I thought it was a steam generating station, but it turned out to be another laboratory building with bigger equipment. 

I spent the next few hours walking through each of the buildings on campus. They were mostly all dark, and the offices were all extremely moldy and nasty inside. 

Building #4 proved to be the most interesting by far. I even ended up popping back inside to make sure I saw it all. 

Several years passed before any work happened on the property. That changed suddenly in 2025 when the land was entirely stripped of plant life. By the following year demolition of the buildings was well underway, with the entire site bare by May. 

Despite numerous instances of fuel and solvent spills on the site, an expert hired by the developer announced all necessary remediation had taken place and the contaminants found in the groundwater were below acceptable levels. It seems like the largest ecological disaster in the sites history is the clearcutting of dozens of acres of trees from the property. Ill be curious to see how the runoff is managed since the property is significantly sloped and positioned above a dense neighborhood. Only time will tell.

As always, thanks for learning with me. 

Newark Fire Company #5

 The Newark Fire Department began operations in the early to mid 1800s but it went through several restructuring efforts before being reincorporated into a paid department in 1889. The new Newark Ladder Company #5 building was finished the very same year on what was then known as Belmont Avenue. As a mark of pride, the keystone over the bay door proudly boasted the date. 

Six years later Engine Company #12 was formed, headquartered in an addition to the existing #5 building. A large lookout tower was added to the rear of the building, offering a place for crews to dry out their hoses. 

The firehouse was situated directly between Clinton and Springfield Avenues, right in the absolute heart of the 1967 Newark Rebellion. "The riots", as they're derisively known to many in the area, caused widespread fire damage to the neighborhood. In a time where there where information moved much slower, the events were plagued with rumors of snipers firing from rooftops at cops and firemen alike. Those rumors were later entirely disproven by the Kerner commission, a federal body tasked with investigating the rebellion. 

Instead the true threat ended up being gunfire from the National Guard and Newark Police who were murdering residents indiscriminately across the central ward. The unarmed victims ranged in age from 10 year old Eddie Moss to 73 year old Isaac Harrison. The Newark Fire Department even ended up losing one of their captains, 41 year old Michael Moran, who was killed by stray fire from the National Guard stationed at a nearby roadblock. His death was blamed on the fictitous snipers, further fueling fear and speculation. 

The rebellion immediately and forever changed the landscape of the city, especially the central ward. Just around a decade after the events unfolded the fire station was the only building standing on the block. It continued to be used until 2003, when the company relocated to the new firehouse on Clinton Avenue.

After several decades of disuse the firehouse was in a significant state of disrepair. Im willing to bet it was already starting to crumble when it was active, since the interior had never been updated. The original fixtures were left rotting away all that time. 

Unfortunately the historic structure was entirely demolished in 2026. A new apartment building is planned for the site. While I'm always glad to see the city removing blight, I really wish the facades could have been saved and incorporated into the new build. Its definitely upsetting to see another central ward block with no trace of its past. 

Hackensack YMCA

In the space between the two world wars the YMCA was expanding at a rapid pace throughout the country.  The group already had a footprint in New Jersey, but not in Bergen County. Hackensack was seen as the perfect place to build a new state of the art facility.

Source: TFPNJ Postcard Archive 

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The three story Classical Revival building was built in 1927. It opened its doors the following year. A local newspaper article cites the building as being one of the first to allow women and children from the very beginning. 

One of the most impressive features of the building was the large swimming pool in the basement. The YMCA is the largest operator of indoor pools in the entire world, so it only made sense that the Hackensack facility would have one as well.

It was announced in 2022 that operations would be consolidated with a more modern facility in Oradell, and the Hackensack branch was closing.

Despite being well decorated and largely original, the near-century old building was falling apart. The organization figured their resources would be better spent focused on one location. 

After just four years of vacancy the building was demolished in 2026. The site will be redeveloped as high density housing, a testament to the current needs of the city. 

St. Francis Medical Center

Ive always found the early history of the US healthcare industry fascinating. While doctors operated private practices and made house calls, the first purpose built hospitals in New Jersey were opened by the Catholics. Though often starting small, they would eventually grew into sprawling building campuses, seeing citizens of their home cities into and out of this world. One of the largest campuses of this type in the state was located right in our capital. 

Source: TFPNJ Postcard Archive 

The Sisters of St Francis of Philadelphia established the first hospital in Trenton in 1874.  The original building was a small two story converted schoolhouse. Shortly afterwards a large three story brick building was built on the same plot.

Source

One of the most significant early additions was a massive turn of the century Gothic Revival chapel designed by noted Philadelphia church architect Edwin Forrest Durang. 

Source: TFPNJ Postcard archive

Durang was a Philadelphia architect known for his catholic churches. The building was added to the south side of the three story dormitory in 1894.

Source: TFPNJ Postcard Archive 

In the early 1950's a large new wing was built at the corner of Bert and Hamilton Avenues. 

In 1957 a brand new school of nursing was built at the corner of Bert & St. Francis Avenues. 

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The hospital underwent a massive reconstruction effort in 1963. Almost all of the historic brick buildings were demolished. A new chapel and medical tower were built on the cleared land. 

Source: TFPNJ Postcard Archive

"Nun performing surgery" United Press Internatkonal Photo
TFPNJ Historic Photo Archive

The beautiful old nurses dorm was demolished in the early 1980s and replaced with a parking garage. A new service entrance was added along Chambers Street.

In 2006 a new entrance was added along Chambers Street. A breezeway was also built connecting the parking garage to the main hospital building. 

Despite the constant upgrades, St. Francis hospital announced they were closing down in 2022. The state insisted that some services remain on site past the closure, so an agreement was made with Capital Health to lease space and maintain basic care. Any serious issues would be transported to the main hospital on Brunswick Ave. 

Unfortunately the plan was short lived, as structural issues forced Capital Health out on June 25th, 2025. A fence was immediately put up around the perimeter of the campus, with signs redirecting those in need to the Brunswick Ave site. 

I had been trying to get inside the vacant sections of the hospital since it first closed with no success. Now that the building was fully empty and security was posted up outside I felt more comfortable working my way in. 

The security team was one of the most well equipped I have encountered so far. Not only were there two gaurds, so both sides of the hospital had eyes, but they also did foot patrols every hour to check for break ins. They employed a Deggi system, which is a security check in tool that increases vigilance. At each corner of the property were 24/7 remote monitored camera towers.

Articles were being published discussing the impending demolition of the hospital in local papers. Another article from September specifically talked about how crews were thoroughly boarding up the hospital to deter trespassers and scrappers. That article specifically mentions Mercer Hospital, another huge abandoned medical center across the city that had become an absolutely lawless headache for city leaders. I wasn't going to be put off though. I love a challenge.

During one of my rounds I noticed a second story window was sitting open. It was out of reach, so I started looking around for a pallet or garbage can I could use. It still would have been a climb, but I could have managed. Then I noticed something out of the corner of my eye; a ladder leaning against the parking garage. From where I was planning on hopping the fence I wouldn't even have to break my stride to grab the ladder. The window was in a recess, so the cameras wouldnt actually be able to see me climbing in..... was this actually about to work out? 

The spot where I hopped the fence was hidden from the street by a van. A tree blocked the cameras. I bent down and blocked my body with the ladder as I dashed to the window. These camera towers had speakers on them to alert trespassers that they've been recorded and security is notified. When I didn't get called out I assumed I was probably okay. The ladder was the perfect height, so I was inside in seconds. I couldn't leave the ladder leaned up against the window though, that would alert security while they did their rounds. Knowing I could dangle and drop to the soft grass below, I decided to push the ladder down. It nested into the tall grass so well that it was instantly camouflaged the second it touched down.

I didn't need a flashlight inside the buildings since the power was still on. That meant the interior cameras could also be working, I just had to roll the dice on that. The bigger issue was that I couldn't see outside as well as they could see me. There were also a number of missing windows on the backside of the auditorium where one of the gaurds sat. I had to crouch down to get from room to room.

Unfortunately the nursing school didnt connect to the main hospital building, so I had to go back outside to get to move on. The chapel was an obvious point of interest so thats where I headed.

The original 1890s chapel was demolished in 1963 and replaced by a contemporary design. The space was never utilized by Capital Health when they moved in, so it was just starting to decay a bit. 

Almost all of the medical equipment was long gone despite the space being very clean inside. The emergency room had already been gutted inside so there was nothing to see there. 

After finding the surgical rooms had also been stripped I spent most of the rest of my time in the basement looking for a morgue, which I never did find.

Despite expecting so much more inside I was glad to have had a chance to see it for myself. Shortly afterwards the parking garage was demolished, fully exposing my old way inside to the cameras.

 

The nursing school was the next to come down, with the demolition progressing northwards. It wasn't long before crews were tearing into the main hospital buildings. 

Its pretty wild to see the differences between what's happened with the St. Francis site compared to Mercer Hospital. While I'm sad I didn't have more time with St. Francis I'm also glad it never became a blighted ball and chain to the neighborhood. 

Thanks for learning with me.