At the water tower in Palaia Park, Ocean Township are (left to right) Evan Tsivicos, Paul Edelson (museum President) , David Molina and Jahn Molina.
One of Ocean Township’s most iconic structures in Ocean Township is the Stucile Farms Water Tower in the cultural center portion of Joe Palaia Park. Everyone wonders, “what is it?” It was a water tower (a fancy one) that fed the greenhouses when the property was a private estate.
Decades ago the property was a summer home and a working farm. The east end of the current library was the main house. The greenhouses were there because the Haupt Family, who lived there from 1931 to 1964, loved and bred orchids. Enid Annenberg Haupt had the Conservatory at New York Botanical Gardens, in the Bronx; the gardens at the Closters in the Bronx; the gardens at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and the gardens at Monet’s home in Giverney, France, named for her.
The Township of Ocean Historical Museum has been restoring the tower over the years. Unfortunately, it needed significant structural work. The museum and the Ocean Township Council have completed a stabilization project that has held up any renovation for 18 months.
The project was completed by Cypreco Construction of Neptune City under Project Manager Evan Tsivicos.
Museum President, Paul Edelson said the museum is now going to move forward with restoring utility services to the tower and renovation to the inside of the house portion of the property.
