Aging is inevitable, and for many, it signals the beginning of a new chapter - one where you cross off bucket list items and live life to the fullest, on your own terms. However, for some men, aging is a horrible prospect, filled with chronic fatigue, irritability, and inability to perform in the bedroom. If you're concerned about life in middle age and beyond, we've got great news: there are easy, proven steps that you can take to help stop the negative effect of aging.
Global Life Rejuvenation was founded to give men a new lease on life - one that includes less body fat, fewer mood swings, and more energy as you age. If you're ready to look and feel younger, it's time to consider TRT (testosterone replacement therapy), and growth hormone peptides. These therapies for men are effective, safe, and customized to fit your goals, so you can keep loving life as you get older.
TRT, and growth hormone peptide therapies bridge the gap between your old life and the more vibrant, happier version of you. With a simple click or call, you can be well on your way to a brighter future. After all, you deserve to be the one in charge of your wellness and health. Now, you have the tools to do so - backed by science and applied by our team of TRT and HRT experts with more than 13 years of experience.
For men, getting older comes with its perks, like living life on their own terms and not having to "sweat the small stuff" day in and day out. At the same time, there are aspects of aging that men dread, like hormonal changes. Yes, you read that right – men, not just women, go through hormonal changes as they age. For men, the biggest change involves a drop in testosterone.
Lower levels of testosterone can wreak havoc on a male's mind and body and when left untreated, can result in symptoms like:
Those symptoms are concerning, but with testosterone replacement therapy and anti-aging medicine, many males improve their quality of life with age. The good news is that TRT and anti-aging meds aren't only reserved for "old guys." In fact, there's no magic age at which men should start thinking about hormone replacement therapy. Everyone's body is different, so if you're experiencing the above conditions in your mid-30s, TRT could be a viable solution when you consult with a doctor.
Testosterone is a crucial hormone for men and plays an important role throughout the male lifespan. Most of a male's testosterone is produced through the testicles. Also called the male sex hormone, testosterone starts playing its part during puberty.
When a male goes through puberty, testosterone helps males develop:
As boys turn to men and men grow older, testosterone levels deplete naturally. Sometimes, events like injuries and chronic health conditions like diabetes can lower testosterone levels. Unfortunately, when a man loses too much T, it results in hypogonadism. When this happens, the testosterone must be replaced, or the male will suffer from symptoms like muscle loss, low libido, and even depression.
TRT is exactly what it sounds like: a treatment option for men that replaces testosterone so that your body regulates hormones properly and restores balance to your life. Also called androgen replacement therapy, TRT alleviates the symptoms that men experience with low T.
Originally lab-synthesized in 1935, testosterone has grown in popularity since it was produced. Today, TRT and other testosterone treatments are among the most popular prescriptions in the U.S.
Without getting too deep into the science, TRT works by giving your body the essential testosterone it needs to function correctly. As the primary androgen for both males and females, testosterone impacts many of the body's natural processes – especially those needed for overall health. For example, men with low T are more prone to serious problems like cardiovascular disease and even type-2 diabetes.
When your body quits making enough testosterone, it causes your health to suffer until a solution is presented. That's where TRT and anti-aging medicine for men can help. TRT helps balance your hormones and replenish your depleted testosterone. With time, your body will begin to heal, and many symptoms like low libido and irritability begin to diminish.
For men, aging is the biggest contributor to lower testosterone levels, though there are other causes like obesity, drug abuse, testicular injuries, and certain prescribed medications. Sometimes, long-term health conditions like AIDS, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney disease can lower testosterone levels.
When a man's testosterone levels drop significantly, it alters his body's ratio of estrogen and testosterone. Lower testosterone levels cause more abdominal fat, which in turn results in increased aromatase, which converts even more testosterone into estrogen.
If you're concerned that you might have low T, you're not alone. Millions of men in the U.S. feel the same way. The best way to find out if your testosterone is low is to get your levels tested.
For sustainable testosterone replacement therapy benefits, you must consult with hormone doctors and experts like those you can find at Global Life Rejuvenation. That way, you can find the root cause of your hormone problems, and our team can craft a personalized HRT plan tailored to your needs.
Are you used to blasting through a productive day and accomplishing all your daily goals? Do you find yourself losing muscle mass and the craving to be intimate with your partner? Does your partner complain about how irritable you have become? If you're not usually a curmudgeon, your body could be giving you a sign. It could be time to speak with a doctor about TRT and anti-aging medicine for men in Oradell, NJ.
If you're experiencing any of the following symptoms, you might be battling against low testosterone:
One of the most common reasons that men choose TRT is because they have lost that "spark" with their partner. It's not easy for a man to hear that they're not performing like they used to. Intimacy is a powerful part of any relationship. When a once-healthy sex life dwindles, it can cause serious relationship issues.
The good news is that low libido doesn't have to be a permanent problem. TRT and anti-aging medicines help revert hormone levels back into their normal range. When this happens, many men have a more enjoyable life full of intimacy and sex drive.
Weak erections – it's an uncomfortable subject for many men in the U.S. to talk about. It's even worse to experience first-hand. You're in the midst of an intimate moment, and you can't do your part. Despite being perfectly normal, many men put blame and shame upon themselves when they can't achieve an erection. And while the inability to perform sexually can be caused by poor diet, obesity, and chronic health conditions, low testosterone is often a contributing factor.
Fortunately, weak erections are a treatable condition. The best way to regain your confidence and ability in bed is to speak with your doctor. Once any underlying conditions are discovered, options like TRT may be the best course of treatment.
Hair Loss
Do you find it harder and harder to work out and lift weights in the gym? Are you having problems lifting heavy items that you once had no problem lifting?
Recent studies show that when men are inactive, they lose .5% of muscle strength every year, from ages 25 to 60. After 60, muscle loss doubles every decade. While some muscle loss is common as men age, a significant portion can be tied to low testosterone levels. When a man's T levels drop, so does his muscle mass.
Testosterone is a much-needed component used in gaining and retaining muscle mass. That's why many doctors prescribe TRT Oradell, NJ, for men having problems with strength. One recent study found that men who increased their testosterone levels using TRT gained as much as 2.5 pounds of muscle mass.
Whether your gym performance is lacking, or you can't lift heavy items like you used to, don't blame it all on age. You could be suffering from hypogonadism.
If you're like millions of other men in their late 20s and 30s, dealing with hair loss is a reality you don't want to face. Closely related to testosterone decline and hormone imbalances, hair loss is distressing for many men. This common symptom is often related to a derivative of testosterone called DHT. Excess amounts of DHT cause hair follicles to halt their production, causing follicles to die.
Because hair located at the front and crown is more sensitive to DHT, it grows slower than other follicles and eventually stops growing permanently. Thankfully, TRT and anti-aging treatments for men in Oradell, NJ, is now available to address hair loss for good.
While it's true that you can't change your genes, you can change the effects of low testosterone on your body. Whether you're suffering from thinning hair or hair loss across your entire head, TRT and other hormone therapies can stop hair loss and even reverse the process.
Also called "man boobs," gynecomastia is essentially the enlargement of male breast tissue. This increase in fatty tissue is often caused by hormonal imbalances and an increase in estrogen. For men, estrogen levels are elevated during andropause. Also called male menopause, andropause usually happens because of a lack of testosterone.
If you're a man between the ages of 40 and 55, and you're embarrassed by having large breasts, don't lose hope. TRT is a safe, effective way to eliminate the underlying cause of gynecomastia without invasive surgery. With a custom HRT and fitness program, you can bring your testosterone and estrogen levels back to normal before you know it.
Decreased energy was once considered a normal part of aging. Today, many doctors know better. Advances in technology and our understanding of testosterone show that low T and lack of energy often go hand-in-hand.
If you're struggling to enjoy activities like playing with your kids or hiking in a park due to lack of energy, it could be a sign of low T. Of course, getting tired is perfectly normal for any man. But if you're suffering from continual fatigue, a lack of enjoyment, or a decrease in energy, it might be time to speak with a doctor.
Whether you're having a tough time getting through your day or can't finish activities you used to love, TRT could help.
A study from 2011 showed that men who lose a week's worth of sleep can experience lowered testosterone levels – as much as 15%, according to experts. Additional research into the topic found almost 15% of workers only get five hours of sleep (or less) per night. These findings suggest that sleep loss negatively impacts T levels and wellbeing.
The bottom line is that men who have trouble sleeping often suffer from lower testosterone levels as a result. If you find yourself exhausted at the end of the day but toss and turn all night long, you might have low T.
TRT and anti-aging medicines can restore your T levels back to normal, which can help you sleep better with proper diet and exercise.
You're feeling down about everything, and there's no solid explanation for why you're in such a crummy mood. Your daily life is great and full of success, but you can't help but feel unexcited and unmotivated. If you're experiencing symptoms like these, you may be depressed – and it may stem from low testosterone.
A research study from Munich found that men with depression also commonly had low testosterone levels. This same study also found that depressed men had cortisol levels that were 67% higher than other men. Because higher cortisol levels lead to lower levels of testosterone, the chances of severe depression increase.
Depression is a very real disorder and should always be diagnosed and treated by your doctor. One treatment option gaining in popularity is TRT for depression. Studies show that when TRT is used to restore hormone levels, men enjoy a lighter, more improved mood. That's great news for men who are depressed and have not had success with other treatments like anti-depression medicines, which alter the brain's chemistry.
Ask anyone over the age of 50 how their memory is, and they'll tell you it wasn't what it used to be. Memory loss and lack of concentration occur naturally as we age – these aren't always signs of dementia or Alzheimer's.
However, what many men consider a symptom of age may be caused by low testosterone. A 2006 study found that males with low T levels performed poorly on cognitive skill tests. These results suggest that low testosterone may play a part in reducing cognitive ability. If you're having trouble staying on task or remembering what your schedule is for the day, it might not be due to your age. It might be because your testosterone levels are too low. If you're having trouble concentrating or remembering daily tasks, it could be time to talk to your doctor.
Why? The aforementioned study found that participating men experienced improved cognitive skills when using TRT.
Even though today's society is more inclusive of large people, few adults enjoy gaining weight as they age. Despite their best efforts, many men just can't shed the extra pounds around their midsections, increasing their risk of heart disease and cancer.
Often, male weight gain is caused by hormone imbalances that slow the metabolism and cause weight to pile on. This phase of life is called andropause and happens when there is a lack of testosterone in the body. Couple that with high cortisol levels, and you've got a recipe for flabby guts and double chins.
Fortunately, TRT treatments and physician-led weight loss programs can correct hormone imbalances and lead to healthy weight loss for men.
The benefits of hormone replacement therapy for men are numerous. TRT not only grants relief from low-T symptoms but can help give protection against age-related diseases. Additionally, doctors now recognize male testosterone as an important role in alleviating depression.
Some of the most exciting benefits of TRT can include:
Because men do not go through a specific period of hormonal changes like women do (called menopause), many doctors refer to "male menopause" as androgen decline. This is just another term for low testosterone, but like female menopause, the symptoms can be serious and affect your quality of life.
The best way to fight back against male menopause is with male HRT treatment from Global Life Rejuvenation. We provide the following HRT treatments for men:
Our treatment options are personalized for your body and are available as creams, gels, injectables, and implantable pellets. To find out if testosterone replacement therapy is safe for you, contact Global Life Rejuvenation today to schedule your comprehensive testing and anti-aging treatment consultation.
Growth hormone peptides are an innovative therapy that boosts the natural human growth hormone production in a person's body. These exciting treatment options help slow down the aging process and give you a chance at restoring your youth.
Sermorelin is a synthetic hormone peptide, like GHRH, which triggers the release of growth hormones. When used under the care of a qualified physician, Sermorelin can help you lose weight, increase your energy levels, and help you feel much younger.
Human growth hormone (HGH) therapy has been used for years to treat hormone deficiencies. Unlike HGH, which directly replaces declining human growth hormone levels, Sermorelin addresses the underlying cause of decreased HGH, stimulating the pituitary gland naturally. This approach keeps the mechanisms of growth hormone production active.
Benefits of Sermorelin include:
Ipamorelin helps to release growth hormones in a person's body by mimicking a peptide called ghrelin. Ghrelin is one of three hormones which work together to regulate the growth hormone levels released by the pituitary gland. Because Ipamorelin stimulates the body to produce growth hormone, your body won't stop its natural growth hormone production, which occurs with synthetic HGH.
Ipamorelin causes growth hormone secretion that resembles natural release patterns rather than being constantly elevated from HGH. Because ipamorelin stimulates the natural production of growth hormone, our patients can use this treatment long-term with fewer health risks.
One of the biggest benefits of Ipamorelin is that it is suitable for both men and women. It provides significant short and long-term benefits in age management therapies, boosting patients' overall health, wellbeing, and outlook on life. When growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland using Ipamorelin, clients report amazing benefits.
Some of those benefits include:
Whether you are considering our TRT services, HRT for women, or our growth hormone peptide services, we are here to help. The first step to turning back the hand of time starts by contacting Global Life Rejuvenation.
Our friendly, knowledgeable TRT and HRT experts can help answer your questions and walk you through our procedures. From there, we'll figure out which treatments are right for you. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to looking and feeling better than you have in years!
866-793-9933
4-minute readOradell husband-and-wife team Victor James “V.J.” Castro and Kelly Castro are leaving behind the world of finance for a path chosen by their 7-year old son, Carson.It’s the next step in a journey that began in their kitchen during the pandemic when Kelly spent the days baking with Carson, who is on the ...
Oradell husband-and-wife team Victor James “V.J.” Castro and Kelly Castro are leaving behind the world of finance for a path chosen by their 7-year old son, Carson.
It’s the next step in a journey that began in their kitchen during the pandemic when Kelly spent the days baking with Carson, who is on the autism spectrum, as a way of bringing him out of his shell.
One hundred and sixty packages of cookie dough flew off the shelves of two local restaurants this month, and though that may not be a lot, the Castros — and the community that supports them — have high hopes for the family business.
Carson's Cookie Dough, which opened in September, is being designed from the ground up to be an employer of people with disabilities like Carson, whose parents lie awake at night worried about their futures.
“He has to learn to think to do things that others take for granted, like talking and just communicating,” Kelly Castro said of her son. “I see him working so hard. When we ask my other sons, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ the possibilities are endless for them. When I look at Carson, I wonder: Will he be OK?"
Carson loves cookies; he loves making cookie dough. During the pandemic, when school was remote, the family made tons of cookies because it made their son happy. It also brought language out of a child whose disability often thwarts communication.
"It kind of served as a therapy for him. We could never have eaten all the cookies we made. So we started giving it out to our friends,” said Castro, who used to do financial forecasting for HBO. She and V.J. met in the company's finance department.
People were skittish in the early days of the pandemic when less was understood about COVID’s transmission, so Castro, 42, decided to give out cookie dough that people could bake for themselves and feel safe about eating.
“We didn't know if everyone was comfortable eating something that we baked. Everything was very nerve-wracking back then, and everyone had different comfort levels. So we would ball it up, get it ready to be baked and hand it out like that. It was a nice, little convenient treat that made their house smell great,” she said.
The “treats” they handed out to friends and neighbors served as market research that helped them tweak recipes.
“We played around with so many different recipes, adjusted here and there and packaged it different ways, and we just started dropping it off to our friends and neighbors,” she said. “We’d say, 'Can you tell us what you think of this?' By the second, third or fourth time, we’d drop them off they'd be waiting on the porch for us. They were happy, so excited to get it.”
They settled on three flavors: chocolate chip, molasses spice and chocolate crinkle, which is made with Ghirardelli chocolate to create a chewy center that contrasts with its crispy outer layer.
It was around this time that Castro met Gina Vaccaro, 53, who owns two Oradell restaurants, The Lab Burger and Calabria Pizza, both in the same strip mall as Schreibers Deli & Catering on Kinderkamack Road.
Castro was a customer and asked Vaccaro if she would help with a fundraiser for the local school.
“We became fast friends through that,” said Vaccaro. “She would tell me about her life and we would talk about our children.”
Vaccaro gave other tips along the way, such as renting a kitchen instead of investing in a storefront, to keep costs down while Castro was getting the business off the ground. Vaccaro also told her not to be shy when it comes to sharing details of her family’s life with others.
“You have to personalize it. Put the story of why you're doing it out there so people can relate. There's a lot of people in the same situation. Who wouldn't want to support it?” said Vaccaro, who now sells the cookie dough in both of her restaurants.
As the ball got rolling, Castro started thinking beyond her family. How many “meaningful” jobs could she create with this venture? She put a flow chart together. She would need people to do the mixing and packaging. She would need sales people who could talk passionately about the products. She would need delivery teams, and staff for the back office.
The need in the disability community for work is great. An estimated 500,000 people with autism will graduate in the U.S. over the next 10 years, according to Secaucus-based Spectrum Works, which focuses on the employment gap for those with autism. Almost half of 25-year-olds with autism have never held a paying job, due to a lack of opportunities, the group said.
“The ultimate goal is to grow and create other locations, and I want to start a foundation to raise funds to provide a social worker or some professional that's on hand at each location to make sure everyone working there is getting fulfillment out of what they're doing,” Castro said. “We have this ultimate goal of supporting this community with fulfilling and engaging employment. For now, we don't have any employees.”
She sees that timeline as being a year or two out. For now it’s just she and Carson cooking and making the rounds.
“We want to make sure we have everything down solid before we bring on the staff. We want to make sure they're in a good situation and not coming into chaos,” she said. “Our goal is to make it so that this community has the same opportunities as everyone else, a career actually doing something they want to do and they feel good doing it.”
In the meantime she's on the lookout for examples from other businesses with similar missions to employ people with disabilities, like Maplewood-based Beloved Bath and John’s Crazy Socks in Farmingdale, New York. Castro supports them with donations when she can.
“You walk in, and you can’t help but feel that joy,” she said.
Gene Myers covers disability and mental health for NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY Network. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
The Oradell Reservoir Dam turned 100 and Veolia — the utility company that owns and operates the dam — celebrated the milestone Wednesday, noting its importance in the growth of Northern New Jersey.Without the reservoir, company officials said, North Jersey would look much different than it does today. Oradell is a vital water supply that provides 35 billion gallons of water annually to nearly 1 million residents and businesses across Bergen and Hudson counties, including Fair Lawn, Hackensack, Hasbrouck Heights, Wood- Rid...
The Oradell Reservoir Dam turned 100 and Veolia — the utility company that owns and operates the dam — celebrated the milestone Wednesday, noting its importance in the growth of Northern New Jersey.
Without the reservoir, company officials said, North Jersey would look much different than it does today. Oradell is a vital water supply that provides 35 billion gallons of water annually to nearly 1 million residents and businesses across Bergen and Hudson counties, including Fair Lawn, Hackensack, Hasbrouck Heights, Wood- Ridge, Teterboro and Paramus
“Today we celebrate the Oradell Dam as an engineering feat that has withstood the test of a century, and we also recognize the people at our company and in our communities who had the foresight to build it,” said Alan Weland, Vice President and General Manager of Veolia’s operations in New Jersey. “Without a reliable source of drinking water, North Jersey would not exist as we know it today.”
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Weland was joined by Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, Oradell Mayor Dianne Didio and other state and local officials, who spoke about the importance of the dam to the region.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Rep. Bill Pascrell, Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise and numerous other elected officials honored the company with proclamations commemorating the dam's 100 years of service.
“For a century, the Oradell Reservoir has been the source of clean drinking water for residents and businesses in Bergen and Hudson counties,” Tedesco said. “Unless you have been to the plant and see what happens on a 24-hour basis, you don't know the amount of effort and the quality of the work that's done by the employees here."
The reservoir that would become essential to the state's water supply had humble beginnings. In 1892, the Hackensack Water Company, now known as Veolia, was serving 100,000 people, a population that would quadruple over the next two decades. To meet this demand, the company expanded the reservoir.
In the early 1920s, work began on another expansion to satisfy the needs of a postwar population boom. By the time the dam was completed in 1923, the concrete dam was 402 feet long, 23 feet high and could hold 3.5 billion gallons of water.
Today, an average of 98 million gallons a day are drawn from the Oradell to meet the needs of North Jersey. The highest single day draw? That record — 163 million gallons — was set on July 22, 2011.
“The growth and development of this water company over 150 years made possible the growth and development of Bergen County. Without this water we would not be thriving and growing as we have been,” Bergen County Commissioner Mary Amoroso said. “I congratulate Veolia on the 100th anniversary of the wonderful dam."
As the community grew, the water system grew,” Weland said. “It is an integral part of our community here, including the economic health of our community as well as public health.”
ORADELL — After five months of hearings, a new restaurant got the go-ahead to take over a space in the heart of the downtown once occupied by Cool Beans coffee shop.Ora, a 248-seat, two-story restaurant with outdoor dining and a vegetable garden, will replace Cool Beans, a popular spot that closed around the end of 2019...
ORADELL — After five months of hearings, a new restaurant got the go-ahead to take over a space in the heart of the downtown once occupied by Cool Beans coffee shop.
Ora, a 248-seat, two-story restaurant with outdoor dining and a vegetable garden, will replace Cool Beans, a popular spot that closed around the end of 2019. The Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to approve the application by 304 Kinderkamack Road LLC on Monday night.
The Kinderkamack Road property, next to the Bergen County Players theater, is an 8,600-square-foot commercial building with several tenants and a patio in back. It will be renovated into a 10,400-square-foot, two-story restaurant with outdoor dining in front and a garden in back.
The approval required a number of conditions, including preparation of a parking management plan that must be approved by the borough; a lighting review after six months to make sure brightness levels meet borough code, and an agreement with neighboring property owners over screening on the north side of the site. No outdoor music will be allowed, and a sound study will be done.
The applicant's professionals said the parking management plan will evolve as parking and traffic situations change in the area.
Thomas Silvestri, the future owner of Ora and executive chef at White Beeches Golf and Country Club, testified during the hearing, saying that Ora would be a “family-friendly, modern Italian restaurant with an upscale bar.” The restaurant will also feature a brick oven imported from Italy.
Silvestri said Ora would have a soft opening, operating as dinner-only for a few months and closing on Mondays. Weekend brunch would be the next step before the restaurant opens seven days a week. He anticipates it will take eight months to a year to run at full capacity.
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The restaurant will have 70 seats on the first floor with a wood-burning pizza oven, and a bar area seating 56 patrons with a view of the semi-open kitchen, architect Garrett Singer has said. Twenty-eight seasonal outdoor dining seats in the front were also proposed.
On the second floor, 48 seats will be used for overflow dining, and another private dining area will seat 42. The upstairs will also have a 20-person dining/meeting space.
The biggest concern throughout the hearing had been parking, for which the applicant requested a variance. There is no parking on-site, and the developer needed to show there was adequate parking nearby. A previously presented parking study identified 326 spaces available in the area, including 17 in the immediate vicinity on Kinderkamack Road.
Although the possibility of valet parking had been discussed, those plans did not appear to be included in the final version of the proposal.
"From this meeting tonight, the valet is not entirely off the table, but they are going to see how things develop before they move in that direction," said zoning board Chairman Marvin Michelman. "When you look at the restaurants in Ridgewood or Westwood, I don't see valet parking."
During public comment, 11 people spoke in favor of the project, saying it will revitalize the downtown and provide a gathering place for the community.
Resident Michael Gallucci said he felt the restaurant would encourage people to come to Oradell and bring customers to other businesses. He read a letter on behalf of the Oradell Economic Development Advisory Committee supporting the project.
"Along with the theater, it can be a hub, something that Oradell is lacking," Gallucci said. "We can truly have a town center."
Board member Chris Santaniello said the applicant made a "big concession" by eliminating the back deck because of noise concerns. He said the renovation would be good for the downtown and the "positives outweigh the negatives."
"Might people park on side streets? Sure, but that’s legal today," said Santaniello. "We can’t really consider something that’s perfectly legal as negative criteria. As far as positive criteria, if we’re being honest, our downtown is borderline distressed."
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
ORADELL — A hole in the roof of the Blauvelt Mansion that alarmed preservationists has been repaired, but there are lingering worries about the fate of the historic mansion.The shingle-style, 25-room estate, which sits atop a long grassy hill on Kinderkamack Road at Soldier Hill Road, has been in limbo for years. CareOne, a network of assisted living facilities, had contracted with the mansion's former owner, Jeffrey Wells, to build an assisted-care facility on the property’s front lawn in 2007, but two prop...
ORADELL — A hole in the roof of the Blauvelt Mansion that alarmed preservationists has been repaired, but there are lingering worries about the fate of the historic mansion.
The shingle-style, 25-room estate, which sits atop a long grassy hill on Kinderkamack Road at Soldier Hill Road, has been in limbo for years. CareOne, a network of assisted living facilities, had contracted with the mansion's former owner, Jeffrey Wells, to build an assisted-care facility on the property’s front lawn in 2007, but two proposals have been rejected by the borough.
CareOne bought the property outright in a foreclosure auction in 2013, and no new plans for the site have been proposed since.
In recent weeks, residents complained about the condition of the property. Stephen Depken, the borough’s construction official, spoke with a representative of CareOne, who let him inspect the exterior last month. He discovered a hole in the roof and a possible infestation of animals.
Last Friday, representatives from CareOne said the entry point into the building had been fixed by an animal control officer and a roofer, and "the situation has been resolved."
JoAnn Young, a member of the Oradell Historical Committee who has been leading the charge to preserve the estate, over the weekend replaced her “Save the Blauvelt Mansion” sign along Kinderkamack Road for the fourth time, highlighting how long the effort to ensure the historical home is preserved has gone on.
"It's a landmark in Bergen County and Oradell," Young said. "We really hope it's preserved and will be there forever."
Young is worried about the state of the building, especially the interior, which she hasn't seen in years. She is concerned that raccoons may have entered through the hole in the roof and possibly made nests in the third floor of the mansion. She's also concerned about ivy that’s been growing on the front wall of the mansion, which could damage and weaken the stone foundation.
Young is hoping that one of the mansion highlights, a double staircase, with turn-of-the-20th-century carved banisters, and a wooden balcony on the second floor that matches the staircase, had not been damaged as a result of the hole and possible rodent infestation.
Young's dream for the Blauvelt Mansion would have the property become a community center. She said she would love to see local nonprofits share a space on the second floor to allow them to be closer to the communities they serve, and maybe even a small restaurant in it to host benefits.
There was a renewed effort in 2019 urging community members to reach out to Bergen County commissioners to continue discussions on the preservation of the mansion, but nothing new seemed to have come from this effort.
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At one point, it seemed the county might be interested in purchasing the mansion from CareOne. Discussions between the county and CareOne concerning the mansion date back to 2016, when then-Freeholder John Felice said, "The county is working diligently [with CareOne] to see if there is a way that they can incorporate some type of partnership in keeping the Blauvelt and the great lawn there and using it for a different purpose."
It's unclear where these negotiations stand now. A call to the Preservation Section of the Bergen County Parks Department was not returned, and representatives from CareOne did not comment.
Mayor Dianne Didio said she has not heard any news about where talks are between the county and CareOne, but added that she would like to see the property preserved.
"It's been a very long process and I'm hopeful something good will come of it," Didio said. "I hope that someone will step in and take it over and restore it, but it's not something that the borough can afford to do."
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
ORADELL — It's been two years in the making and had to survive two major floods, but the Paddle Center at Van Buskirk Island County Park is finally open for business.Bergen County and local officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday for the new dock on the Hackensack River, next to the historic waterworks plant near New Milford ...
ORADELL — It's been two years in the making and had to survive two major floods, but the Paddle Center at Van Buskirk Island County Park is finally open for business.
Bergen County and local officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday for the new dock on the Hackensack River, next to the historic waterworks plant near New Milford Avenue.
The center will offer kayak rentals, allowing access to the river for trips to the Oradell Avenue bridge and back. The project also added signs posted on the river along the way to let people know if there are areas to avoid.
Attendees paddled down the Hackensack on the warm, muggy day. The center hosts single-person kayaks at the moment but will have more options going forward, the county said. The kayak launch will be open on weekends and holidays from April 22 — Earth Day — to late October, weather permitting. A two-hour rental will cost $20 per paddler, plus $10 for each additional hour. Visitors are welcome to bring their own kayaks to the dock as well, officials said.
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The 14-acre Van Buskirk Island is also the site of the New Milford Plant of Hackensack Water Co., which once pumped more than 60 million gallons of clean water daily in the early 1960s and was in operation for more than 100 years. It was expanded eight times after its opening in 1882 before it was shut down in 1990 by Suez, the utility formerly known as United Water and Hackensack Water, and now called Veolia.
Not much has happened at the waterworks property since the county inherited it in the 1990s. Long-term plans are in the brainstorming stage for the historic plant itself, which is on both the state and national registers of historic sites. In the meantime, county officials sought to make it easier for residents to use the surrounding property for recreation. The kayak launchwas the result.
County Executive Jim Tedesco said Tuesday morning that having kayak access to the Hackensack River from the dock will allow people to see the true beauty of the river. Over the last two years, the county’s Parks and Recreation Department was busy clearing the waterway to ensure that it was safe to navigate.
"It’s not been without challenges, but we persevered," Tedesco told a crowd of about 35 people gathered at Tuesday's ribbon-cutting.
Those challenges included severe flooding in April that damaged five pieces of construction equipment the county was using to build the dock, with the loss estimated at $2 million. The remnants of Hurricane Ida in August 2021 also wiped out “six months' worth of work” when the in-progress dock drifted downstream and ended up in New Milford, Tedesco said.
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"We thought about relocating to New Milford, but we brought it back," he joked. "We have higher poles and we’re here today."
Bill Sheehan, leader of the Hackensack Riverkeeper environmental group, said his history with Van Buskirk Island goes back 30 years. He believes the paddle center will help build the momentum to go through with restoring therest of the park.
"At some point in the future, this is going to be open and you’re going to be able to enjoy it," Sheehan said.
It’s unclear what will happen to the actual waterworks building, which is sealed off with fences due to safety concerns. In April, ParksDirector Jim Koth said the county is looking for ways to reuse the plant, but isn't sure yet what form that would take.
Children ages 12 to 17 can paddle the kayaks available at Van Buskirk, but they must be accompanied on the water by an adult at all times. Children ages 9 to 11 can paddle in the front of a tandem kayak or a canoe with an adult on board. Up to two free canoe passengers are allowed if they are children ages 5 to 8. No children under 5 years old will be permitted on boats.
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
