MADISON — Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen H. Shaw presented a Historic Preservation plaque to Madison Mayor Robert H. Conley, recognizing the preservation of the 200-year-old Madison Masonic Lodge.
The Federal-style brick building, supported by nearly $700,000 in county preservation funding since 2020, will soon transition into a community hub for seniors and local organizations, ensuring its legacy endures for future generations. In 2024, the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust awarded a grant of $562,500, which covered 50% of the total $1.125 million acquisition cost. Previous Morris County Historic Preservation Trust grants included $21,440 in 2020 for structural repair documents and $107,200 in 2022 for flooring and structural restoration.
In addition to county support, substantial funding from the New Jersey Historic Trust, the Madison Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, and a $1 million donation from Madison resident Martin Heller have also enabled the project. The borough is applying most of Heller’s donations towards the renovation and preservation of the lodge. The building has been renamed The Heller Center, which will be home to The Peggy Heller
Senior Center of Madison, to honor Heller’s late wife.
“The preservation of this historic building, which dates back to 1825, was made possible through the collaboration between the county, the town, and the generosity of Mr. Heller to preserve a piece of Morris County’s history. Since 2003, our renowned preservation program has awarded more than $50 million in grants, supporting 123 buildings and structures across the county. This success is made possible by the taxpayers, who have consistently demonstrated their commitment to open space and historic preservation,” said Deputy Director Shaw, who was joined by Morris County Director of Planning and Preservation Joseph Barilla and Historic Preservation Program Coordinator Ray Chang at the dedication ceremony.
The Madison Masonic Lodge, also known as the Old Main Street Church, was originally constructed in 1825 by the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township, which was later renamed Madison. The building combines elements of Wren-Gibbs Classical and Federalist architecture and was listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 2008.
In 1930, the church sold the property to Madison Lodge No. 93, Free & Accepted Masons, who maintained the building’s exterior while remodeling the interior. The Borough of Madison acquired the property in December 2023, supported by Heller’s $1 million donation.
“The Masons did an amazing job taking care of this building for 90 years, but they could no longer maintain it. It could have been sold to a developer for more money, but they chose to be part of a group committed to saving it. Madison was figuring out how to make this happen when Martin Heller’s $1 million gift turned this vision into reality,” said Mayor Conley.
Planned rehabilitation includes ADA accessibility improvements, LEED certification funded by a New Jersey Board of Public Utilities grant, and electrification of the building. The 12-to-16-month project ensures the building remains a community asset for generations.
According to the mayor, a 200th anniversary celebration is in the works for this May, and Madison plans to restore the building so it will be here for centuries to come.
A plaque on the building will honor Heller’s late son: “In Honor of Mark Heller, February 1, 1960 – January 17, 2023 – His Spirit Lives On.”
“I’ve admired this property for years, and with the help of the town, the county, the mayor, and the council, we persevered it to create this wonderful facility,” said Heller. “I believe the benefit is more for the community — the true beneficiary — than for me as the donor.”
The 2025 Morris County Historic Preservation Trust grant cycle will open in January with a workshop for applicants. Final applications are due in March.
