Architectural Feature: Exterior
 Date: 1942; 1985

New Jersey architect John T. Rowland designed the Special Antenna shelter.  During WWII twelve were constructed at Camp Evans for radar unit assembly and testing.  They were designed to allow the SCR-268 radar antenna to rotate completely inside.  The buildings were specially designed, incurring additional construction costs, without any structural steel that would interfere with radar signals.  The original design is best preserved in building 9023 (Photo No. 145), outside of the historic district.  Note the wood braces attached to concrete footings, four on each side of the building.  The wooden braces have been removed from 9017.  The front of building 9017 faces southeast (Photo No. 192).  It has two rolled garage doors.  The center door replaced the original upper and lower sets of double barn doors.  East of the center door is a single story door.  Both were added in 1985 during renovations for project "Firefinder".   Firefinder was successfully deployed during the Gulf war.  It is an enemy artillery counter-fire system.  The first enemy counter-fire system was developed at Camp Evans during WWII with the AN/TPS-3 in Special Antenna Shelter 9020.  Enemy counter-fire systems with increasing capabilities have been developed at Camp Evans since that time.  The renovation plans are on file with the Fort Monmouth Department of Works.  The exterior has painted wood-lap siding.  The exterior paint is in poor condition.  A rectangular, wood, louvered vent is near the center peak.  To the west of the center door is a single entry door and numerous electrical conduits exiting the ground into electrical panels.  The west elevation (Photo No. 193) has physical damage to the exterior caused during the removal of an underground transformer vault.  Also on this elevation is a double metal door side entrance with a small vestibule.  Just below the white aluminum gutters the upper attachments for the original braces can be seen. The main building measures 45 feet on each side with a gross floor size of 4,479 square feet.  The east elevation has an external stairway to a second floor landing (Photos 192 and 194).  A single metal door allows entrance to the second floor.  A windowless dormer is near the front of the east side roof.  The Gray composite shingles appear in good condition.  The rear elevation faces north toward building 9037A.  It has a tee extension which houses restrooms and the heating equipment.  The section which houses the boiler is constructed of concrete block.

Photos: 145, 192, 193 and 194.

Proposed work

During Phase I repair damage to exterior siding.  Examine exterior stairs for any structural problems and repair.  Repaint.   During Phase V, employing the services of a qualified architect and with consultation and the guidance of the NJ-SHPO return the antenna shelter to its 1942 appearance.  On the exterior this would include removal of new window openings, removal of new doors, and replacement of copies of original upper and lower sets of double front radar equipment doors.   Eight braces footings would need to be constructed and new wooded braces added to complete the original 1942 exterior.
Photo 145
Photo 192
Photo 193
Photo 194
Updated January 27, 2004    Page created July 27, 2002