Local NJ Historians Uncover Cache of Vintage Revival Home Plans by Noted Architect Karl Kemm Loven.

Well-designed, Revival-style homes built in the early-to-mid 20th century are always interesting to study, as architects from that period often sought to interpret ancient building styles and combine them with new technology and their own original ideas. In New Jersey, historians recently uncovered a cache of vintage house plans designed by noted architect Carl Kemm Loven that had been stored in a barn in the town of Apalachin, N.Y.. Nancy Atkins Peck and Xiomara C. Paredes, AIA, are members of the Glen Rock, N.J. Historical and Preservation Society, where the Loven documents are currently being studied and stored.

PHOTO CREDIT: The New York Times

Loven was a Glen Rock architect who designed homes from the 1930s through his death in 1965 that are beloved by local residents and are known for their fairytale Norman Revival style complete with turrets, dovecotes, leaded glass windows and hand-forged hardware.

As a result of her contribution, Peck was recently honored for her work by the Architects League of Northern New Jersey, a section of the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ). The publicity stemming from the award, as well as a subsequent Architects League-sponsored tour of Loven homes in Bergen County, has led to the identification of dozens of Loven-designed homes in the area.

“The Architects League and AIA-NJ are extremely proud of our role in calling public attention to Loven’s work,” said Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, president of AIA-NJ and a member of the Architects League. “Loven’s architectural legacy deserves wider recognition. His ideas shaped the landscape of Bergen County and were a strong influence on residential architecture throughout the state and region.”

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