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Located on the upper edge of the bluff and between Marconi Road are two groups of buildings. The first group, to the northwest, was established by the Marconi Company for station management housing and to the east the second isolated group was established during World War II for radar research. It is known as the Project Diana site.
In the station management housing group there are two fire-proof Marconi cottages (Buildings 9002 and 9003) and three associated garages on relatively level ground. Each cottage faces Marconi Road and is surrounded by landscaped lawns. Paved driveways serve two of the garages. A three-foot hedge runs along Marconi Road in front of the cottages.
To the east and isolated from the bulk of the site is the 2 acre Project Diana site. This group of buildings, surrounded by a security fence, is on point of level ground adjoining Marconi Road. On three sides of the fence, the tree filled bluff edge drops quickly from 60 foot elevation to sea level. Inside the eight-foot barbwire topped fence are two masonry laboratory buildings (buildings 9116 and 9162) built to house control rooms for large satellite and research antennas. One 60-foot diameter, 100-foot tall satellite antenna remains with its power and communication cable conduits connected to its control room building (building 9162).
The historic district area continues directly southwest across Marconi Road from the management cottages. This area is bounded on the west by Monmouth Boulevard and is surrounded by a 10-foot high chain-link perimeter security fence, except for the north parking lot. The fence creates the east boundary. The topography is relatively flat with an average elevation of 70 to 80 feet above m.s.l. The drainage is toward Laurel Gully Brook, which drains into the tidal marsh of Shark River. The dominant soil identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service is Evesboro sand-Urban complex. The District above the bluff is a mix of grass areas, and impermeable surfaces such as roads, sidewalks and parking lots.
The Marconi Hotel (building 9001) is the first and most impressive building along Marconi Road (Photo No. 1). To the west of the hotel is a parking lot with a capacity of approximately 120 vehicles. Also to the west of the hotel, behind the parking lot and along Monmouth Boulevard, is the Marconi Power Plant (building 9006). This area has a park-like appearance. All the permanent buildings build by Marconi for wireless operations and support remain to this day. Only storage sheds, the six 400 foot masts, three 150 foot balance towers and various experimental towers are missing.
Behind the hotel and Power Plant were open wireless antenna fields until 1941 when the U.S. Army Signal Corps began construction of a WWII radar research complex. The mix of single story masonry and wooden military structures give this area of the District an industrial laboratory appearance.
Just behind the hotel and parallel with Marconi Road is the first of a series of service roads to the laboratory buildings. First Street runs from the Marconi Power plant (Building 9006) inside and along the parking lot fence, behind the Marconi Hotel and ends at the connection between the Hotel and building 9032. Building 9032 is "L" shaped. Inline with the west end of building 9032, between the Marconi Power plant is the rectangular wood frame Telephone Exchange building 9059. On the other side of building 9032 and building 9059 is Second Street. Second Street runs the length of the first 400-foot radar laboratory (buildings 9010 and 9011).
Each 400-foot by 60-foot radar laboratory building is comprised of four adjoining sections which are connected at their center by a 60-foot covered corridor to its corresponding parallel building. When viewed from above each pair of 400-foot buildings with their center interconnection are in the shape of an 'H". The pairs are referred to as "H" buildings. Across a service road and opposite the east end of building 9010 is a plain rectangular concrete building. Next to it and opposite the end of building 9011 is the wood frame Electrical Shop building 9034. Behind it is Third Street. Third Street is broken by the interconnection that joins the two H-buildings complexes. This covered corridor connects buildings 9010 and 9011 to buildings 9036 and 9037. East of the interconnection and lining both sides of Third Street are a series of small storage buildings and a large 4-story tower. The storage buildings are a mix of metal sheds, wood sheds and 18-foot diameter Dymaxion Deployment Units, all on concrete pads. There are numerous empty pads were structures were removed along Third Street. West of the H-buildings interconnection across a service road just inside the Monmouth Boulevard fence is the 2-bay post firehouse, building 9031. Behind the bays are the living quarters for the firemen. Behind the firehouse is the Guard Headquarters building, 9029. This square wood frame building is near Gate 2 on Monmouth Boulevard.
Behind the second H-building (Building 9036 and 9037) is Fourth Street. Fourth Street runs from Gate 2 on the west side, at Monmouth Boulevard along the 400 foot length of building 9037, bends southward at building 9017 and intersects Fifth Street. At the intersection of Fourth and Fifth Streets is the "Special Antenna Shelter", building 9017. This is a unique wood frame building type specially designed for radar unit assembly and radar antenna tuning.
East of the H-buildings and building 9017 is triangular area currently undergoing PCB contaminated soil remediation. At the northeast edge of this area along the east fence, opposite the east end of 9034 is an electrical substation which will be removed due to PCB contamination. The historic district ends along the south edge of Fourth Street.
Updated January 27, 2004
Page created July 4, 2002
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