Preserving Edison's "Corporate" R&D Lab in West Orange, N.J.
By ROBERT CASSIDY, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
In 1997, I wrote an 8-page report, "Preserving a National Technology Treasure" (attachment), describing efforts by Square D Company, Groupe Schneider NA, community groups, the U.S. National Park Service, and historic preservationits to save Thomas Edison's most productive lab, in West Orange, N.J., where he and his research team developed more than half of his total 1,093 patents. It was published in R&D (Research & Development) Magazine in 1997.
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I'm happy to say that the lab was completely restored and has been prospering under the watchful eye of the National Park Service. You can visit the Thomas Edison National Historic Site from 10 a.m. EASTERN, Wednesday to Sunday.
In February 2019, I returned to West Orange to report on the effort to convert Edison's storage battery factory into 279 apartments and 21 penthouse units for the Spring (May) issue of Multifamily Design+Construction magazine.