Battle on to save Roxbury's Tom's Diner

ROXBURY –

On Route 46 in Ledgewood stands a vacant Silk City-style diner with a sign atop the run-down building.

"Save Tom's Diner."

Nearly 1,000 people have joined the cause to save the historic Tom's Diner, and while many happily share their memories of the restaurant on the group Facebook page, nobody seems to know exactly how to save it.

The "Save Tom's Diner" committee had hoped to raise funds to restore the property to a functioning restaurant, but if taxes aren't paid on it by the end of the month, Tom's Diner will go to auction.

The diner itself is a classic made by the Silk City Diners company, which was located in Paterson, known as the Silk City. The company made about 1,500 diners and sold them nationwide from the 1920s through the 1960s in the same "train car" style. The diner occupied a key spot on the Ledgewood Circle, where Routes 10 and 46 meet- until the circle was straightened out for safety reasons.

Tom Seretis, 45, of Roxbury, whose mother owns the diner, said he had financing set up to reopen the restaurant that recently fell through. He did not say why.

"It wasn't because of me, it was an external force," Seretis said.

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Built in 1930 as the Silver Dollar Diner, Tom's Diner is the second oldest known Silk City-style diner. Seretis' grandfather, also Tom, bought it in 1958.

Tom's Diner is also listed on the state Register of Historic Places. The diner was also where Cyndi Lauper filmed her iconic "Time After Time" music video.

"My dad got the call about them wanting to film there and said no," Seretis said. "When he told us at dinner I said 'what are you nuts?' and he gave them a call back."

His parents Frank and Pauline operated it until Frank passed away in 2004. His mother, now 82, remains the sole owner of the property.

It's been vacant ever since, as weeds continue to grow and the paint fades and chips away.

Seretis works in real estate and at the time his father passed, could not devote enough time to keeping the restaurant running. Times have changed though, and Seretis said a shaky housing market coupled with the fact that he has two young children to support has left him in a "financial hole," and he wants to return to the diner.

First, he needs the funds to get it up and running, which he estimates will cost between $150,000 to $200,000.

"Over the past 10 years I've had offers in the high seven figures to buy this place, but it's priceless," Seretis said. "The family legacy means more. I always wanted to re-open it."

The money would mostly pay to renovate the kitchen, but would also replace the counter tops, chrome the stools, reupholster the booths all in their original style. Seretis said the dining car, which seats 40, remains in good shape.

"The next step is what we're working out," Seretis said, adding he plans to launch a crowdfunding website. "I'm working on that step, but people have expressed a desire to donate. The plan is still to restore it to its original form."

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In recent weeks, he's started work on "gutting" the interior, and received a permit from the town to demolish the interior of the back rooms.

"Phase one was starting the group and securing the diner," Seretis said. "Now we need to be approved to rebuild by the town. Then we know what to deal with. And then we get funding and start rebuilding."

Helping with the cleanup – and eventually a planned restoration – was supposed to be Save Tom's Diner, a large Facebook group led by a committee of four.

The committee was started in part by Roxbury resident Tom Valiante owner of a home improvement business in town who had fond memories of the diner.

The "Save Tom's Diner" Facebook page began Sept. 22, and is highly active. Multiple posts, pictures, and videos are heavily commented on and shared daily.

"I want to be on the same page with the committee," Seretis said.

Literally; Seretis, who admittedly just recently joined Facebook, isn't a member of the group's Facebook page.

Seretis said members of the Save Tom's Diner group contacted him after they heard rumors the town might condemn the building and they had to get moving.

"There were several properties in town in need of attention and we sent letter to each asking them to address the issues," Township Manager Chris Raths said. "These properties were detracting from the attractive nature of the community and we just want to see progress. It seems like a relative of the owner of Tom's Diner has made an effort. We all want a positive outcome for everyone involved."

Seretis said he received a summons from the town for having overgrown weeds, the first since the diner closed, and he paid it immediately.

Meanwhile, Valiante supplied a Dumpster and began to help clean out the place. The committee also arranged for a "Save Tom's Diner" sign - courtesy of Roxbury business Signarama - to be placed atop the restaurant, visible to all passing by on Route 46 and Route 10. From nothing more than the sign, the group's Facebook followers swelled to nearly 1,000.

"The town offered to move the entire building around the corner into the historic district, but we wanted to see it as a functioning diner," Valiante said. "People are offering to help because they want to see it up and running."

But the matter isn't as simple as raising donations for restoration.

According to tax records, the total appraised value of the property was $200,000 in 2000. The assessment hasn't changed since.

Based on that assessment, Seretis owes $6,051 for the first three quarters of 2014, but records show he is past due on all of 2013 as well. Sewer payments are past due dating back to the fourth quarter of 2012.

In all, $16,633.16 is past due on the property.

To avoid going to tax sale, where a buyer could enter an auction to place a lien on the debt, $10,434.64 must be paid by Oct. 28.

Seretis said he plans to have the money by that time.

If that money is paid, $8,068 in 2014 taxes plus $560 for annual sewer costs will still be due at the end of the year.

The back taxes and the future taxes are a concern to the Valiante and others in the Facebook group.

"It became an issue of what [Seretis] would do or be allowed to do. Our love of his mother and father drove us, but the more we heard the more concerned we got," Valiante said. "We don't want to be left vulnerable if he defaults on anything."

A past Roxbury fire chief and resident for more than 50 years, Valiante said he does not wish to lend his name to something and garner support when the property may go to auction in just a few weeks.

"I feel bad that people in the town may have supported us because I was involved," Valiante said. "The Roxbury Historic Trust, the Lake Hopatcong Museum, politicians have all endorsed this."

Valiante said the committee is debating removing the sign from atop the diner until the matter is settled.

"We're going to wait to go forward, but it's not over yet," Valiante said. "If he pays the taxes, the group will support him because they want the diner open. But we can't pay his taxes for him and we don't intend to. He has to get his finances in order before we can help."

Councilman Martin Schmidt has been speaking with the committee and Seretis about the issue, and said the committee's hands are tied until the taxes are paid.

"Mr. Seretis has to get his act together. The committee hasn't started working yet because there are hurdles in the way and Mr. Seretis is the only guy to do something about it. He seems to be dragging his feet on it," Schmidt said. "I hope he can raise the money in time but that just gets the town off his back for a year. We're happy to help after the legal aspect is taken care of. From a town's point of view it's an eyesore and it needs to be dealt with. We'd like to see it up and running."

On Thursday the Facebook group addressed the situation with followers, saying the "Save Tom's Diner" project "has been placed on temporary hold due to ongoing legal issues."

"We can no longer be involved until such time as the Seretis family addresses these issues satisfactorily," read the post. "We must caution that any outside efforts to raise funds are not supported by our group… We hope the necessary issues can be resolved in a timely manner… this project is not over!!"

If the taxes are paid, then Seretis would be able to apply for a building permit with the zoning office.

"The taxes need to be paid in full before an application goes through zoning," zoning officer Erik Brachman said. "Everyone's just looking for resolution."

The health department has not received anything yet, but said the diner would be treated as a new establishment since it has been closed for so long.

"The bottom line is it's been a financial struggle," Seretis said. "There's a pretty big hole I'm trying to work my way out of, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm confident people want to see a historic landmark reopen in town."

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@dailyrecord.com