Asbury Coffee Mill Wins “Excellence in Accessibility” Award

(White Township, NJ – October 26, 2016) – A Franklin Township café that opened earlier this year in an historic building received the Thomas M. Kennedy Excellence in Accessibility Award from the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The owners of Asbury Coffee Mill, located at 432 Old Main Street in the village of Asbury, made extensive renovations to the 1862 structure, assuring that it is fully accessible to all patrons.

“That was literally our Number One priority,” said Gary Corde, whose wife, Malia, owns and runs the business.

The couple and two of their three sons, Colin and Kyle, attended the freeholder board meeting where the annual award was announced.

Named for a former county resident who was a relentless advocate for people with disabilities, the Thomas M. Kennedy Excellence in Accessibility Award was established after Kennedy’s death in 2008 to recognize individuals, businesses, organizations and service groups that are user-friendly and accessible to all, and/or have initiated notable efforts and improvements that facilitated accessibility. The award is intended to highlight to the entire community the immeasurable impact accessibility provides to everyone.

The award “shows you’ve gone above and beyond for the County of Warren,” Freeholder Director Jason J. Sarnoski told the Corde family. Making a building fully accessible is “so often difficult to do, because we know there’s more upfront costs,” Sarnoski said, “but the benefits for residents pay off in the long run.”

Gary Corde noted that when buying a 150-year-old building, “You’re not really the owner so much as the caretaker at that moment.” But the first thing the family did was “break out the tape measure” to make sure it could be renovated for accessibility.

Malia Corde, who worked as a disability advocate for 25 years, noted that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets minimum compliance standards, and does not mean a facility is accessible to everyone. “Having a young adult son who has grown up with a lot of physical challenges, both getting in and out, and participating in our community, we wanted to make sure it was truly accessible for all,” she said.

Kyle Corde said he was “honored to accept this award on our behalf.”

The family made the building accessible by installing a ramp that is fully integrated into the porch/entry structure and “doesn’t have that ‘afterthought’ look that is common at many restaurants,” according to the award nomination submitted by Brianne Lermond of DAWN – Center for Independent Living, an organization that works to help people with disabilities remain independent.

The nomination also stated that the café’s seating is arranged to provide barrier-free access and the tables were selected with wheelchair access in mind. In order to ensure the restroom was fully accessible, it was relocated from one side of the building to the other, a feature that drove the entire interior renovations. The Corde family hired a local architect and worked closely with their builder Rich Anastasio and township officials to ensure all codes were met but also that the project met the family’s aesthetic standards.

Asbury Coffee Mill is open seven days a weeks for breakfast and lunch, and also is available for special events and meetings. They hold an Open Mic Night the first Friday of each month, and other entertainment and artistic events as well.

“You’ll never taste coffee quite so good,” Freeholder Richard D. Gardner said, and he praised the breakfast too, while Freeholder Edward J. Smith wryly noted he was pleased to see the award winner was located “in downtown metropolitan Asbury.” The tiny village along the Musconetcong River, settled before the Revolutionary War, had a population of 273 in the last census.

But on a more serious note, Gardner and Smith joined with Sarnoski in praising the Corde family for their efforts, and noted the importance of making sure all residents can utilize area businesses.

Gardner noted it was “ingenious how they configured the space, since it isn’t a very large building.”

The café received a plaque as well as a window sticker designating the business as a Kennedy award winner.