Sustainable Living by Shawn Dell Joyce
By Shawn Dell Joyce
Very few developers have a vision for their hometown like F. Edward Devitt. “Ed” as we all call him, is a third-generation Montgomeryite with his local children, Marc, Edward, and Meghan being the fourth generation, and his local grandchildren Maia and Hudson being the fifth in the Devitt line.
Ed’s grandparents came to Montgomery in 1909, from Paterson, N.J. They were bakers, and owned a bake shop in the building currently housing Eddy’s Deli (no relation), on Clinton Street in the village. Ed’s father, William J. Devitt Sr. was born there, and lived upstairs. William became postmaster for Montgomery, and married a fine Irish lass named Frances Flannery.
Ed’s parents purchased a house on Boyd and Wallkill Streets where Ed’s wife Mary currently resides. Ed and his siblings were born in that house. He was brought up in Montgomery, and went to Montgomery High School, where his mother once taught home economics, and was known for having the first “boys Home Ec class.”
Part of Ed’s passion for preserving Montgomery’s heritage lies in his childhood memories. His bedroom in the Boyd Street house was in the corner next to St. Andrew’s Church. Through his window came the sounds of the blacksmith shop down the street; the smell of the smithy’s fire, and the clank of metal-on-metal. He could also hear the mill saw at Brescia Lumber ripping wood into building materials.
These early memories sparked Ed to purchase and restore the old blacksmith shop into a two family home. Actually, Ed owns a good many of the historic landmarks in Montgomery including the Patchett House which holds my nonprofit Wallkill River School, and its carriage house where I live. Ed’s love of the town, and desire to preserve it, has led him to purchase and restore many buildings that are integral to our town and may have been lost otherwise.
One may question investing in real estate in a market with such wild fluctuations, but Ed says; “Why invest in bonds, and CD’s with such a low rate of return when you can own real estate and have something to show for it?” Never underestimate Ed’s business acumen. He is a self-made man, and started his entrepreneurial career by delivering groceries in his wagon from the A&P for 10 cents.
Ed landed his real estate broker’s license in 1966, and began selling real estate locally from the garage of his Boyd Street house. His cottage business grew, and his reputation as a fair and honest businessman helped him prosper. Ed made much of his money by building the Super 8 hotel in Montgomery. He then built 42 more across the country, hiring more than 500 employees to run his small empire.
He decided that owning a hotel chain was far from the local focus he wanted, so he sold off much of his holdings. He now runs a real estate office in the building that was once Stratton Mill at the intersection of Routes 17K and 211. He owns the Winding Hills Golf Course with his son Marc, along with several historic buildings, and a few new buildings that pass for historic.
Ed and Marc have a vision for Montgomery that combines preserving our cultural heritage, with bringing in rateables, affordable housing, and new cottage industry. They have incubated several small businesses like the Wallkill River School, Montgomery Sporting Goods, Yoga on the Wallkill, Ms. Claire’s Musical Cupboard, the Village Pharmacy, and most recently, Montgomery Montessori School. These businesses all add to the historic charm of our quaint village, and attract tourism and visitors to other local businesses. Not many developers have such a deep love for their community and tie their family’s fate to our town the way the Devitt family has. We are fortunate to have them in our midst.
Ed’s current passion is the Firefighter’s Museum which he founded. Ed was a volunteer firefighter for 50 years and is a past captain of the Wallkill Hose Company. He fought to bring the historic pumpers to Montgomery, and create an educational center where children can get a hands-on experience in learning how to protect themselves from fires. Right now, Ed is fundraising $70K to add tech equipment to the museum so children can learn about fire safety and prevention 365 days a year.
Let’s help this community-builder achieve a lasting legacy. Visit the museum in person, or online at www.OCFM.us, or make a donation at 457-9654.
Shawn Dell Joyce is an award-winning, syndicated newspaper columnist and director of the Wallkill River School in Montgomery. Shawn@zestoforange.com
