New Jersey and its context within that of national events. Exterior restoration While the house was in fair condition when obtained by the county, some changes were made. A garage and pool were removed from the back yard, and a new parking area was created next to the building. The ivy, which caused people to refer to the house as “Ivy Hall,” was removed. The entire roof, including the badly deteriorated support structure, was replaced in 1982–1983. Cedar shingles replaced the slate tiles that had been put on decades earlier. In 1987–1988, restoration replicas were installed to replace badly worn windows on the side of the house facing the water. During the 1990s, a massive restoration was initiated to address major issues plaguing the Low House. In 1995, the Cultural and Heritage Commission and the Board of Chosen Freeholders accepted a grant from the New Jersey State Historic Trust for the restoration of the Low House. Under the guidance of Ford Farwell Mills and Gatch architects of Princeton, the restoration took place between 1995 and 1996. The Commission also installed new landscaping and built an "interpretive path," which included installations that tell the history of the house. The front facade was also repointed. The first and second floor windows are approximately three inches off square and appear crooked. Originally, the two basement windows closest to the front entrance were doorways. These allowed access to the basement for Low's servants and workers so that certain goods could be stored there rather than in the warehouse along the Great Road. The front yard has since been substantially filled but the doorway outlines are still visible in the basement. Sometime after Low's death, these doorways were altered and turned into windows. Subsequently, the house settled and these windows are no longer square. In the mid-1980s, the front windows, having been severely exposed to the elements, were replaced. Rather than square up the window openings, the restoration firm installed fully functional, though crooked, windows in their place. Interior restoration From 1995 through most of 1996, Arvid Myhre Building Construction Company of Frenchtown, New Jersey completed the physical rehabilitation of the house. 26 layers of paint were stripped from the woodwork which was then repainted in historically accurate colors. Behind-the-scenes work included complete upgrades of heating and cooling systems, new electrical wiring encased in metal conduit, a state-of-the-art dry-feed fire suppression system, and new plumbing