JERSEY CITY

Downtown Jersey City Neighborhood Guide

At first glance, Downtown Jersey City looks like a clean, modern, urban center with luxury amenities and towering buildings. However upon closer look, you can see a quaint, historic city filled with diverse architecture styles. This charming neighborhood stands out for its beautiful pre-war brownstones and tree-lined streets, as well as the large amount of green space provided by Van Vorst Park. It also includes several historic districts like Paulus Hook, which has no shortage of fun things to do for the locals. Also within the boundaries of Downtown Jersey City is the Powerhouse Arts District, a Victorian-era power plant that was renovated into an arts center and now hosts an industrial aesthetic and unique designs. Downtown Jersey City boasts its own renovated Path station, as well as numerous delicious restaurants and craft bars on the popular Newark Ave Plaza, making this area one of New Jersey’s most sought after neighborhoods.

Downtown Jersey City Real Estate Stats

MEDIAN SALE PRICE

$818,000

MEDIAN RENTAL PRICE

$2,950

An Abbreviated History of Downtown Jersey City

The land that is now Jersey City was once inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans, a group of tribes that occupied the land of the mid-Atlantic area. When early colonizers came to the US, Henry Hudson, an English explorer most known for his explorations of present day Canada, anchored his vessel in the Hudson County area. The Dutch West India Company managed the territory in the early 1620s after purchasing the land from the Lenape. However, their intrusive developments, mismanagement, and lack of understanding of the Lenape people led to increased tensions between the two groups. This tension turned violent during Kiefts’s War where an unsanctioned attack was committed against the Lenapes, leading to 80+ casualties. The British then took control of this area during the American Revolutionary war, but lost it during the Battle of Paulus Hook when Major Light Horse Harry Lee led a successful nighttime raid on the British fort to overtake the land.

In the early 19th century, Alexander Hamilton, a U.S. founding father, helped lay the groundwork for a more modernized Jersey City through private developments. These efforts led to the development of city squares and streets that still remain today. Jersey City was also one of the safe havens for former slaves, as one of the four Underground Railroad routes led to this area. 20th century Jersey City was a destination for many immigrants, and Germans, Irish, and Italians would come to the US through Liberty State Park. In the early 1980s, there was a movement of rapid construction, and several high-rise buildings which inhabited institutions like Goldman Sachs, Chase, and Citibank were placed in the city. These new developments brought hundreds of work opportunities to Jersey City and led to an increase in population.

NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES

  • Interstate 78 to the West
  • 18th Street to the North
  • Hudson River to the East
  • Morris Canal Basin to the South
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
PATH
Hoboken Terminal

Residents Love This Neighborhood Because

  • Refreshing diversity of architecture
  • Lots of transportation options
  • Charming, historic feel with beautiful brownstones
  • Lively bar, restaurant, and retail scene
  • Generous outdoor space in Van Vorst Park and Hamilton Park

What to expect

Cafés

+80

Colleges / Universities

3

Community Gardens

1

Dog Runs

+15

Libraries

11

Parks

15

Playgrounds

+15

Restaurants

+100

Yoga Studios

+15

Downtown Jersey City Landmarks and Cultural Institutions:

A NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR

Get to know the neighborhood by visiting its most notable landmarks and sites. From museums and sculptures, to parks, markets, and hidden neighborhood gems, you’ll find everything you need to know about the neighborhood’s most unique and historical attractions.

Van Vorst Park

This green centerpiece of downtown Jersey City was first landscaped in 1851 by local florist and horticulturist Peter Henderson. It occupies the entire block between Montgomery Street, York Street, Barrow Street, and Jersey Avenue and is lined by a variety of pre-war Victorian brownstone row houses. This 7.7 acre park also includes a gazebo, fountain, playground, and a variety of walking paths.

Colgate Clock

This octagonal clock with a towering 50 foot diameter stands on the Hudson River waterfront as a tribute to the former Colgate-Palmolive conglomerate headquarters that used to reside in Jersey City. Because of its scale and unique look, the Colgate Clock is used as a mandatory reporting point for flights below Class B airspace in the Hudson River corridor. Goldman Sachs currently maintains the site due to its proximity to headquarters.

J. Owen Grundy Park

This spacious pier is popular for its beautiful views of downtown Manhattan. It has fixed picnic benches and a gazebo for events. Visitors can walk or jog along the Hudson River, or grab a bite at the various restaurants, cafes, and food trucks in the area.

Lefrak Point Lighthouse

This landmark is a beautiful modern lighthouse with wide views of New York City. It was built in the 1980s by Sam Lefrak, who was the visionary for the Newport area, but it is not a functioning lighthouse. Many believe it was built for purely decorative reasons, or to honor the Lighthouse Foundation. Because it is picturesque and contains a plethora of green space around the structure, it is a great spot for picnics.

ARCHITECTURE IN DOWNTOWN JERSEY CITY

Architecture Outlines_Italianate

Italianate

Second Empire

Arts & Crafts

Greek Revival

Georgian

Beaux-Arts

Victorian

Queen Anne

Notable New Jerseyans

Who Have Lived in Downtown Jersey City

Daniel Radcliffe - East Village

MARTHA STEWART

Media Personality, Author

Michael Jordan

AKON

Rapper, R&B Singer

MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ

Actress

FRANK SINATRA

Singer

QUEEN LATIFAH

Singer, Musician, Actress

PAUL GLEASON

Actor

CHRISTINA MILLIAN

Actress, Recording Artist

LUDACRIS

Rapper, Actor

POPULAR FOOD & DRINK

The Archer

176 Newark Avenue

Pet Shop

193 Newark Avenue

thanksgiving meal

Taqueria Downtown

236 Grove Street

Just BeClaws

280 1st Street

Madame Claude Bis

390 4th Street

WÜRSTBAR

516 Jersey Avenue

Left Bank Burger Bar

194 Newark Avenue

Orale Mexican Kitchen

341 Grove Street

All Notable New Yorker photos courtesy of Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons. Photo of Martha Stewart by Gage Skidmore; Photo of Akon by U.S. Embassy Nairobi; Photo of Michelle Rodriguez by Georges Biard; Photo of Frank Sinatra by  Capitol Records, per a credit found in the 1959 edition of the International Celebrity Register at page 696. Photographer unknown; Photo of Queen Latifah by Sister Circle TV; Photo of Paul Gleason by GPTelemann; Photo of Christina Millian by JessicaPinney; Photo of Ludacris by Toglenn;

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