Every home has a tale to tell. And at Lafayette Lofts, that story comes with a prologue. Don’t be fooled by the contemporary finishes and smart home features. Because this Lafayette Park apartment complex has a history as rich as the neighborhood in which it sits.
The two buildings that comprise Lafayette Lofts were constructed between the 1880s and 1920s: a historic heavy timber and masonry annex and a landmark four-story steel and concrete structure. First constructed as the Passaic Zinc Works, the complex would later serve as a part of the Whitlock Cordage complex, producing maritime rope for 50 years.
Even more remarkably, the cobblestone paths and streets that wind through the Whitlock Cordage complex were once reportedly part of the Underground Railroad network traveled by escaped slaves before the Civil War.
Despite its gorgeous industrial architecture, with 10’-by-17’ Romanesque windows, exposed brick, and concrete, Whitlock Cordage was almost a casualty of urban decline. In 2003 it was slated for demolition, but preservationists came to the rescue.
“So little of the industrial matrix of the Lafayette neighborhood has survived,” Jersey City historic preservation specialist, Daniel W. Wrieden said in a brief filed in the court case that saved Whitlock Cordage. “Yet it was a major determinant in the socioeconomic and physical development of the area.”
And so preserved it was, with great care taken to expose, revive, and restore original architectural features like concrete mushroom columns, Carolina pine and steel roof trusses, and industrial concrete ceilings.
Today, it finds adaptive reuse and a new life as Lafayette Lofts, offering residents a collection of 46 brand new studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments with artist lofts, partial mezzanines, modern lifestyle amenities, and easy access to shopping, dining, and mass transit to NYC.
Residents at Lafayette Lofts can avail themselves of amenities like a rooftop deck overlooking Lafayette Park, a resident gym, an elevator, a trash and compactor room, and parking available for a fee.
Units feature concrete ceilings, brick walls, exposed ductwork, stainless steel appliances by GE, hardwood floors, pendant lights and wall sconces, quartz counters by Porcelanosa, and fixtures by Kohler, as well as central HVAC. Some units even have Manhattan views.
Of course, you don’t have to look across the river to live a thriving lifestyle. With a WalkScore of 88, Lafayette Lofts puts you right in the middle of plentiful shops, bars, restaurants, and schools. With the Liberty State Park Light Rail station a short walk away, commuting is easy. And, of course, Lafayette Park is right outside your door.
The developer on the project, Green Property LLC, is family-owned-and-operated, specializing in adaptive reuse, conversion, and historic renovation. They’re also a trusted presence in Hudson County, building here (and in Queens) since the 1980s.
Located at 170 Lafayette Street, Lafayette Lofts is scheduled for occupancy on May 1, with available residences starting at $2,256.
For more information, visit LiveLafayetteLofts.com, contact Vue Realty’s Tatyana Gabruska at [email protected] or 646-465-4560, or Louis “Joe” Stingone at 201-401-3698 or [email protected]. Or, call the Vue Realty Group, LLC office at 201-683-8700.
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