A hidden gem in The Heights could finally be re-opened to the public in the coming months as construction is humming along at Reservoir #3 in Jersey City after being shrouded in mystery for years.
You might not know it from driving along Central Avenue, but a 14-acre decommissioned reservoir is situated just south of Pershing Field Park. Located between Reservoir and Jefferson avenues, the facility was originally built between 1871 and 1874 to provide drinking water to city residents.
Reservoir #3 served in that capacity for almost a century until the late 1980s, when the city switched over to a new water source out in Morris County. The Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance was formed in 2005 to help preserve the space, which has since been listed on both the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places.
Some renovations on the 20-foot high Egyptian Revival walls that surround the property were completed in 2018 and Jersey Digs first broke the news two years later about a larger renovation at the site. The complete restoration calls for a walking path around the perimeter of Reservoir #3 plus various lawn and seating areas throughout the space.
A terraced wetland garden is planned for the northwest corner of the space, which also includes areas for fishing, water access, and a kayak launch ramp. The project additionally calls for the construction of a proper boathouse and restroom.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop posted an update on social media about Reservoir #3, which has seen a dearth of news. Construction crews have started final work on the Americans with Disabilities Act bridge that will allow the reservoir to be accessible to the public with a complete walking path around the perimeter.
The city had previously told the Jersey Journal last year that the New Jersey Historic Site Commission was holding up the work on the ramp, which has now begun.
“[Reservoir #3] going to be amazing when it opens this spring,” Fulop wrote in his social media post.
The full renovation plans for the reservoir will see the restoration of two gatehouses along the western portion of the space and the revitalization of a screen house near the property’s southeast corner. Several historical plaques are slated to be installed along trails and recreation areas under the plan.
Jersey City is funding the work through a $1 million contribution from the Hudson County Open Space Trust, while the New Jersey Historic Trust is chipping in $750,000 to restore the crumbling screen house. Over $884,000 from the state’s Green Acres program has been put towards trail development and Jersey City’s Open Space Trust is kicking in another $400,000 to the endeavor.
