It may not be obvious to those who pass by this modest house of worship in the Van Vorst Historic District of Jersey City, but it is arguably one of the most important religious buildings in the city’s history.
At 37 Wayne Street, the Reformed Church of Van Vorst, as it was originally called, is one of the oldest churches in the city’s downtown, built in 1852. A plan to convert the building into apartments was approved by the city’s Zoning Board this month.
The church was built in the mid-19th century and was intended to serve the growing Protestant community in Harsimus, an informal settlement in Van Vorst Township, which existed between 1841-1851. The township became part of Jersey City in May of 1851.
The idea for the church came from Stephen Garretson in 1846. Our readers may recognize the name Garretson, whose farmstead on Seventh Street is the oldest home in Hamilton Park and is undergoing a restoration that was featured in a story in 2023.
A church for this same congregation was built on Wayne Street in 1848 but it was demolished after a fire in 1851. The church that stands today was constructed in 1852, according to a history of the congregation that appeared in the Jersey Journal in 1921.
The last time the congregation held services in the church was in 1923, when it merged with other churches including the Greenville Reformed Church on Ocean Avenue, according to John Beekman, chief librarian at the Jersey City Free Public Library.
“The same week, the United Sons of Bikur Cholim would begin services as the church became a synagogue, reflecting the changing demographics of the area,” Beekman said. “The distinctive Star of David designs in the stained glass speak to this period, lasting through at least 1951.”
After 1951, the church changed hands with different religious organizations three times, serving as the Mount Olive Baptist Church for more than two decades.
Nicole Robertson, a partner at GRO Architects, said her firm removed the stucco on the facade to reveal the original brick. The original stained-glass windows were destroyed in the Black Tom explosion of 1918, which was an act of arson by German spies during World War I. At some point in the church’s history, the windows were filled in with glass blocks that will be removed and replaced with traditional windows.
“Through a forensic process, we’ve been able to expose and reconstruct the original detail of the church,” she said.
The developer, a joint venture with Green Homes Developer, Inc. and MJ 37-43 Wayne Street, LLC, appeared before the board to apply for use variances on January 9. Their plan is to convert the house of worship into a five-unit residential building and construct five new townhomes in the empty lot that once served as a parking lot. The variances included having townhouse-style entrances, a parking variance, and a rear setback variance to accommodate a staircase.
“Units of this size are pretty unusual for this part of Jersey City,” Robertson said. “These are luxury units – they’re intended for families so they can stay in the downtown area.”
Robertson said that the project would not provide on-site parking spaces, which is usually required of projects containing 10 units. “Our applicant has met with the historic commission and they believe that having parking on the site would not really lend itself to the intent of a historic district,” she said.
