The artists working in Jersey City’s 111 First St. building aren’t the only ones in Hudson County worried about losing their lofts.
Built in the late 1800s, the R.H. Simon Silk Mill in Union City, which is now known as the Union Management Corp. Building, is one of the few remaining landmarks of Hudson County’s once renowned industrial history.
Set in the heart of Union City, the mill was once the center for the city’s employment and an industrial model at the height of the textile industry in New Jersey, when North Hudson was considered the “Embroidery Capital of the World.”
Today the building serves as a refuge for a growing community of Hudson County artists. A living testament to the architectural designs of the 19th century, the massive complex of buildings provides artists with the space, light, and ambiance that cannot be found elsewhere in the city.
From its brick exteriors and towering smokestacks to the high ceilings and spacious lofts, the mill can be considered irreplaceable. However, the mill, along with its neighboring residence on 39th Street, may be set for demolition to make room for the new Union Hill High School.
The Silk Mill
If the building is demolished, 30 artists and many other people would be displaced from their rented commercial space.
“It’s a friendly community of artists,” says Dahlia Elsayed, an artist from West New York who has worked in the building for about 10 years. “It’s a good workspace. It has windows, high ceilings, it’s well-lit – and freight elevators. Buildings like this are getting harder to find, actually.”
Many of the occupants are living on a day-to-day basis, not knowing what’s going to happen, or if they will lose their building at all.
Quite a few of the tenants were unaware that their site was being considered as the new location for Union Hill High School as part of the Union City school construction mandated by the state.
“I actually don’t know what’s going on,” says Sharon Libes, an artist from West New York. “It seemed like a done deal. For the artists, we’re not owners, so we don’t have official notices from anyone.”
Some of them first read about the plans in the papers, and once the rumor started to circulate around the building, the artists approached landlord David Melamed, who confirmed that he had received a letter from the city informing him of the possibility.
“They targeted it for school construction,” says Melamed, manager of the Union Management Corp. Building. “They sent me a letter declaring their intentions.”
The city could force Union Management Corp. to sell the building through eminent domain.
Old kids on the block
According to Melamed, the plan is to demolish the whole block from 39th to 40th street, beginning at Kennedy Boulevard and almost reaching Bergenline Avenue.
“At this point, there is resistance from this building, and from the neighboring houses,” Melamed says. “A civic organization – which is being led by a former commissioner of Union City, Tina Yandalino – took the issue under their wing and tried to help us.”
There has been much heated debate among the tenants and residents of 39th Street questioning whether this is the best site for the new high school.
“It’s amazing how it was done in some haphazard way,” Melamed says. “We saw the file on this block. They never seriously investigated the feasibility of this site at first. Apparently the mayor is the one pushing this.”
“There’s nothing more that I don’t want to do than take people’s homes,” says Union City Mayor Brian Stack. “I pushed hard for [officials] to go with the 44th Street site [instead].” Many of the residents have advocated the empty lot on 44th Street and Hudson Avenue as an alternative to the 39th Street site.
According to Mayor Stack, he suggested the 44th Street site as an alternative, but it was deemed too small and too contaminated.
Many tenants of the Silk Mill feel like their site was picked out of convenience.
“Absolutely not,” Stack says. “That’s the opinion of one or two people, and I’m still trying everything I can to push the 44th Street site.”
According to Anthony Dragona, school business administrator for the district, in order for a site to be considered, it must meet requirements that would allow a feasibility study on a site, and approval must be given by the county superintendent after a submission is made by the Board of Education.
For now, the community in the mill and their neighbors on 39th Street are in limbo waiting for their fate to be decided. A meeting will be set for the residents to comment on the new construction.
On view
Artists from the Silk Mill, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by several artists who have studios in the building, is now under way.
Where: The Frozen Monkey Café, 526 Washington St., Hoboken.
When: The show remains on display until July 14.
Who: Artists participating in the show are Ted Jaslow, Katharina Castiblanco Grammer, Keith White, and Pat Rocco.
For more info: Call the café at (201) 222-1311 or see www.frozenmonkeycafe.com.
Is Union City arts building doomed? Historic Silk Mill may be destined for demolition
