Residents of the Sugar House Lofts, located on the cusp of Jersey City’s historic Paulus Hook neighborhood, say they frequently get letters from realtors asking them if they want to sell. Considering the elegance, history, accessibility, and stunning view offered by these units, it’s no surprise.
One pair of owners agreed to let Jersey City Magazine take a peek inside their spacious abode to see how they have made Jersey City their home.
Their two-bedroom, two-bath unit at the southeast corner of the Sugar House features numerous brickface walls and vaulted ceilings that evoke the building’s days as a warehouse for refined sugar.
“In that loft-like building, you have higher ceiling spaces. You don’t get that in new construction,” says Paul Somerville of Hoboken’s Somerville Design, who designed many of the rooms in this and other units in the Sugar House. “It’s a higher standard of quality [of construction] than most of Hudson County.”
The value of this particular space is a secret, but comparable lofts in the building have sold for over $1 million. Amenities at the Sugar House include a 24-hour concierge, a health club, and underground parking. Not that residents necessarily need a car to hit the town; there’s a Light Rail station literally around the corner.
Proximity to public transportation is just one of many things that put the Sugar House in a prime location.
The building overlooks the Hudson River inlet of the former Morris Canal, which at one time snaked its way across New Jersey to the Delaware River. Many of the building’s units, including the one shown here, feature unrivaled views of the Statue of Liberty, the historic CRRNJ train terminal, New York City, and Liberty State Park.
As if those sights weren’t spectacular enough, residents of this side of the Sugar House also get to enjoy not one, but two fireworks displays each July 4 – those shot over Liberty State Park, and those conducted by New York City.
But today’s residents of the Sugar House very nearly didn’t get the chance to enjoy those views. The building has lived through two fires and a complete overhaul, from factory floors into family units.
The Sugar House was created in 1863 by Danish architect Detlef Lienau, a founder of the American Institute of Architects. It served as a sugar warehouse for F.O. Matthiessen & Wiechers and, later, the American Sugar Refining Company.
The building was nearly destroyed in one of the worst fires in Jersey City history on Nov. 14, 1924, but survived. It then survived a second fire in 1955.
From 2000 to 2002, Diversified Management Systems converted the former warehouse into the 64-unit condominium it is today. The result is a collection of homes that mix a strong sense of history with the best of modern city living.