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February 8, 2006

Across Other River from Manhattan: Paulus Hook

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facadeIt's not everyday you see an historic townhouse for sale on Ebay, so we'll bend the rules around here and take a look even though it's located in New Jersey. We've been aware that there are troves of beautiful old buildings in enclaves like Lincoln Park, but hadn't heard of an area called Paulus Hook where this gorgeous 1841 two-family frame rowhouse is on the block for a cool $1.55 million. Turns out there was also a small battle there during the Revolutionary War. Point is, though, that it's closer to lower Manhattan than most of Brooklyn and, from the outside at least, has charm to spare. The interior is gonna need some love but has some decent bones. Did many of you Brooklyites consider Jersey City when you were in the market for a house?
Paulus Hook Row House [Ebay]
Historical Introduction [PaulusHook.org]




Posted by Brownstoner at 11:15 AM | Comments (20)
Categories: Properties

Comments

Paulus Hook brownstones are lovely, but no longer a bargain (there are even apts. there going for $1.5 million). Plus, the area has few amenities - I have friends who moved out for that reason. It's not far from the Jersey City waterfront that NJ had big plans for after 9/11 - those plans never really panned out. It's a ghost town on the weekends. But if you don't care and like quiet, it's really pretty.

Posted by: Anon at February 8, 2006 12:18 PM

When my wife and I married and started talking about where to buy a house, her first suggestion was Jersey City. She had lived there for a short time, and is familiar as well with other parts of New Jersey. She had never been to Brooklyn, (she was born and raised in Michigan) and at my suggestion, we cruised the neighborhoods we thought appropriate.

After seeing Brooklyn and discussing the advantages of the subway, being closer to my family, we opted for Brooklyn.

Posted by: Hal at February 8, 2006 12:21 PM

Considered Jersey for about a second. Hey, maybe we can beat up on Jersey instead of Bayridge, or PLG, or other Brooklyn places.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 8, 2006 12:22 PM

I lived in Jersey with an ex- for a while and was considering buying in West New York, North Bergen or Jersey City. Back then (late 1998, early 1999), you could get a two or three family for $150,000 in a lot of places. When I factored in the taxes, the commute, and the lack of any real reason to be there other than to go to sleep at night, I made the decision a lot of people seem to make - I saved up more money and bought in Brooklyn at the first change.

Posted by: Shahn Andersen at February 8, 2006 12:31 PM

have friends in JC. near van vorst park. it's an awesome little neighborhood. amazing apartment. tight knit street, friendly. limited restaurants, stores, it's true. but if you have a car (and you do if you live in jersey), the shopping is all around you. easy to get to and fro on path. but that waterfront is unforgettable.

Posted by: chuck at February 8, 2006 12:44 PM

I have a house in the Van Vorst Park historic district. The area is beautiful, the brownstones, lovely, the taxes outrageous, the amenities better than many parts of Brooklyn, the prices are lower than FG CH PH - maybe equivalent to the South Slope.

I would encourage a look see.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 8, 2006 1:05 PM

I live in the Lincoln Park area, but Van Vorst would be my choice if I lived in downtown JC. There are three Jersey City historic districts, all downtown: Van Vorst, Paulus Hook, and Hamilton Park. Everything's gotten very expensive of course, but most of the new people I meet in my neighborhood are here because they've been priced out of Brooklyn.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 8, 2006 3:07 PM

We just moved to Jersey City to an 1890's rowhouse. The inside needs work, but the facade is beautiful with ornate brickwork, we have a garden area both front and back, and we can watch the sun rise over Manhattan from our bed every morning. The view is truly phenomenal. Probably comparable to that from Brooklyn Heights but if we had bought anything in Brooklyn it probably would have been the far side of Flatbush to fit into our price range. Jersey City has a lot to recommend it.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 8, 2006 4:41 PM

We lived in North Bergen NJ for four years while saving up for a down payment. Cannot understand why anyone would live in that area for any reason other than necessity.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 8, 2006 4:54 PM

When I first started looking for a brownstone in 1973 I was very interested in Jersey City. The Brownstone Revival Committee's newsletter, "the Brownstowner" (no relation to this blog) played up the areas--especially Van Vorst Park.

At the time, I worked as a recruiter for the old NYC Dept.of Personel and got REALLY lost on the way to speak at Jersey City State College. I found myself in Van Vorst Park and really liked the area.--the houses situated around a square reminded me of Savanah, GA--a REALLY beautiful city). There was a lot of urban decay(33 years ago), but the area appeared to have a great deal of potential For better or worse, my wife didn't share my enthusiasm and we ended up in Brooklyn (I can't say in PLG, can I?--it'll attract the you-knows whats from under their bridges). Anyway, I've often wondered what's been happening in Jersey City. They used to have house tours (LONG ago)in Jersey City brownstone neighborhoods like Van Vorst (as well as in Hobokin) but I haven't heard anything about NJ brownstones for a long time. The ONLY reasons I'm glad I didn't buy a brownstown in NJ are the high RE taxes and the ignominity of having to drive around in a car with Jersey plates :-) (That's a JOKE--not a troll--NO offense intended, REALLY!!)

Posted by: Bob Marvin at February 8, 2006 5:01 PM

I purchased a beautiful brownstone in the Paulus Hook area a few years back, and had it moved to an empty lot I purchased for a song in Clinton Hill. The end result was a 400K investment that would probably fetch upwards of 1.6 in today's Brooklyn market.

Posted by: Peety at February 8, 2006 10:07 PM

is that jersey? that is a beautiful shot.

Posted by: anon at February 8, 2006 10:27 PM

But Peety, it must have cost at least
2 million to have the house moved from Jersey to Brooklyn :-)

Posted by: Bob Marvin at February 8, 2006 11:07 PM

why would anyone move a brownstone from jersey to clinton hill?

Posted by: Anonymous at February 9, 2006 3:34 AM

Is peety serious?

Posted by: Anonymous at February 9, 2006 10:40 AM

Nice house but I just can't see myself moving to the state of New Jersey. I'd rather live in my little condo in Brooklyn until I have enough $ for by brownstone.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 9, 2006 10:42 AM

When I visited last summer I checked out Brooklyn and Jersey City as well. JC has a lot going for it, but we made a wrong turn and ended up in one of the scariest looking spots I've ever seen. Still, the historic areas in downtown are amazing and I personally found them as nice as many brooklyn hoods. But there's no Smith street and no BK heights in JC.

Posted by: Sassy at February 9, 2006 10:46 AM

If I recall it was just under 100k to move the house from Paulus Hook to Clinton Hill. The house cost me 200k. The lot in Clinton Hill 75K. I sold the vacant lot in Paulus for 45k.

Posted by: Peety at February 9, 2006 7:59 PM

Peety-
You left out charge to get it through the Holland tunnel.

Posted by: will at February 10, 2006 12:11 AM

I took it over the GW.

Posted by: peety at February 10, 2006 7:44 PM

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