HUDSON COUNTY

The Heights Neighborhood Guide

Sitting 100 feet above sea level atop the Palisades, Jersey City’s The Heights boasts breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline and the Meadowlands glades. This idyllic community is one of New Jersey’s best-kept secrets and features an attractive lifestyle for all residents. With a commute time of fewer than 30 minutes from New York City, The Heights offers a rare urban, small-town feel. Residents describe The Heights neighborhood as a safe and quiet reprieve full of desirable amenities, including local festivals, a thriving art community, tantalizing restaurants, and top-rated schools.

The Heights is full of past allure, from its historic tree-lined street and centuries-old homes to its remarkable parks and statues. Historic Central Avenue contains popular shops and eateries, both new and old, while the Riverview Arts District provides public displays of art and a unique cultural experience. The Heights has quickly become one of New Jersey’s most desirable neighborhoods near New York City.

The Heights Real Estate Stats

An Abbreviated History of The Heights

More than 10,000 years before the first European settlers arrived in the New World, American Indian tribes, primarily the Lenni Lenape, lived along the Delaware and Hudson Rivers. In 1630, the Dutch West India Company purchased land from the Lenni Lenape Indians, thereby creating the Pavonia Colony of New Netherland. Cornelius Van Vorst, whose descendants are still local, was the superintendent of Pavonia. Once known as Hudson City, The Heights was incorporated as a town in 1852 and merged with Jersey City in 1869.

 From the mid-19th century until WWI, German immigrants were the primary residents of The Heights; the town was abounding with German churches, butcher shops, restaurants, taverns, and German social halls. German was even taught in the local public schools. Successful citizens, usually of German descent, built the historic mansions near Summit Avenue.

Throughout the rest of the 20th century, industrial warehouses lined the Hudson River, and many blue-collar workers moved to Jersey City in search of affordable housing. During the 1980s, artists flocked to The Heights for its lower rent and breathtaking skyline views, which led to the creation of the Riverview Arts District. Today, The Heights neighborhood is a beautiful community full of culture that attracts a diverse set of residents.

Residents Love This Neighborhood Because

What to expect

The Heights Landmarks and Cultural Institutions

A NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR

Pershing Field is a memorial park atop what used to be a military training ground. It was named for General John J Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force during WWI. The park is full of military history; a red sandstone arch near the entrance is the remnant of the Fourth Regiment Armory, constructed in 1895. The Heights Vietnam Veterans Memorial Community Center, also located in the park, pays tribute to local soldiers. At 13.5 acres, Pershing Field Memorial Park is one of the largest greenspaces and also offers community sports leagues and recreational activities.

Reservoir #3 was created in the 1870s to provide drinking water to The Heights and Ellis Island. It served its purpose until the 1980s when the city switched to the Boonton Gorge Reservoir. Today, Reservoir #3 is known as the crown jewel of The Heights, a tranquil sanctuary in an urban jungle. Twenty-foot Egyptian Revival-style walls surround the perimeter, and various plants and wildlife dwell on these fourteen acres. Visitors are also allowed to fish and kayak in the pond on specific days throughout the year.

Riverview Park boasts impressive views from every direction. Visitors can relax in the gazebo, taking in the beauty of the Hudson River, George Washington Bridge, the Verrazano Bridge, and the Manhattan skyline. The community gathers in the park every 4th of July for a front-row seat to New York City’s fireworks display. The park offers a playground, sports facilities, and a thriving local farmer’s market.

For those who don’t want to climb 100 steps, the Congress Light Rail Elevator allows residents to easily travel between Hoboken and The Heights. New Jersey Transit opened the 9th Street-Congress Street Station in 2004 along the face of the Palisades cliffs. Since their initiation, the light rail station and the elevator have influenced commercial development in The Heights and the western end of Hoboken. Commuters will conveniently find many cafes and shops steps from the Jersey City Heights elevator.

Washington Park, which transcends the boundaries of Union City and Jersey City, has a rich history that spans over a century. In the early 1900s, carnivals and fairs, including Wild Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, were held on the park’s lands. By the 1930s, Jersey City residents and the Works Progress Administration helped turn the fairgrounds into Washington Park. Today, residents enjoy the park’s many recreational activities, including peaceful pathways, bike trails, a playground, and a spray pool. 

The Heights contains the most prominent displays of artistic culture in New Jersey, thanks to the Riverview Arts District. The idea to create an affordable area for artists to thrive originated in the 1980s, but it was not approved until 2013. The district designation has allowed many artists to live and work within the community. Stop by this unique community and visit one of the many show-stopping galleries.

This impressive Queen Anne-style mansion is one of the most recognizable homes in Jersey City. It was constructed in 1907 for Joseph Rudiger, a self-made man who peddled syrup on Central Avenue until he founded the Standard Refining Company of New York. Notable architects Herman and William Neumann designed the Rudiger Mansion. Among their other impressive works includes the First National Bank of Guttenberg.

Central Avenue is a 12-block area that starts at the intersection of Summit Avenue and Pavonia Avenue and runs north to Paterson Plank Road. It was the main thoroughfare for Hudson City between 1860-1879. By the mid-20th century, it had become the Height’s prominent commercial corridor. Today, Central Avenue is lined with cozy cafes, popular restaurants, shops, and apartments.

This popular green space is named after Dr. Leonard J. Gordon, a Union army soldier who helped open the Jersey City Free Public Library. The park is full of whimsical statues that were created by Solon Hannibal Borglum, whose brother sculpted Mount Rushmore. Leonard Gordon Park contains steep sledding hills that are beloved by children in the winter. During the warmer months, visitors can take in the artistic sights and enjoy basketball courts, a playground, walking paths, and a dog park. 

The Van Vorst House is considered the oldest building in New Jersey. Descendants of Cornelius Van Vorst, one of the area’s first settlers, constructed the stone farmhouse on Palisade Avenue circa 1740. Revolutionary troops were quartered in the residence during the war. The Van Vorst family played a large role in the development of Jersey City. Today, the Van Vorst House is a local landmark that remains privately owned, though visitors love to walk down the tree-lined street to view this colonial gem.

All Notable New Yorker photos courtesy of Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons. Photo of Queen Latifah by Sister Circle TV; Photo of Akon by U.S. Embassy Nairobi; Photo of Aaron Ogden by Pharos; Photo of General John Pershing by Library of Congress.