A First for the Weehawken Historic District

By Brian J Pape, AIA

I reported on this long-delayed project in Westview News on Oct. 1, 2021. Originally built circa 1904 as the Holland Hotel at 305 W. 10th St., also known as 396-397 West St., the building was designed by Charles Stegmayer and is now part of the Weehawken Historic District. The Gottlieb Real Estate company bought it in 1985 for mixed-use residential with commercial storefronts and was proposing major renovation work to be done by 2022, according to the developer’s presentation to the community board. The Mancini Duffy architecture firm was hired. Their history spans over 110 years, evolving from a traditional architecture firm in New York to a multi-office national firm, now known as Mancini.

In 2012, Superstorm Sandy caused significant damage and delays to waterfront properties, including these. It was noted that Gottlieb Real Estate and the Aurora Capital firm had restored the Keller Hotel at 150 Barrow St. as a condo, and that project has been completed.

The Mancini website has this description of the new project, originally scheduled for completion in 2022: “Repurposing 396 West Street to provide a more intimate alternative to all of the new office buildings going up in Chelsea and Hudson Yards, we’re repositioning our client Aurora Capital Associates’ landmarked low-rise residential property as an office building, taking advantage of its historic architecture and expansive views of Hudson River.

“396 West Street is a handsome neo-Renaissance building dating from 1904. Standing only about 250 feet from the Hudson River, it has uninterrupted views of New Jersey and easy access to river-side parks — but according to FEMA, it also stands within a high-risk zone for flooding. Fortunately, this designation allows Aurora to take certain liberties with 396 that can increase its resiliency. Aurora can remove the street-level retail from floor area calculations and transfer it to a roof structure.

“Recognizing this as an opportunity, Aurora reached out to our firm to see how we could reposition 396 from a 14,400-square foot residential building to a 16,000-square foot commercial office building with a penthouse suite, and provide potential tenants with a much more boutique office experience. To bring the building up to snuff for office use, we’ll be treating the floors to a white-box gut renovation, removing interior partitions to leave full floor plates. A new core, complete with a new hydraulic elevator and exit stair tower, will serve all floors; a new secondary stair will provide two means of egress. We’re working with a consultant to gather historical images of the site to solidify a basis of integrity that our exterior renovation must uphold.

“And since the building lies with the Weehawken Street Historic District, and the penthouse will be visible from multiple view points on the West Side Highway, hearings with the local community board and the NYC LPC will be required in order to gain approval for both the new penthouse and building restoration design.”

Aurora Capital Associates’ website notes the buildings in the Weehawken Historic District will be meticulously restored. According to Wikipedia this small historic district is located in Manhattan’s West Village and the name recalls the former ferry connection with Weehawken, New Jersey.

Designated by New York City in 2006, the district contains 14 buildings and preserves a rare example of the Hudson River waterfront’s 19th and early 20th century residential, commercial, and maritime development. The buildings date from approximately 1830 to 1938. Notable features of the district include:

• 6 Weehawken St. believed to incorporate the last surviving portion of the former Weehawken Market.

• 7 Weehawken St. an early rowhouse and stable later owned by Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s father.

• 398 West St., a Federal-style rowhouse dating to about1830.

The area was once part of Newgate State Prison which served as New York’s first state prison until the prison and prisoners were moved “up the river.” The site was redeveloped as a market in the 1830s. The market closed in 1844, after which the surrounding buildings served homes, stables, shops, saloons, and maritime businesses.

Delays and revisions are a common aspect of any project in a historic district, but this long-delayed project seems lengthier than most. Hopefully, this landmarked building will see brighter days soon.