New Mixed Use Building Offers Housing and Creates Community in Burgeoning Jersey City, New Jersey

Recently completed, 36 Jones Street, is a unique, ground-up mixed-use building located in the heart of Jersey City, New Jersey, designed by award-winning, woman-owned, Studio ST Architects, and developed by Jud LLC.

Encompassing a boutique hotel aesthetic, the new multi-family community is in walking distance to the Journal Square PATH station, just 12 minutes to mid-town Manhattan. The 2043 sqm (22,000 sq. ft.) structure includes a 84 sqm (900 sq. ft.) street-facing commercial space and 10 generously sized apartments across five floors. The building strives to create not only individual homes, but also a sense of community for families and young professionals and breathes new life into the burgeoning New Jersey neighborhood.

“We are excited to contribute to the exciting rebirth of this iconic urban neighborhood.  36 Jones Street speaks to the families and professionals that call Jersey City home so it was important to convey that, from the inviting lobby entrance designed with a distinct Middle Eastern inspired flooring and warm natural tones, to backyard styled gathering spaces on the roof top,”

Esther Sperber, Founder of Studio ST Architects.

The boutique size building is unusual for Jersey City, which has more recently become known for its high-rise building developments with smaller units. 36 Jones Street targets the swathe of families and young professionals looking for New York-style buildings just across the Hudson River. This energy-efficient modern building houses two ADA-accessible, 84 SQM (900 sq. ft.) one-bedroom apartments with access to a private backyard on the ground floor level. On the upper floors are eight spacious 125 sqm (1350 sq. ft.) three-bedroom units each furnished with a state-of-the-art kitchen, open dining and living floor plan, primary bedroom suite, and laundry area. Each unit features a terrace for connectivity to the outdoors and quaint street below. Communal amenities include a sprawling, 278sqm (3000 sq. ft.) roof deck with lounge seating and stellar views to lower Manhattan, plus a fitness center, bike room, and storage units.

“I believe that people are social creatures and that they need to connect with each other. This building celebrates the balance between private space in your apartment and communal connection,… Ester has been my creative partner in the design of this building. She understood my passion to create a unique building for this neighborhood. She translated my desire to create a welcoming, nurturing home and community for families and young professionals into a distinctive, inclusive building, a rare find that celebrates the history of the neighborhood and connects the past to the present and the community members to one another.”

Ulie Bardosh, JudLLC

Nestled in a quiet street, the building’s multi-tone exterior, clad with metallic, gray, stacked bond-pattern bricks and wood paneled balconies, provides a crisp, modern look that balances warmth with durability, while maintaining continuity with the vibrant surroundings. The façade is enriched by planters on each balcony and visible greenery from the communal green roof. The use of brick and wood on the façade presents a modern, elegant exterior for a clean and simple statement.

With rental prices for buildings with amenities skyrocketing in New York City, this original design for this modern and sophisticated building addresses families’ and professionals’ needs for larger interiors and access to outdoor living spaces. While the structure makes full use of the building site, which formerly contained an outdated single-family home, the design carefully considers the scale of the building and articulates the façade to match the scale of the adjacent structure. Studio ST Architects collaborated closely with developer Ulie Bardosh, Jud LLC, on a shared vision for the building which includes dedicating space to shared indoor/outdoor areas for people to connect, enjoy the shared amenities, and find a long-term home.

Jorge Mastropietro Architects Atelier partnered with Studio ST Architects on the project to build a robust downtown building in a viable and walkable neighborhood.

“We took extreme care about the design and the people that inhabit the building and hope 36 Jones Street sets a great precedent for the neighborhood….

Jorge Mastropietro Architects Atelier.

About Studio ST Architects:

Studio ST Architects is a full-service, award-winning, woman-owned architectural firm located in Manhattan. Studio ST is currently renovating a number of synagogues, including Ansche Chesed in New York City and Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob in Skokie, Illinois. The firm has renovated community centers, art galleries, schools, and restaurants. It has also completed many residential projects, ranging from high-end apartments to affordable apartment buildings, and duplex combinations of single-family homes.

Esther Sperber founded Studio ST Architects in 2003.  Sperber writes and lectures on architecture, culture, and psychoanalysis. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and Lilith Magazine, among other publications. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel, Sperber studied architecture at the Technion in Haifa, Israel, and Columbia University in New York City.

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