An apartment at Elks Club JSQ, a 40-unit project at 275 Magnolia Ave. in Jersey City — Courtesy: Hopkins Group Management
By Joshua Burd
A developer has unveiled its latest project in Jersey City with the opening of 40 new loft apartments inside a historic Elks lodge building.
Completed by Hopkins Group Management, the collection of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units has brought new life to the 103-year-old structure at 275 Magnolia Ave., part of the city’s Journal Square neighborhood. The firm now aims to lure renters to its Elks Club JSQ project with details such as large, arched windows and exposed brick and spiral ductwork, combined with the appeal of modern homes and upscale amenities.
“This amazing building enabled us to create something truly special and unique,” Hopkins Group’s Matt Weinreich said. “To be able to reimagine this stunning building directly at Journal Square was a one-of-a-kind opportunity.
“Building new is easier, but what we have created here is really unrivaled. These are amazing spaces that people will be excited to show off to their friends and are never going to want to leave.”
In a news release, the developer said the property is one of Jersey City’s oldest surviving buildings, having been completed around 1918. The adaptive reuse project has allowed it to preserve features such as the windows and the structural steel beams that originally supported the Elks’ two-story ballroom space.
Apartments at the building, which is adjacent to the historic Loew’s Jersey Theatre, have high-end finishes and ceiling heights of up to 14 feet, according the news release. Amenities at the property include a roof terrace, a full-size gym, a tenant lounge, a game room and communal kitchen and a children’s playroom.
Elks Club JSQ also has off-street parking available, the developer said.
The project is the latest adaptive reuse for Weinreich’s firm, following the likes of Kennedy Lofts, Lafayette Park and 2040 Kennedy.
“The adaptive reuse projects are the most challenging,” Weinreich said, “but incredibly rewarding when you get them right.”
