There's the Van Wagenen house - or Apple Tree House - at 298 Academy St., which dates back to 1778 and earlier, designed in the Dutch Colonial architecture style, a reflection of the Dutch settlers in the city.
There's 7 Kensington Ave., a mansion built in the 1870s and now the home of a doctor, designed in the Queen Anne Freestanding style.
And there's the Fairmount Hotel at 2595 Kennedy Blvd. built between 1909 and 1912, an example of the late 19th century Arts and Crafts movement that came from England.
These homes and others are highlighted in the 2007 year Historic Houses calendar put out this month by the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the city's historic resources.
This is the fifth year the Conservancy has put out a calendar, and the 12th year overall a calendar has been published showing off various elements of the city. Each year, the calendar's theme is different, and this year, it's historic homes around the city.The people who live there
For each month of the 2007 calendar, a different historic architectural style is showcased.
Leon Yost, Conservancy member and Downtown Jersey City resident, was responsible for most of the photography in the calendar.
"[The Conservancy] are a historic, architectural organization and John [Gomez] and I had a good idea of architectural styles and we wanted to put a spotlight on them," said Yost. Gomez is the founder of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy.
Philip Feintuch, one of the owners, said that when he was a boy, he noticed the historic house he eventually purchased.
Feintuch's house at 463 Jersey Ave. is featured for the month of July as an example of the Romanesque Revival/Richardsonian Romanesque, popular in the 1870s, with arched and asymmetrical shapes and off-center towers.
"I spent a lot of time growing up in that house, since one of the best friends lived there," said Feintuch. "As a kid, who cared about the history as long as you had a roof over your head? But I liked the architecture."
Feintuch said the house was owned by the Canter family during until they moved out to California in 1953. He said the house went through several owners until he purchased the house with a business partner. Feintuch currently owns the house with his wife as an investment property. Four families are renting apartments in the house.
According to information put together by the late Herbert J. Githens, a former Jersey City resident and architect, 463 Jersey Ave. "is a unique individualistic house in Romanesque Revival style dating after 1887. The facade is organized into two sets of levels, the lower two of brownstone and the upper two of cream-colored brick. The massing is subtly asymmetrical. All windows have spandrel panels of stained glass above the double-hung sash. A gracious stoop has short steps, making for a gentle rise. Note the little gable above the cornice in the right corner."
Feintuch said during his youth, he appreciated the oak floors and high ceilings. When he bought it, he spent "lots of money" over the years as owner fixing the interior. He said the exterior has been in pretty good shape other than some cosmetic changes. Showing off the fancy homes
Putting together the 2007 calendar was a year-long endeavor, according to Yost. Starting in September 2005 photos, were taken and writers given assignments. And the work was done with one guiding philosophy.
"Our role is to show Jersey City in the best light," said Yost.
The historic architectural styles featured in the calendar starting from January ranged from the oldest - Dutch Colonial - to the most modern style of Art Deco in December.
The areas profiled in the calendar included Downtown, the West Bergen area near Lincoln Park, and parts of Greenville.
Yost said the calendar captures homes that have benefited from the efforts of their owners to preserve the architecture.
"You have someone like Dennis Doran, a former reporter who is very knowledgeable about Jersey City, who put his money where his mouth is and bought homes on Summit Avenue and restore them when it wasn't fashionable," said Yost. "He is what I call a 'undercover preservationist.' "
Yost hopes the calendar will inspire people to better preserve and design their buildings. He has seen a number of projects presented front of him as a commissioner on the city's Planning Board.
"There are too many of these 'cookie-cutter' pink, two family homes that are being built after these historic homes are unfortunately are being demolished to make way for bad construction," said Yost.
The city's Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission oversees how guidelines are followed in the city's historic districts. For more information on purchasing the calendar, call (201) 432-3272 or e-mail erma-leonyost@att.net Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com
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