The Beacon (Jersey City) facts for kids
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Jersey City Medical Center
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The Beacon in 2020
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 Location in Hudson County, New Jersey
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Montgomery Street, Cornelison Avenue, Dupont Street and Clifton Place, and Baldwin Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey |
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| NRHP reference No. | 85003057 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 27, 1985 |
The Beacon is a large building complex in Jersey City, New Jersey. It sits on a high point called Bergen Hill. This spot is one of the highest places in Jersey City.
The Beacon used to be the Jersey City Medical Center, a hospital. Now, it has been updated to include homes and shops. It covers about 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land. There are around 1,200 luxury homes and 80,000 square feet (7,400 m2) of retail space.
The hospital first moved to this location in 1882. More buildings were added over many years. A company called Metrovest Equities started changing the complex in the early 2000s. The project finished in 2016.
This complex is very important historically. It is listed on both the national and New Jersey lists of historic places.
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History of The Beacon Complex
During the Great Depression, new buildings were added to the hospital. This was a big project helped by Mayor Frank Hague. The Jersey City Medical Center was very fancy for its time.
It had marble walls, special floors, and beautiful chandeliers. It was also home to a very famous maternity hospital. This was the Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital.
In the 1950s, a medical school was located here. It was part of Seton Hall University. Later, this school moved and became the New Jersey Medical School.
The hospital became too big and didn't have enough staff. So, in 1988, it became a private, non-profit organization. In 1994, it was named a special trauma center for the region. This means it could handle very serious injuries.
Turning a Hospital into Homes
In 2003, Metrovest Equities decided to redevelop the property. They officially bought it in 2005. The plan was to turn the ten historic Art Deco buildings into homes.
This was one of the biggest building restoration projects in the country. It was also the largest in New Jersey's history. The cost was estimated to be around $350 million.
Restoring Historic Buildings
The buildings at The Beacon are very old and important. They are listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are protected because of their history.
The first buildings to be fixed up were called the Rialto and Capitol. These buildings are now residential homes and entertainment areas. Fixing just these two buildings cost over $133 million. It took more than four years to complete the work.
In 2009, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection gave an award. It was for the excellent work done on restoring the Rialto and Capitol buildings. This award recognized the contractors and architects who helped.
See also
