Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse
About this property
The Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse (also known as the Jersey City Powerhouse) is located in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Built in 1908, the powerhouse made possible the subway system between New Jersey and New York for the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (which became PATH in 1962). It was built under the leadership of William Gibbs McAdoo, president of the railroad. The powerhouse was closed in 1929 and used as a storage place for railroad equipment. In the 1990s, the building was cited by Preservation New Jersey as one of the state's ten most endangered historic sites. The powerhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 23, 2001, for its significance in architecture, engineering, and transportation. It is located near the Harborside Financial Center and Harsimus Cove on the Hudson River waterfront in an area undergoing much redevelopment. By the 21st century, the powerhouse was outdated, and the site was prone to flooding. Efforts to stabilize the powerhouse from further deterioration began in July 2009 and continued through 2010. In 2011, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey agreed to transfer its 55% ownership of the building to its co-owner, Jersey City, in exchange for a nearby lot where they would build an underground electric sub-station. It was determined that the iconic smokestacks could not be saved, leading to their removal. The Jersey City government finalized its agreement to acquire the building in 2018 after settling a four-year legal dispute. Work on a new substation, replacing the old H&M Powerhouse's functions, began in 2023. In 2026, a neighboring section of Greene Street was closed after cracks were detected in the walls. Although the street was later reopened, temporary straps holding the building together were found to have cracked.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse
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Questions about this property
When was Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse listed on the National Register?
Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 23, 2001.
What type of historic resource is Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse?
Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse?
The period of significance for Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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