Jersey City is the second largest city in New Jersey, and its housing covers a huge range. Glass towers line the Hudson waterfront, while the neighborhoods behind them are full of nineteenth century brownstones, brick rowhouses, and wood-frame two and three-family homes. Many of those older buildings share walls, front directly onto the sidewalk and have been weathering for more than a century, so masonry upkeep here is a constant need rather than a one-time project.
Brownstone and brick facades
Brownstone is a soft sandstone, and over time it flakes, scales and delaminates, especially at window sills, lintels and stoop edges. Brick facades suffer in their own way, with eroded mortar joints, loose brick around openings and cracked lintels. Our historic masonry restoration work repairs damaged stone and brick with materials and finishes chosen to blend with the original. Repointing with a compatible mortar closes the joints so rain cannot get into the wall.
Stoops and sidewalks
The stoop is the front door of a Jersey City rowhouse. Freeze-thaw, salt and foot traffic crack the treads, open the side walls and loosen railings. We patch and recoat stoops that are still structurally sound, and rebuild those that are not on a new base with new railings. For poured stoops, we build concrete steps formed to the building line, with treads that pitch slightly forward so water does not sit on them.
The sidewalk out front is usually the owner’s job to maintain. Tree roots and age lift slabs into trip hazards, and the city can require repairs. We cut out and replace damaged squares and pour new concrete to match the neighboring walk and city standards.
Stucco, parging and basements
Many frame and block buildings in the city have stucco fronts or parged foundation walls. When they crack, water works behind the finish. We patch, refinish or replace stucco to stop it.
Parts of Jersey City sit on low ground close to the river and the bay, and some neighborhoods were built on filled land. Wet basements are common, especially in buildings with old stone or brick foundations. We trace where the water enters, from the stoop and areaway to cracks in the wall, then recommend sealing or basement waterproofing that fits the building.
What to expect on a Jersey City job
- Permits for the right of way. Sidewalk work, scaffolding and dumpsters on the street usually need city permits.
- Historic review. Buildings in historic districts may need approval for facade and stoop changes.
- Party walls. Work on shared walls and stoops affects the neighbors, so we coordinate with them.
- No driveway. Most jobs mean street parking only, so we schedule deliveries carefully.
Jersey City is one of the Hudson County cities we serve, along with Hoboken and Bayonne. When you are ready, book a free estimate and we will come look at your building.
