On the other side of the Hudson River sits The Beacon, a towering condominium community atop Jersey City’s Palisades Ridge. Formerly a medical center, the complex comprises ten art deco buildings that will include about 1,200 homes, making it the largest historic residential restoration in the United States.
What’s more, The Beacon was designed specifically with families in mind: Its host of amenities includes a movie screening room, children’s playroom, rooftop sundeck, barbeque pit, private park with a community garden, outdoor playground, indoor pool, saunas, fitness room, and more.
Of the residential buildings, perhaps the most attractive to families is Mercury Lofts—25 half- and full-floor lofts featuring 13-foot ceilings, gourmet kitchens and 3,000-7,000 square feet of space.
But the plans for Mercury Lofts weren’t always this family-friendly. “[The building] was supposed to have 103 condos, but mid-stream we decided to change the project dramatically,” says George Filopoulos, president of Metrovest Equities. “Now, instead of 103 residences, we have 25 residences in a 17-story building.”
Midway through the project, Filopoulos also began to think about how they could use the complex’s expansive commercial and retail space to meet families’ needs. After all, he says, “We had 32 sales over a ten-month period, and 21 of those were to young families.” So in addition to revamping their plans for Mercury Lofts, Filopoulos and his team added BeKids at The Beacon, “an entire building dedicated to entertainment, education and athletics for children.” Once finished, the 66,000-square foot space will house an early childhood education center and a variety of kid-pleasing destinations—there’s talk of bringing in everything from sports camps to dance studios to an indoor skate park.
Additionally, The Beacon’s complex will eventually house a K-5 school as well as a math, engineering and technology charter school serving grades 6-12.
Residents of The Beacon also enjoy valet parking, shuttle service to PATH trains and ferries across the river—that is, when they can bring themselves to leave their homes, which afford unparalleled views of the Manhattan skyline.
