Nowhere to park, and if you park on the street expect the "welcome to the neighborhood" obligatory smashed window when you go out to move the car. There's broken glass every day on Duncan & Fairmount at JFK.

Lots of cool units, no two are alike. Duplexes, wide open floor plans, multiple bathrooms/bedrooms/offices, etc. I've been in a few that have had really nice renovations and a few with really vintage kitchens. The only thing that seems pretty consistent is the flooring in most of the units and the old world style trim on the walls. Really charming but airy and bright on the Southern side of the building.

If you have a dog and don't live on the first floor you must take the service elevator in the basement until 9PM. First floor residents are grandfathered in and can enter and exit through the main door.

Some of the units are rented out. Others are owned, so there will always be some attitudes regarding that. They do have a great condo board and seem to address issues fast.

The people near the church on Duncan can be kind of wacko. Use caution if you own dogs as they run around with cameras and accuse everyone of letting their dog pee on their property. Every spring someone posts threatening notes in the lobbies of the apartment and condo buildings regarding dogs peeing on walls & dirt patches.

The corner park across the street is about to be completely redone. The meeting was held tonight. They plan on putting in a playground for children ages 2-4. No dog run as requested numerous times by the residents who own dogs.

Overall, the Hague building is pretty cool but there's still a lot to be desired in that neighborhood. Honey Bakery in the Basilico is really great and Jimmy Bravo was a plus but they seem to be gone. There are lots of good eats in McGinley Square, but they lack parking and unfortunately are hot spots for GPS thieves and other smash and grabs.

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Charming building. Parking is absolutely awful. If you're getting a bargain, the property will be worth holding onto as the area slowly improves. Not sure about the rents in the area anymore. I lived on Garrison Avenue in a really nice building (about 5 blocks away). Rents were between 600 - 800 three years ago.

First time poster and interested in Journal Square. Goal is to buy a property for investment.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts 2600 Kennedy Blvd. (Hague Condos).

How is this location? What do comparable apartments (2 BR/1 BA) rent for in the immediate area? What are vacancy rates like?

[note - also cross posted on city-data]

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Are you a real estate agent or something? Seems odd to dig up an old post in order to make this point, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Hi - Any of you reading these posts, please note that they are dated from 2008. Things are not what they seem from these bitter former owners.

Well when you look at how much I overpay each month it is not a huge discrepency but when you total that over 4 years, add in a tax overpayment over 4 years, as well as, several thousands more than I paid than other similarly situated unit owners for a multi million dollar assessment then yep it is pretty worth every bit of energy fighting it. Also keep in mind the current state of the market so now may not be the best time to sell so I could rent it while I 'wait the market out' so to speak and in the interim we could be hit with another huge assessment for any number of things that may break or need repair in an older building.

I was advised by an attorney that I will have a duty to disclose prior to a sale to protect myself from being sued. So yes this rock and the hard place is not the most comfortable seat in the house.

If I were you, I would rent your unit out to the worst section 8 person you can find. Some single mother with 5 kids, running around making all kinds of noise. I would get all kinds of satisfaction out of that....:)

Bottom line, Shelley, how much do you estimate you're overpaying each month in maintenance? I'm just curious if it's an amount substantial enough to go through the hassle of a lawsuit and everything else you've been through. Of course, I realize the pecentages also affect how much you pay for special assessments on capital improvement projects. Judging by your previous posts on another thread on this matter and the length of your posts, this has clearly been eating at you for sometime, so I think your decision to sell and simply walk away is a wise one. Master deeds are almost always impossible to amend once they've been recorded, and two attorneys have told me that judges are loath to overturn them.

I'm also wondering if your "disclosure" about the purportedly incorrect master deed was necessary - i.e., did your attorney recommend such a move? While I applaud your conscience and scruples on disclosure, it might unnecessarily hinder your ability to sell the place or get the best possible price, which you deserve after all this grief. If the master deed has held up under legal challenge so far, and there is no serious movement afoot to amend it, then for all intents and purposes it is a legally binding master deed and therefore "correct" as far as the law is concerned. Unfortunately, as I learned the hard way myself, a master deed can be both unfair and legal at the same time. As the seller, your only obligation would be to disclose the actual amount of the montly maintenance (irrespective of what the other units pay) and the amount of annual property taxes. The condo association board is obligated during the contract period to disclose to the buyer any current and planned special assessmentss and pending litigation, among other issues. As for your advice to would-be condo buyers, I would say don't even trust an attorney to go through a master deed or bylaws with a fine-tooth comb, people should do it themselves. Mine never caught important details - this was at the height of the housing boom and he was proably doing several closings a day. Still, I learned an important and costly lesson: check everything myself!

I don't have the exact percentage over that I believe myself to be paying based on the purportedly incorrect master deed, however, it is considerable when you take into account that there are 4 apartments in my line with 200+ SF than my unit (one of those 4 apts is on a higher fl than me) and I pay more than all of them.

I did not purchase from the sponsor but from a private owner and in fact the sponsor (who I believe to be deceased) has not been involved in this bldg for over 20 years.

My apartment has no special amenities that would account for the disparity in the percentages in the purportedly incorrect master deed other than the fact that I do have a truly spectacular view, however, so does the apartment directly above mine and that unit has 200+ SF more than my unit and pays less in common interest expenses than I do!!!
In NYC common interest percentages are usually based on square footage, or amenities, or a combination of both taking into account slight increases for height, view, outdoor space, etc. I have yet been able to get a straight answer as to why another apartment in my line, on a higher floor and with a presumably better view with 200+ addt'l SF pays LESS in common element expenses than I???

have been the court route and plan to be there again if this matter cannot be resolved in a way that makes it FAIR AND EQITABLE for ALL OWNERS! What galls me is that supposedly previous Boards have known about this issue for quite some time and yet the purportedly incorrect master deed was never corrected. What also galls me is the fact that unit owners who may be negativeley affected by the purportedly incorrect master deed are also paying more than their fair share of property taxes as the tax assessor's office utilizes the perecentages found in the master deed to calculate each unit owners yearly tax payment.

I will probably wind up renting my unit out because it is very clearly the large pink elephant in the room and hope that one day this issue gets resolved fairly.

One of the unit owners in my building made an excellent suggestion at a recent association meeting that the building file a petition (not sure of the exact vernacular that was used) with the Chancery Division requesting the right to amend the percentage of unit owners required to vote affirmatively to make changes to the master deed or vote on major non-emergency capital improvements or upgrades.

So now I sit between my rock and my hard place and ponder my next moves.

Prcentagewise, how far above the average maintenance for comparable would you judge your unit to be.

Do you have any idea of a particular amentity that you have that someone may have judged to be worth the premium maintenance share?

(I have a thought: if the sponsor still has unsold units that he is renting, look for these apartments to be paying a cheaper share than fair. If that's the case, then perhaps the attack should be made on the basis of FRAUD during the conversion and I don't think any voting would be necessary. Did you buy from the original converter or from someone else?)

Hi yes it sure is...I purchased my unit in 2004 and found out 2 months after I closed that the building's facade needed to be repaired and the following spring is when I found out that the Master Deed was purportedly incorrect. I would love to sell my unit, however, I have a duty to disclose and how many people truly want to buy an apartment in a building where they would be paying more then any other unit in the line? Additionally it is an older building and things break so who wants to pay more than their fair share in an assessment, real estate taxes, monthly maintenance, etc.

It is a shame really and the entire process has made me extremely disenchanted with how condominiums in NJ are run and also in the NJ legal system.

So if I can give any potential condo real estate buyer advice it is to very, very carefully go thru the master deed docs and make sure that the percentages for common interest expenses are fairly distributed AND that a clear explanation as to how those percentages were developed is in the master deed.

Yes it is, ihatethiscity!


Most condos assign extra points for desirable amenities that are likely to increase the selling price and some seem very unfair. But different people value different things like space, view, height, terraces, roof rights, crown molding, or being next to the trash compactor or elevator.

Yes indeed, go over the master deed with a fine tooth comb and then A MICROSCOPE!


When did you buy, Shelly?
Is this YOU?
2600 Kennedy Blvd. #8H


View Details COMING SOON TO THE MARKET - Lovely Pre-War 1 Bedroom (convertible to 2), 1 Bath condo apartment located in the Historic Hague Building. Located on the 8th floor this extra large (approx. 1250 sf) unit features unobstructed views of Journal Square, The Heights and views of The NYC Skyline from all exposures. Apartment features include: Hardwood floors throughout, Formal dining room, updated bathroom, and updated kitchen with granite tile floors, backsplash, extra large closets, and upgraded electrical. Community features include large laundry room on premises, live-in super, private storage room and bike storage rack both available for an extra fee. Walking Distance to Journal Square, and steps from the 99S bus which goes into Manhattan's Port Authority. Asking Price: $365,000. (Showings begin after Labor Day)

Seller's Disclosure: The Master Deed & The Survey for The Hague Building-2600 John F Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, NJ, 07306 are purportedly incorrect. In the sellers copy of the Offering plan package the totals reflected in the Master Deed document total more than 100%. The seller currently pays a higher amount in monthly fees, as well as, current and proposed special assessments than larger units &/or similarly situated units in the same line. It is therefore possible that the new owners would be paying a higher maintenance than someone in the same line with a larger unit or similarly situtated unit.

2600 Condo Association
2600 Kennedy Blvd. #8H
Jersey City, NJ 07306
Email Address
917-826-6048
Showings Begin After Labor Day-At Open House Only

1 Bedrooms
1 Bath
1250 Sq.Ft.
$365,000.00

Is this the old "Hague" building?

If you are thinking of purchasing here make sure that your attorney goes through the Master Deed percentages with a FINE TOOTH COMB as the Master Deed is purportedly incorrect.

In 2005 the building had a multi million dollar assessment to repair the facade and when the percentages/amounts that each unit owner would be responsible for paying were made public in a monthly association meeting I noticed that the amount I was paying was more than any other apartment in my line, including those apartments on a higher floor and also those apartments in my line with an extra 200+SF.

I subsequently sued, however, the Judge felt as though he could not rule in my favor as I did not join other parties and many units are negatively affected due to the purportedly incorrect Master Deed. What makes this particular issue frustrating is that it would take a 100% vote of the association to amend the purportedly incorrect Master Deed.

And not just for this building but for any other make sure that your attorney goes through the percentages with a fine tooth comb but also makes sure that the rationale as to how the percentages were made are very clearly spelled out in the document. Sometimes buildings use square footage, new buildings may upcharge for amenities such as fireplaces or chef grade appliances, some buildings will have an increase by floor to take into account the view.

I now know more about Master Deeds than I ever want to but would know how to protect myself moving forward...however I will never purchase in a condo again.

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If this is the way it's spelled out in the master deed, then everyone has to abide by it as it's a binding legal document. Now, presumably, if you're paying equal amounts of maintenance, then you should have equal voting rights in the association. It's a small comfort, but at least that means the big unit owners can't just steamroll their way through major decisions. I went through a similar experience.

Of course, you can amend a master deed, but most of them are set up to require three-quarters approval from the unit owners - a threshhold that's damn near impossible to achieve in most buildings. Usually, you'll find that just enough people benefit from the status quo to block any amendments. Often, your only recourse is to sue, but when you add up what it costs to retain an attorney - not to mention the grief and stress of going through a lawsuit - plus no guarantee that you'll win, a lot people decide to just suck it up and live with it. You need to carefully weigh the money you save in maintenance over the long run versus the cost of suing - and how long you would need to live there to recoup the legal costs. In our particular case, we decided the only winners in a lawsuit would be the lawyers themselves. As much as we hated the situation, we decided to chalk it up as experience. I now know in the future, if I ever buy another condo again, to ask for and thoroughly read the master deed and association by-laws BEFORE the closing, and to never ever leave it to my attorney to catch details like that.

I just moved into a condo in the heights and just found out that everyone, regardless of the size of their unit, pays the same common charge. When I asked if this was a mistake and could it be changed they said "no, it is not a mistake and can't be changed. That was the way the association was set up originally". It is not quite the same as your situation, but it is helpful to know something might be able to be done....

Ahhh funny that you should ask....

Yes several former Board Members were positively affected by this but in the spirit of being fair...several former Board Members were negatively affected by this.

At this point what it needs to be is Fair & equitable for everyone...period.

My blood pressure goes through the roof just thinking about it.

70+ unit owers are being negatively impacted by this, I wonder how many owner are being positively impacted by this (with lower common charges). Any chance that the board members are in the latter catagory and that is why they don't want to change anything?

We went to court on this issue on May 19, 2008. The Judge was trying to get both sides to resolve and settle it.

I was asked what I wanted which was and has always been to have the building resurveyed and the purportedly incorrect master deed corrected; the response of the defendant's was that it would be done only if I personally paid for it.

I then asked it the Board would Host an open meeting for all of the members of the association explaining the facts and allowing the association to vote on it and was then told no, the Board had made a decision and was sticking to it.

I voluntarily withdrew some of my claims in order to preserve my equitable claim which is to have an equitable reformation of the Master Deed. In the interim I have found out that over 70+ unit owners are negativeley affected by the purportedly incorrect Master Deed. And yet the Board REFUSED to present the issue in an open forum to all members of the association and vote on it. It is just one of those things that makes you go HMMMMMMM.......

I will continue to fight because I believe it is unfair and am considering my legal options for moving forward at this point. What actually amazes me is that apparently unit owners in this building have known about this issue for YEARS, previous Boards have known about the issue and yet NOTHING was done about it.

Signed: Pissed Off Owner at 2600 Kennedy!

PS if you know anyone who is thinking of purchasing here definitely inform them of this issue.

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I suspect it's simply that exterior maintainance on both buildings was ignored for decades. I assume JC doesn't have similar laws to NYC that requires all brick buildings of a certain minimum size to be scaffolded/inspected/re-pointed every 10 years?


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The difference here is that the Medical Center / Beacon has to follow national historic guidelines given the restoration tax breaks they are taking. 2600 is unfotunately not required to stick to these guidelines as far as I understand. The neighborhood is not a historic district, so owners can generally do as they wish regarding exterior work. Joe, do you recall that building a couple blocks towards JSQ on Kennedy which used to have the unusual column details on the roof, and it was all torn off a few years back? What a shame.

Thanks for the info. I am actually involved in litigation as we speak. I will post with the eventual outcome. Great building, unfortunate situation.

No, the only thing I know about the condo situation there is that the attorney who has offices on the ground floor was one of the parties who took the building condo.

Sorry, can't be of more help.

I think you need to contact a RE lawyer, one that specializes in coops and condos. Perhaps a group of owners could share the costs and provide stronger direction for the management of your building.

Due to some unforseen delays...blah blah blah...at least through the end of the year I would say. Along with the delay came interior damage to many units and common areas as well.

Thanks for the history, I never knew that. It is a shame that the work on the facade has taken so long; in NYC this would have been considered a local law 11 project and had the work dragged on this long the city would have probably imposed major fines. There was so much damage to the facade it makes me wonder who was minding the shop...

Any thoughts or advice on the incorrect Master Deed? There are owners at 2600 who are concerned and upset but yet wonder where to turn when the Board has said that they have no intention of amending at this point until and unless ordered by a court of law. I would love to sell but would have to disclose to any potential buyer the purportedly incorrect master deed...who would really buy into a situation like that...especially in this market with properties a plently. Had you heard about this issue at 2600 before?

I live across the street. It is no co-incidence that the same repairs that are taking years to complete on your building are also a long-term project on the earlier core-buildings of The Beacon (formerly JC Medical Center).

Both buildings were designed and constructed by the same people, almost simultaneously. If you look at both structures with that as enlightenment, you will recognize they both use the same materials, in the same way, both inside and out.

Some say that 2600 was built with materials that "fell - or was pushed - off the truck" on its way to the hospital site.

True or not, it says something about whatever happened that each building, 70-odd years later, and at the same time, needs identical major repairs.

At both sites this is not simple "facade repair."

For years, the corners of those buildings each have shown long vertical cracks about 2 feet to either side of the edge. Now that the covering bricks have been cut out to those cracks, you can see there are, under the brick, vertical steel structural beams.

It appears to me they are replacing not only the brick but doing something with the steel.

Design-wise, there is one disappearing difference between 2600 and the hospital.

Until repairs on 2600 began, it had a decorative stone railing along the tops of the roofs. That now has been pretty much chopped down to level, leaving a jaggedy roofline at points where the ex-railing became plain wall.

What is management telling you is a completion date?

It is crazy. Many, many units are affected negatively but the building says it does not have the money to correct it right now...the association has been dealing with a facade repair for 2+ years now (perhaps you have noticed the scoffolding in front of the building since 2005). I am just at my wits end. I live in a line in which half of the units in that line are just over 1200 SF and the other half are over 1400 SF and yet I pay the most in common expenses of anyone in the line. There are MANY other units in the building that are similarly affected. It is ironic that the building is named after JC's corrupt former mayor...unfortunately I am on the short end of the irony right now.

I've only heard real estate agents call this the Hague. Most just call it 2600 Kennedy. Originally it was known as the Duncan Apartments, since it's on the corner of Duncan Ave. Note the name in this ad from 1927:

Does anyone find it slightly comical that a building sharing the nickname of a corrupt Jersey City mayor is screwing the little guy?

WOW, many, many, many years ago, maybe in the early 70's my great aunt lived there. Last unit on left / ground floor. I remember french doors, crystal doorknobs and really big rooms... ect. WOW. Forgot about this building.

Hi: I live in the Hague Building at 2600 Kennedy in Journal Square and the buildings Master Deed is purportedly incorrect...the schedule of common expenses does not equal 100%. Additionally many of the smaller units in the building are paying more in common expenses than the larger units. I am currently involved in litigation with The Board and Condo Association. Has anyone ever encountered this with their building? Or does anyone know of anything similar happening at any other building in Jersey City and what was the outcome? Also new buyers are moving into the building and the association is not informing them that the master deed is purportedly incorrect. Thanks. I appreciate any responses.