Defiinitely food for thought.

But these might very well be starting bids and the prices could soar.
I imagine the first year is spent trying to scrub away the smell of motor oil.

But tempting, especially the one across from the Resevoir...handy parking under the living room too.

So is $200,000 the starting bid? That place would be a real steal at twice that!
View Larger Map ================================== There is a thread on jclist from 2008 on this... http://www.jclist.com/modules/newbb/v ... d=14431&forum=8&move=prev ...and there was this article: Living in former firehouses -- Residents transform them into homes, possible theater Ricardo Kaulessar Reporter staff writer 08/09/2008 Around Jersey City, they are reminders of a time when firemen rushed to a flaming home on horse-drawn wagons. Ira Rubin, archivist for the Jersey City Fire Department, estimates there are 13 firehouses in Jersey City that are no longer in use. Twelve inactive and active firehouses are listed on the New Jersey State Historic Register. One firehouse is now home to a painter and his wife. Another is being sought by a local theatrical company to possibly host a new theater. At 218 Central Ave., 520-526 Palisade Ave., and 14 Bright St., former firehouses sit empty. But there are plans by the city to sell the Central Avenue and Bright Street firehouses to developers. The Palisade Avenue firehouse is owned by a California resident, but a Bayonne firm wants to buy the building to house 80 employees. An old firehouse at 244 Bay St., which served as the headquarters of the Fire Department from 1871 to 1933, still maintains a connection to firefighting, as it is the home of the Gong Club, the Jersey City-based volunteer group that assists Jersey City and other Hudson County fire departments by offering beverages, food, and remedies while firefighting. Also, the firehouse is home to a museum with Fire Department memorabilia. Rubin said people are interested in buying firehouses for a number of reasons. "They are big spaces, especially if you need to put in a car, and they are usually well constructed," he said. Living in a firehouse Advertisement Jeremy Smith is a painter, as well as a teacher in a suburban school. He lives with his wife in a two-family house at 278 Sixth St., formerly the station of Engine Company 5. Smith and his wife purchased their current home about 10 years ago from the previous owner, who had bought it from the city in 1978 and had restored it. What it is like living in a firehouse? Smith said much of the space is a shell, and there are no reminders of its former existence. But he said it is spacious enough for him to do his artwork. He said that visitors usually ask him the same question about it. "The first question I get is, 'Does it still have a pole?' " City not fired up by change The Jersey City-based J City Theater appeared at the June 25 City Council meeting, but it wasn't to encourage the council members to check out one of their plays. Instead, Clay Cockrell, one of the founders of the theater company, was trying to persuade the council to let them transform the old Passaic Hose Engine Company headquarters at 14 Bright St. into the group's new home. The J City Theater, if allowed to lease the firehouse from the city for $1 per year, would put in the financing to renovate the building into a 75-seat theater. It would also have a gymnasium, art gallery and community room where plays, films and art could be shown. But the city has other plans for the firehouse, as it is currently on the selling block. City Business Administrator Brian O' Reilly responded to Cockrell. "There are many people who want to open a restaurant there, open a professional business there, who want to build on the lot next door," he said. He also encouraged Cockrell to consider the Jersey City Museum on Montgomery Street or the Loews Theater in Journal Square as possible locations for productions. Could be reopened as...a firehouse? The city has different plans for another firehouse, the old Engine Company 18 Firehouse at 218 Central Ave. At an October, 2006 meeting, the City Council rejected a bid of $382,000 from an auction. They were convinced not to put the firehouse back on sale by veteran Jersey City firefighters, who said the fire station should be reopened for active service because it could serve Journal Square, the Heights, and parts of downtown Jersey City. However, the city has not indicated at the present time what it plans to do with the 218 Central Ave. firehouse, according to City Councilman Bill Gaughan, who represents the area where the firehouse is located. A love of firehouses If there is anything that needs to be known about old time Jersey City firehouses, there's a good chance that Ira Rubin knows. Rubin, who is a dispatcher for the Jersey City Fire Department, says a majority of the firehouse buildings in Jersey City were built before 1900. Rubin said they contained common features such as poles, overhead doors, spiral staircases, and tin ceilings, as well as being built of brick - all of which contributes to his admiration of the structures. "Personally, I like the traditional look of these pre-1900 firehouses," Rubin said. "Some of these firehouses were built by craftsmen who took pride in their product." But Rubin said those firehouses can never be restored again to be active firehouses, because it is cost-prohibitive, and new regulations call for the one-story modern firehouses. Examples of those are the fire stations on Marin Boulevard and on the corner of Palisade Avenue and Congress Street. As for Rubin owning a firehouse of his own, he laments, "I didn't have the scratch years ago, and I don't have the millions to get one now." Comments on this story can be sent to rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com

Great cribs for pole dancers.

Three of those firehouses were active not too long ago..

Boyd Ave- housed engine 17 & ladder 11..

Central Ave- housed engine 18**

**Both Firehouses were going to be renovated, but I guess due to the times they can't keep these old firehouses running.

The Summit Ave firehouse also housed the Arson Units.

No Kidding - I wish I was in a position to buy!

wow-- 218 Central is the one to snag.. what an amazing space that could be !

Check out today?s (Friday 03/12/10) paper copy of the JJ. The city has a two page advertisement for an auction of public property. Some of the places listed would be ideal for a JC hipster or artist. I would jump on it but I am too old, no more Dan Tanna bachelor pad for me. (anyone have a link to a time machine?)

Here are the listed properties: (pick up the paper JJ for a more detailed description of the auction)

Location***Desc ***Size***Min Bid

666 Summit Ave***Fire house***88.81 X 120.85IRR*** $275K

218 Central Ave***Fire house***21.1 X 91*** $200K

139 South St***Fire house***25 X 100*** $175K

106 Boyd Ave***Fire house***25 X 168.40 *** $175K


364 Ocean Ave***3S-B-C-7U-NH***30.18 X 103.06 IRR ***$150K

They also have a few vacant city lots for sale.

I mentioned this before the paper copy of the JJ has loads of city, county, and state notices in the classified section. For the past few weeks there have been a lot of Hudson County Sheriff Sale notices on foreclosed properties. Maybe you can pick something up on the cheap.

You can get a subscription to the paper copy JJ for $150 a year. It?s not the greatest paper in the world but it does have some good local information in it. (also has the stuff the city tries to sneak by it?s citizens hidden in the classified section)


Just think if you buy a fire house you wouldn?t have to beg your SO to let you install a pole in the bedroom. Worth every penny! (or dollar bill in this case)


(buy support the JJ)