For under $900K, these Jersey City condos add modern touches to a historic Victorian home

McGinley Square is perhaps one of Jersey City’s most interesting neighborhoods. It’s full of 19th-century row houses, Victorian homes, and Art Deco retail spaces, and it’s close to the PATH and Light Rail at Journal Square, as well as to the incredible 270-acre Lincoln Park. The real estate opportunities are great, too. Take, for example, this two-unit Victorian home at 41 Bentley Avenue. The three-bedroom homes, listed for $859,000 and $889,000, are full of architectural details like stained glass windows and cozy rooms in the turrets, but they also have been completely updated for modern living. The house also features an idyllic wrap-around porch and garage parking.

Both units have access to the lovely front porch (where you can take in the views of the historic home- and oak tree-lined street), as well as a grand foyer.

Throughout both homes, you’ll find striking stained-glass windows, high ceilings, bay windows, original wooden banisters, and arch or curved plastering. More modern additions include refreshed wood flooring, classic paneled wainscoting, crown molding, and upgraded lighting.

Both sparkling white kitchens gleam with oversized waterfall quartz islands, clean tile backsplashes, custom shaker cabinets, and stainless appliances including apron sinks, smart refrigerators, and built-in microwaves. The first unit, as seen above, has a spacious open floor plan.

From the first unit kitchen, a landing leads down to its private backyard with an additional storage shed. The garage is shared by both units.

The primary bedroom faces the street on the main level and takes advantage of its bay window location.

A large, open playroom and two additional bedrooms are on the lower level.

The second unit begins on the second floor. It also has a lovely open living space. Here, the turret makes a perfect dining area.

The primary bedroom is just off the kitchen and has a walk-in closet and a lovely en-suite bathroom, complete with a double vanity and marble shower.

Upstairs on the home’s third floor, a hallway nook makes a great home office. Another bedroom here has an en-suite bathroom, while the other two are super sunny.

Though the second unit doesn’t have access to the backyard, it does have this additional loft landing space plus a private outdoor deck.

41 Bentley Avenue is located off Bergen Avenue, where you’ll find mom-and-pop businesses like Lee Sims Chocolates. One block over on Monticello Avenue, there are tons of restaurants such as The Cottage, Baonanas, and Snapdragon Coffee. As mentioned, the 270-acre Lincoln Park is just a block away. In addition to lots of green space, the park offers tennis courts, a track, playground, dog run, and bicycle and running trails. It’s not quite walking distance, but the PATH and Light Rail station at Journal Square makes commuting a breeze.

Editor’s note: This story was updated on July 12, 2021, to reflect the most current listing prices. 

41 Bentley Avenue, Unit 1: $859,000

Listing photos by Melissa Cacioppo

41 Bentley Avenue, Unit 2: $889,000

Listing photos by Melissa Cacioppo

Sawyer Smith Residential is a premier real estate brokerage and new-development marketing firm in Hudson County, New Jersey with a long list of trailblazing and successful projects. Known for its innovative marketing and unmatched professionalism, Sawyer Smith Residential has repeatedly achieved record-breaking results. With a belief that a development is inherently a creative process and that the process must be at the forefront of every successful community, Sawyer Smith Residential delivers a tailored response in a highly competitive market place for every new development it represents. It weaves together the best talents the industry has to offer in design, building, municipality and sales to provide with the most exceptional service to the developers and the communities they create.