A furnished two-bedroom, two-bath residence at SilkLofts featuring approximately 1,200 square feet of soaring living space, views of the Bayonne Bridge, 8-foot mahogany doors, 12-foot ceiling heights, original heavy timbers, exposed brick and modern finishes and appointments.
Looking for a big dose of Brooklyn style without the hefty price tag? Then cross the Hudson River to the new SilkLofts in Bayonne, NJ. The 85 loft-style apartments are located in the former Maidenform Factory, which is famous for being the birthplace of the modern bra. During World War II, the factory also manufactured military parachutes as well as carrier pigeon vests.
SilkLofts, whose name is meant to honor the building’s manufacturing past, will have 85 loft style apartments spread over three inter-connected brick buildings. A variety of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments will be available starting in May. Monthly rental rates will start from $1,800.
Although the town has a handful of luxury apartment buildings, SilkLofts is the first of its kind to open in Bayonne, which is ripe for redevelopment. Bayonne occupies a prime location along New Jersey’s Gold Coast, and offers easy access to Jersey City and Manhattan via the Light Rail. (SilkLofts is just 800 feet from the 22nd Street Light Rail Station.) Bayonne would appeal to young professionals looking for more value than they might find in Jersey
City or Hoboken. Golf developers have already seen its potential: its home to the exclusive Bayonne Golf Club, which offers ferry service to and from lower Manhattan.
“This is one of the tipping points for the city of Bayonne,” says Doug Stern, the president of SilkLofts, LLC. “Bayonne is poised to become the next big thing.”
Designated a historic preservation project by the National Park Service, Stern’s vision for the building is both green and design savvy, looking to achieve LEED Silver Certification. “We’re paying homage to the past but looking towards the future,” he says.
85 Brooklyn-style loft residences are
transforming the former Maidenform
factory which has been an iconic building
in Bayonne for over 100 years.
Specifically, the buildings are heated and cooled by a heat pump, and Stern repurposed (and recycled) original materials wherever possible. Brick walls were restored and left exposed, and original wooden and steel beams are visible throughout the building. The building’s steel shutters and sliding barn doors are also original features.
Stern and his team have also repurposed some of the building’s scrap material. His crew built coffee tables from leftover 200-yearold longleaf yellow pine wood, which is about 4 inches thick and has a patina that cannot be replicated with new wood.
The overall design is meant to reflect the building’s industrial past, and has a sleek, contemporary look. The lobby will feature art by the Australian landscape photographer Peter Lik. Ceiling height ranges from 12 to 20 feet, and apartments are flooded with natural light, thanks to the 11-foot-high windows (they’re energy efficient, argon filled panes).
Kitchens feature dark wood cabinets, large islands, stainless steel Frigidaire appliances and quartz countertops. All apartments have spacious bathrooms, multiple closets and in-unit washers and dryers. Some have views of the Bayonne Bridge, and the Manhattan skyline, while others overlook the train tracks.
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