Two renovation projects Downtown Jerser City, on Erie Street and adjoining Erie Street.

Couple of row houses under renovation in downtown Jersey City.  Brick row house on Bright Street and frame row house on Seventh Street (below).

Some aesthetically pleasing materials for historic renovation / restoration.  RestoreDirectory.com.  The top two retail for $28 a square foot and the bottom two retail for $38 a square foot.

Believe it or not, the below left hand two 3 by 6 tiles are simulated carrara and the two 3 by 6 tiles on the right are real carrara.  Difficult to tell the difference at first glance.  The real carrara is definitely superior in feel and aesthetics when held in your hands, but if durablility and resistance to staining is your concern the simulated carrara maybe an alternative not to mention a fraction of the cost.

These old pocket doors were stripped down and new track and mechanics were installed.  Stripping cost $500.  Sanding cost $300.  New track and mechanics cost $1000, labor and parts.  That is a total of $1,800.  New hardware has not been included.  Hardware and mechanics purchased at Simon’s Hardware 421 Third Ave., New York, NY.  Stripping performed by Dip N Strip, Hackensack, NJ.

Restoring an old fireplace mantel can require a lot of messy work and if you are missing any parts you will have to either search for original parts or have them reproduced.  This mantel and a duplicate mantel on the parlor floor of the same building required 4 days of cleaning, scraping and a light sanding to remove all the yellow/black soot and dirt.  Tile Lab Heavy Duty Cleaner and Stripper was applied and then Soft Scrub w/Bleach was subsequently applied with water and a very fine sandpaper.  The sand paper did remove the polished finish but it was the only way to get the marble this white.  One mantel is missing the marble keystone and top. 

The sample on the left is a gray mosaic marble tile and can be purchased for between $18 and $22 a square foot.  The two samples on the right are two varying samples of blue mosaic marble tile and can be purchased for between $85 and $125 a square foot.  The surprising fact is the difference in price per square foot.  If you like to play with stone and make patterns and designs, you can have fun with these colorful tiles.  Here is a link to an assortment of blue marbles and other blue stones.

I stopped by Green Depot to get a first hand look at this cotton insulation made by Bonded Logic Inc.  The product is called Ultra Touch.  I like it.  I have never been completely happy with other insulation products.  Most insulation products have a drawback.  Fiberglass insulation can be hazardous to your health during installation and removal, and polystyrene insulation produces carbon monoxide when it burns. 

Answers.com - Polystyrene is classified according to DIN4102 as a “B3” product, meaning highly flammable or “easily ignited.” Consequently, although it is an efficient insulator at low temperatures, its use is prohibited in any exposed installations in building construction if the material is not flame retardant.

Made from cotton fibers recovered from blue jean and other textile manufacturers, UltraTouch insulation offers excellent thermal and acoustical performance.

Recent install of bluestone sidewalk on York Street, Jersey City.

An article on insulation in the Wall Street Journal, ”Unwrapping the Puzzle of Home Insulation”.  Article goes into blown insulation and fiberglass insulation and the costs and benefits associated with each.  Two main brands of foam: Icynene and Demilic. 

This row house on Varick Street a block from Van Vorst Park is currently under renovation and transacted for $895,000 during the fourth quarter of 2005.  It sits on a 16.92’ x 64’ lot.  The all new windows are made of wood in accordance with local historic requirements.

Exterior facelift of this building on the corner of Jersey Avenue and Bright Street, Van Vorst Historic District, Downtown Jersey City.

An article from the Jersey City Magazine highlights Amighini Architectural Inc. as specializing in the restoration of old wood doors and windows.  They have a large inventory of antique doors from the United States and Europe.  The Jersey City Magazine is a publication of The Hudson County Reporter Associates, L.P., Amighini Architectural Inc. is located at 246 Beacon Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306.

Refurbished store fronts, corner of Jersey Avenue and Mercer Street, Downtown Jersey City.

Restoration of a doorway entrance on Sussex Street, Jersey City NJ 07302.  This doorway entrance was almost entirely constructed by hand on location.