Hackensack Water Company Complex
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Water supply |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Founder | Robert W. de Forest (leader from 1881) |
| Fate | Became part of Suez North America |
| Headquarters | Weehawken, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Hackensack, North Hudson municipalities, New Jersey |
Key people | Robert W. de Forest (leader for 46 years starting 1881) |
| Products | Water supply and storage facilities |
The Hackensack Water Company Complex located in Weehawken, New Jersey consists of historic structures recognized on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. From the 1870s through the 1970s, the Hackensack Water Company, which later became part of Suez North America, established key water supply and storage facilities serving Hackensack and municipalities in North Hudson. Originally based in Hackensack, Bergen County, the company experienced significant growth under Robert W. de Forest, who led for 46 years beginning in 1881. De Forest directed the construction of new infrastructure and transferred the headquarters to Weehawken, Hudson County, situating the offices within a notable brick water tower that remains a central element of the complex.
Weehawken Water Tower
The most prominent element of the headquarters is the red brick Weehawken Water Tower, erected in 1883 on Park Avenue near the Union City boundary. Its design, crafted by Frederick Clarke Withers and inspired by Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio, reaches a height of 175 feet and sits approximately 300 feet above the Hudson River.
Water was originally pumped from the Hackensack River, nearly 14 miles distant, into Reservoir No.1 located atop the Hudson Palisades. Although this reservoir provided adequate pressure for Hoboken residents at sea level, it was insufficient for customers residing on higher elevations along the Palisades.
The tower fulfilled two main functions: it housed the local offices of the Hackensack Water Company and stored up to 165,000 gallons of potable water under pressure for use by households, commercial establishments, and fire protection services. Upon its completion in 1883, it was recognized in professional publications for its innovative architectural design. Known colloquially as the "Red Tower," it serves as a navigational landmark on Federal Maritime Charts for vessels entering New York Harbor.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the tower was saved from demolition after Entin Associates acquired the complex in 1981 for $1.6 million. While a supermarket and parking lot replaced the original gatehouse and reservoir, efforts were made to preserve and maintain the tower’s structural integrity.
In 2000, ownership transferred to Weehawken township, which launched restoration initiatives. Paragon Restoration Corporation completed exterior refurbishment by 2004, including replacing slate roofing, restoring stone masonry, installing new windows, and adding steel reinforcements along with wooden floors designed to support future installation of an elevator and fire stairs. A plaza park was established at the tower’s base in 2005.
Restoration work inside progressed through the late 2000s; by 2010, brick cleaning had been conducted while carefully preserving historical authenticity as part of Weehawken’s sesquicentennial celebrations. The tower saw renewed functional use in 2014 when Mayor Richard Turner inaugurated its role as a venue for the annual PlayWorks reading series—the first active use in over one hundred years.
In September 2014, trespassing charges were filed against Justin Casquejo after he climbed the tower without authorization and resisted arrest.
Hackensack Reservoir No. 2-Reservoir Park
Hackensack Reservoir No. 2, once part of the Hackensack Water Company system and later owned by successor United Water, encompasses more than 14 acres within Weehawken Heights—the largest undeveloped tract in North Hudson. Bordered by Highpoint Avenue, Gregory Avenue, 20th Street, and Palisade Avenue (adjacent to Union City), this reservoir was constructed during a period of rapid urban growth in the late nineteenth century.
A historical marker on site provides context:
In early 2011, United Water sought to sell most of this property for roughly $11.5 million while retaining approximately 4.2 acres for an underground storage tank project aimed at boosting water pressure—estimated to cost between $25 million and $30 million. The Trust for Public Land conducted an appraisal and postponed finalizing any sale until year-end.
Starting in 2010, Weehawken began negotiations to acquire the land with financial assistance including a $2 million Green Acres grant and a $9 million low-interest loan from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s infrastructure trust program—characterized by low interest rates and future grant repayment obligations. The township also passed a $9.2 million bond ordinance to facilitate purchase.
Both Weehawken and Union City contributed $300,000 toward transforming the reservoir grounds into passive recreational space and agreed to share ongoing maintenance expenses. The transaction closed in December 2011, with Reservoir Park officially opening its doors in 2015.
Jersey City Reservoir No. 3
Jersey City Reservoir No. 3 was constructed in the late 1800s atop the Hudson Palisades within the Jersey City Heights neighborhood of Jersey City, although it was not initially part of the Hackensack Water Company system. Public access to the reservoir was discontinued during the 1970s, and it stopped serving as a municipal water source by 1992. Since 2007, the site has been preserved as a wildlife management area next to Pershing Field, signifying its transformation from a functional water facility to a recreational and ecological space. In contrast, Reservoir #1, formerly situated near Summit Avenue, has been removed.
See also
- New Milford Plant of the Hackensack Water Company
- Pershing Field
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hudson County, New Jersey
- Union Watersphere
External links
- 1883 establishments in New Jersey
- Buildings and structures in Hudson County, New Jersey
- Historic districts in Hudson County, New Jersey
- Water supply infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places
- Reservoirs in New Jersey
- Infrastructure completed in 1883
- National Register of Historic Places in Hudson County, New Jersey
- Weehawken, New Jersey
- Bodies of water of Hudson County, New Jersey
- Water towers on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey
- Former pumping stations
- New Jersey Register of Historic Places
- American companies established in 1883
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment