Commuter Area Survey

Background

The Upper Montclair Commuter Area was primarily built between 1900 and 1929 and exhibits several distinct phases of housing development intended to accommodate Montclair’s significant commuter population. The area consists of two-to-three story single-family houses with large front porches built in a variety of traditional styles, including Queen Anne, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival. Houses within the area are characterized by their medium-sized lots, front yards, and siting on wide streets. The primary architectural materials in the area are wood, brick, stucco, and synthetic siding.

Scope

The Township of Montclair contracted Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects to complete an intensive-level architectural survey of 650 properties in the Upper Montclair Commuter Area, which was identified as a potential historic district in the Historic Preservation Element of the Township’s Master Plan. The final study area expands slightly beyond those original boundaries to include properties on the east side of Park Street, which were not part of the 2016 Historic Preservation Element but were recommended for inclusion during Phase I  due to their architectural and developmental continuity with the core of the district. Phase I, completed in September 2022, surveyed 431 properties, and Phase II, completed in September 2025, surveyed the remaining 219. This effort is funded by a Certified Local Government Grant, administered by the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office.

Survey Area Map

The map above shows all properties surveyed during Phases I and II of the intensive-level architectural survey for the Upper Montclair Commuter Area. Properties shown in yellow were documented in Phase I (2022), and those shown in orange were documented in Phase II (2025).  

Deliverables

Phase 1 Report(PDF, 14MB)

Phase 1 Property Surveys(PDF, 68MB)

Phase II Report(PDF, 8MB)

Phase II Property Surveys(PDF, 134MB)

Next Steps

The final survey and report will be sent to the State Historic Preservation Office. Surveyed properties will be notated on the Township's Historic Inventory Viewer, with a link to each individual survey form. 

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Montclair Department of Planning & Community Development:

Zainab Kazmi, Assistant Planner
Email: zkazmi@montclairnjusa.org 
Phone: 973-509-4955