Local Historic Districts
The Township of Montclair has designated local landmark historic districts in Montclair Code § 347-148.1, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-65.1. These districts were designated for their importance in the history of Montclair, under one or more of the criteria for designation set forth in Montclair Code § 347-135.
Within these landmark historic districts, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required from the Historic Preservation Commission for certain modifications to any property identified within the district. See the Certificate of Appropriateness page for more information.
Montclair Historic Districts
Pine Street Historic District
The Pine Street Historic District is an intact working-class neighborhood with single-family and multi-family dwellings and small-scale commercial properties. Historic properties in this district date from the 1880s to the 1930s. The majority of the 77 structures within the district are residential or mixed-use properties of two to three stories in height in styles such as Renaissance Revival, Italianate, Classical Revival, and Bungalow-Craftsman-style. Two notable building types in the district are wood-frame residences from the late 19th century, like 87 Bay Street (built 1887), and multi-story masonry buildings from the early 20th century, like 97 Pine Street (built 1907).
Pine Street Historic District Nomination Report (2005)(PDF, 8MB)
Town Center Historic District
The Town Center Historic District is the largest commercial district in Montclair. Historic properties in this district date from the 1840s to the 1960s. The majority of the 176 structures within the district are commercial properties that are one to three stories in height. These buildings feature a variety of architectural styles popular in the 19th and 20th centuries. Notable properties within the district are stately commercial buildings along Bloomfield Avenue, including 295 Bloomfield Avenue (built 1892), a 3-story, Queen Anne-style building; 605-609 Bloomfield Avenue (built c. 1924), a two-story, Classical Revival-style building; and 536-540 Bloomfield Avenue (built 1926), a two-story, Classical Revival-style building.
Town Center Historic District Nomination Report (2002)(PDF, 4MB)
Town Center Historic District Nomination Report (2003)(PDF, 4MB)
Town Center Historic District Nomination Report (2004)(PDF, 4MB)
Take a walking tour of the Town Center Historic District. Download the tour here.(PDF, 6MB)
Upper Montclair Business Historic District
The Upper Montclair Historic District is a thriving commercial corridor that has served the Township as a central commercial and business district for over 100 years. Historic properties in this district date from the 1880s to the 1930s. The majority of the 93 historic structures are commercial properties that are one to two stories in height with retail uses on the first floor and commercial or residential uses above. These buildings were designed in architectural styles such as Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, and Neo-Classical. A notable building type among these 93 structures is the two-story, Tudor Revival-style commercial building, like those found on Valley Road and Bellevue Avenue.
Upper Montclair Historic District Nomination Report (2006)(PDF, 8MB)
Watchung Plaza Historic District
The Watchung Plaza Historic Business District is an early 20th century shopping center developed to serve the neighborhood around the Watchung Avenue Railroad Station. Historic properties in this district date from the 1900s to the 1930s. The majority of the 24 historic structures are commercial properties that are one to two stories in height. Like the Upper Montclair Historic District, a notable building type in the Watchung Plaza Historic District is the two-story, Tudor Revival-style commercial building, like those on Watchung Plaza and Watchung Avenue. Watchung Plaza Park, a 1918 landscape designed by local architect Clifford C. Wendehack, and Watchung Park, a 1920 landscape, are within the boundaries of the historic district.
Watchung Plaza Historic District Nomination Report (2012)(PDF, 5MB)
Take a walking tour of the Watchung Plaza Historic District. Download the tour here.(PDF, 971KB)