New Jersey Apartment Hunting Notes
Data as of 2025/11/15
Sensitive to noise — all noise-related comments are based on windows closed conditions.
Weehawken
(A common issue across the entire riverside community: the Hudson River sees heavy aircraft traffic — at peak times, up to 4 planes and helicopters were visible simultaneously, coming from different directions. Frequent airplane noise, with occasional helicopters passing close by creating loud rumbling. The waterfront promenade has beautiful views, but the constant aircraft noise is hard to ignore.
Riverside or courtyard-facing units have to live with the airplane noise; units facing Port Imperial Blvd deal with road traffic noise instead, with occasional loud rumbles from motorcycles or certain cars. If close to the light rail station, the light rail's sound is also noticeable — a soft horn during station approach/departure.)
1. Estuary
High-rise west-facing units may get traffic noise from the I-495 elevated highway — the Estuary building is visible from the highway, very close.
2. RiversEdge
Courtyard-facing units are less affected by the ongoing construction noise. However, there is an empty lot at the entrance that is also fenced off — according to the project plan, that lot will be developed too, so expect another round of pile driving and hammering.
3. RiversParc
A new building is under construction directly across the street. The construction site has just finished the first-floor steel frame. There's hammering and crane beeping. Construction hours: Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm.
4. RiverHouse 9
Viewed an alcove studio facing Port Imperial Blvd — road traffic noise is audible even in the sleeping area. Worth noting: the refrigerator in that unit was particularly loud, with a slightly high-pitched beeping sound.
5. RiverHouse 11
Port Imperial
(Same as Weehawken — either airplane noise or road traffic noise.)
6. River Trace
Viewed a unit facing E Fulton St — it's far from Port Imperial Blvd and close to the river (second unit from the waterfront). Still audible road traffic noise. Unclear if it's because the traffic noise is simply too strong or because the unit is on a low floor (5th floor).
7. The Capstone
Union City / North Bergen
8. One23
No personal experience — only know the exterior environment. There's a bar behind the building open until 1am — unsure if noise carries to One23. The west-facing parking area has garbage trucks working at night, plus delivery trucks arriving in the early hours.
9. Solo at North Bergen
Avoid. It's wood-frame construction — wall and floor soundproofing is very poor. You can hear footsteps from the unit above, vacuum cleaner noise, dogs running. If you must rent here, choose the top floor at minimum to avoid noise from upstairs neighbors.
You can hear neighbors arguing, TV, baby crying, dogs barking.
If adjacent to the light rail, there's the light rail horn sound. If windows face the building's trash area, there's garbage truck noise in the early morning.
JC Grove St
10. Haus25
High-rise (43rd floor).
Ground-level vehicle noise is white noise at a comfortable level; fire truck sirens are audible but not disruptive. No upstairs noise audible. Wall soundproofing is hard to evaluate — can hear neighbors drawing curtains (doesn't affect sleep), occasionally heard neighbors talking a few times during the day.
11. 225 Grand
5th floor, windows facing Grand St — vehicle noise is very loud; window soundproofing is poor.
12. 70 Columbus
Room doors on the elevator side — all units can hear the elevator's motor running.
(7th floor) Windows face south toward Christopher Columbus Dr — traffic noise is loud, car sounds come through clearly as if there's no soundproofing. Can hear neighbors' party music and conversation in the living room. Directly facing the elevator means there's also elevator noise.
(34th floor) Same Christopher Columbus Dr facing — ground-level traffic noise becomes faint and distant, a comfortable white noise. Car horns and fire truck sirens are audible, but fortunately not frequent. However, unit #05 faces the elevator directly — elevator running noise is audible in both the living room and bedroom, varying in volume depending on proximity. It sounds like wind noise, somewhat similar to the engine roar of a plane passing overhead.
Both units I visited had very loud refrigerators. Working in the living room, I was occasionally annoyed by the fridge noise. Ha.
Viewed a north-facing unit — high floor, courtyard-facing, very quiet.
JSQ
13. The Journal
(20th floor) West-facing — audible Sip Ave vehicle noise, noisy even at night. Wind noise is very noticeable, walls creak. If the unit shares a wall with the garbage room, you can hear trash disposal sounds in the living room.
Even though their heated pool is really excellent.
Secaucus
14. Xchange
Wood-frame building — if you want quiet, you must choose the top floor. Otherwise, upstairs footsteps will be an issue. Wall soundproofing is average, so other noise depends on neighbors. The community is predominantly Indian and Chinese residents. Watch out for whether your windows face the trash bins — otherwise early morning garbage truck noise.
15. RVR
Floor and ceiling soundproofing is OK — no upstairs footstep noise. Units without balconets cannot open windows; rely on the internal fresh air system for ventilation. For the sound-sensitive, units facing Manhattan can hear train horns (from the nearby train station) and occasional car engine noise (from the parking lot in front of the building).
Other Notes
In NJ, apartment buildings with doorman and well-managed mail room are genuinely not cheap. JC parking fees start at around $350, Weehawken is slightly better at ~$250.
I ultimately chose The Modern at 100 Park Ave — since I work from home, I accepted the 1-hour commute to Manhattan. This building's strengths: fully equipped gym, yoga room with mirrors and barre, mail room with staff managing packages for easy pickup, hallways without odor, doorman + elevator card access for security. To get quiet, choose a high floor; for lower floors, it's best to visit in person and listen. Lower floors facing north may be quieter than south — south faces a highway; no car traffic noise but low-frequency truck rumble and modified car engine roar still come through.