Hackensack Water Company Complex - Weehawken Water Tower

The headquarters most distinguishing feature, the red brick Weehawken Water Tower, was built in 1883. Designed by Frederick Clarke Withers, it was modeled after the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. The tower was capable of holding 165,000 gallons of water and stands 175 feet high, 300 feet above sea level at the Hudson River.

The tower was connected to a Reservoir No.1 atop the Hudson Palisades to which water was pumped from the Hackensack River, approximately 14 miles away. While the reservoir at the site could provide adequate pressure for water users in Hoboken, located just above sea level, water pressure was inadequate for customers atop the Palisades.

The tower was designed to accomplish two separate purposes in one structure. The tower housed the local headquarters of the Hackensack Water Company, and allowed clean water to be stored in a tank at the top of the structure, stored under pressure for use by residents, businesses and for fighting fires. The opening of the facility on September 29, 1883 was a major event, with Withers recognized by professional journals for the innovation of his design. The "Red Tower" is listed on the Federal Maritime Chart as a landmark for ships heading south on the Hudson River to let them know that they are approaching New York Harbor.

The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Entin Associates, a real-estate developer, purchased the complex in 1981 for $1.6 million. The gatehouse and reservoir were razed for the construction of a supermarket and parking. The tower was spared demolition and structurally maintained.

The township of Weehawken took over the property in 2000, and began a restoration project for Water Tower Park. Paragon Restoration Corporation completed eight months of restoration on the site's exteriors in September 2004, with slate replaced on the roof, stonework fixed at the base and windows replaced. New steel supports and wood floors were installed in the interior, and space was left to accommodate an elevator and fire staircase. In October 2005, a plaza park was created at the base of the tower. Restoration of the interior of the tower has begun. In 2010, as part of the town's 150th anniversary, interior brickwork was cleaned while maintaining its historical appearance.