Jersey City $5M townhome comes with a secret room under stairs

To fully appreciate this story you first must know a little bit about some very old pop culture. Way back in the '60s there was a TV show called "The Munsters" which was a play on monsters. Basically the patriarch of the family was a Frankenstein monster, with his father-in-law being a vampire, son a werewolf, and so on. This was before my time so I only saw these in reruns.

Well, on this goofy sitcom of a family of monsters the house where they lived, at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, had a fire-breathing dragon named Spot as a pet. Where did it live? In a secret compartment beneath the stairs to the second floor.

There is a quirky five-story townhome in Jersey City up for sale and it has a number of surprises.

Years ago when Robinson Holloway and James Kafadar bought the property they were blown away by how steep the stairs were leading to the fourth floor. Kafadar told NJ.com,

I looked and thought, ‘My God, look how much space there is under this massive stair!’ I thought about ways of using that space, and then I thought — Wouldn’t it be great if it opened up just like the Munsters’ did?

So just one of the unusual features of this townhouse up for sale in Chilltown is exactly that. A 16 step flight of stairs that mechanically opens up to reveal a secret lair. Just no dragon.

The 19th century building used to be a bottle and glass factory, served time also as wholesale food distribution warehouse as well as residential housing. That's why it has a freight elevator.

Yes, a freight elevator. Take a look inside this most unusual home.

How would you like living here?

Complete with a stylish elevator filled with art?

Even this handrail and red door are unusual.

That chandelier better come with the place.

For such an old building the kitchen is nice and modern.

You don't see this in every home.

Cozy rooftop hangout.

How's this for a view?

It will take the right buyer for this home at 331 Newark Avenue in Jersey City.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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