Mosque Coming To Secaucus, Across From Town Hall

SECAUCUS, NJ — A mosque is planning to open in Secaucus. (Related: Home Under Construction On Meadow Lane Not A Mosque, Is Single-Family Home)

A Muslim religious group plans to open a mosque at 805 Cedar Avenue, at the corner of Cedar Avenue and Paterson Plank Road, according to Mayor Mike Gonnelli.

"It definitely will open. They are drawing up plans for it as we speak," Gonnelli said Thursday.

The mosque will be inside the house. Some construction work will be done, but the extent of it is unknown. Gonnelli said Thursday he does not know if they plan to tear down the home and rebuild. He also does not know when the mosque will open.

One of the men who purchased 805 Cedar Avenue said he is currently out of the country, and will have more information about the mosque when he returns Sept. 2.

805 Cedar Avenue is directly across from Secaucus town hall. That means there will be an Islamic mosque, town hall, Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic church and St. Matthew's Lutheran church all catty-corner from each other in that area of Paterson Plank Road.

The property was first listed in 2024 for $845,000. It sold for just under one million ($999,987) on Feb. 18 of this year, according to its Zillow listing. The listing agent was Agnes Bowman of Keller Williams Park Views Realty.

While it looks from the outside to be a single-family home, 805 Cedar Ave. is actually zoned as a two-family, with a unique residential/commercial zoning, according to its Zillow listing.

That lot is zoned as what's called a "Neighborhood Commercial Zone," and a house of worship is allowed under that zoning. The Zillow listing states:

"As per Hackensack Meadowlands Commission Permit Use, the Neighborhood Commercial zone is intended to provide uses compatible with the scale and character of the neighboring residential areas, serving both residents and area employees. 1. Banks 2. Business support services 3. Commercial recreation indoor 4. Community residences and shelters 5. Cultural facilities 6. Daycare facilities 7. Essential public services 8. Funeral homes and mortuaries 9. Healthcare centers 10. Houses of worship 11. Offices 12. Parks or recreation facilities 13. Personal services 14. Restaurants, excluding drive-through or drive-in facilities 15. Residential dwellings included within a mixed-use structure 16. Retail 17. Single-family and two-family dwellings 18. Social services 19. Veterinary facilities."

805 Cedar Avenue used to be a double lot that had a gas station on it. The gas station was located to the left of the house, where the town-owned parking lot is now, which is where Secaucus Police park their squad cars.

Gonnelli said the town was interested at one time in purchasing 805 Cedar Avenue, but then changed its mind.

There has long been chatter that a mosque intends to open in Secaucus. Patch reported in June this same Muslim group tried to purchase the former China Chef restaurant in the center of town, and turn it into a mosque.

However, the owner of China Chef wanted too much money and the sale never went through, said the mayor. Then, a new restaurant was going to turn China Chef into a pancake house, but this summer those plans mysteriously fell through.

As of August, China Chef is back on the market for sale.

China Chef In Secaucus To Become Pancake House (June 2025)