Efforts to tear down the 19th century former tobacco factory at 111 First St. were halted at Tuesday night's Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission.

In a unanimous decision, the five commissioners disagreed with the owner's expert witnesses, who argued that the building - once a haven for dozens of artists, but vacant after the tenants agreed to leave in a settlement four months ago - is in imminent danger of collapse and too costly to rehabilitate.

The decision comes days after the owner- Lloyd Goldman of New Gold Equities - filed a civil rights lawsuit against Jersey City, the historic preservation commission and others. The suit accuses city officials of misusing power to unfairly deny New Gold Equities meaningful ownership rights to its property at 110 and 111 First St.