Wendy

has written 2 SperlingViews. Currently, Wendy is living in Bloomfield, NJ and has a little something to say:

Newark/ Brick City- A diamond in the rough Posted On: 6/29/2010 5:27:28 AM

I lived in Newark for a short time in the Ironbound and now I live nearby. I had a great time there-some of the happiest, most fun-loving people. The neighborhood has superb restaurants (mainly Portuguese, Brazilian, Ecuadorian food)and some nice dance clubs . There are a lot of great things happening thanks to community groups (like ICC). The Passaic River clean-up is a billion dollar government project that will restore habitat and create riverfront walkways. There are excellent parks in every ward, most notably Branch Brook park on the Northside which draws tourists to the Cherry Blossom Festival. The Newark Conservancy and Project Use are both involving kids in the Renaissance.
The Rutgers Law School and Seton Hall Law School, NJIT and UMDNJ all have a partnership. The historic downtown area has a lot to offer: one of the best libraries on the east coast, a top-notch art museum and there are nearby outlet malls. The PAC center is hosting the nation's largest poetry fest in Oct. (Geraldine Dodge Foundation).If you are looking for low-rent with access to New York City and an Int. airport you can get a steal.
I used to live on the west-coast and the cities there are much more attractive and sustainable-but Newark is doing a lot-such as light-rail (you really don't need a car here) and hopefully will continue to invest in its people and create a green economy. There is a lot of "flava" and spirit to Newark which is part of the Jersey way of life. So all you haters should either do something positive-get involved instead of just listing all the negative.

Newark is a great place to live Posted On: 6/28/2010 6:04:43 AM

I didn't grow up in Newark-but I lived in the Ironbound section- it's a great neighborhood. The restaurants are superb! The city is well planned with parks in the different wards; the best sections are the Ironbound ("called Down-Neck") Forest Hill, Vailsburg and University area, the Weequaic area also has community pride for mainly black middle-class residents. The North-side is mainly hispanic. The parks are well maintained and there are concerts and programs. The light-rail, PATH trains, etc can connect you to New York City, shore, mountains etc. The clean-up of the Passaic River should add some nice riverwalks. But the best thing about Newark is the people; they are really fun-loving. There are outdoor street fairs, shopping is diverse (nearby outlet malls, IKEA etc.)If you like a bargain-check out the Broad St. shops. There's a lot of historical buildings around the university- and the library and museum are great. The state should put more money into reducing the diesel truck routing to improve air quality. And some sections have been neglected. The drugs are there-but the dealers don't bother anyone-they're just trying to make a living.I live right outside Newark now and its great to take the train to work and be close to everything. Overall, its an old east-coast city that just needs some TLC. The Geraldine Dodge Foundation's Poetry Fest in October at the PAC center should be amazing-don't miss it.