Newark/ Brick City- A diamond in the rough
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6/29/2010
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.
Wendy | Bloomfield, NJ