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Is Newark's Forest Hill area the next Harlem? I've read that there are some beautiful mansions there. But is it now safer than before? Would you live in a mansion in Forest Hill? Also a concern - driving through Newark to get to Forest Hill...
Thanks!
I am a life-long resident of Newark and I currently own a home in the Ironbound section. I grew up in the Roseville section. My sister lives in a beautiful home in the heart of Forest Hill on Ballantine Parkway near the park. I know quite a lot about about Newark, the pros and cons of living here, and I know quite a bit about it's respective neighborhoods. With that being said, I usually avoid getting into conversations on this site about the city because it seems that people who do not live here love to jump in and bash the city. There are areas of this city that are extremely depressed and seemingly beyond repair or redemption. However, there are sections of Newark that aren't mentioned often on this site that are absolutely beautiful. Forest Hill is one of them. If you took someone unfamiliar with the area and put them on the corner of Ballantine Pkwy. and Parker Street and asked them where they where they might easily think they were in South Orange. Forest Hill is probably the safest part of the city in terms of raw crime statistics.
I am a life-long resident of Newark and I currently own a home in the Ironbound section. I grew up in the Roseville section. My sister lives in a beautiful home in the heart of Forest Hill on Ballantine Parkway near the park. I know quite a lot about about Newark, the pros and cons of living here, and I know quite a bit about it's respective neighborhoods. With that being said, I usually avoid getting into conversations on this site about the city because it seems that people who do not live here love to jump in and bash the city. There are areas of this city that are extremely depressed and seemingly beyond repair or redemption. However, there are sections of Newark that aren't mentioned often on this site that are absolutely beautiful. Forest Hill is one of them. If you took someone unfamiliar with the area and put them on the corner of Ballantine Pkwy. and Parker Street and asked them where they where they might easily think they were in South Orange. Forest Hill is probably the safest part of the city in terms of raw crime statistics.
Forest Hill is pretty nice...probably the best part of Newark. There are spillover issues from other neighborhoods though, to be fair.
Yeah Forest Hill looks nice if you don't mind the fact that 1 minute walk across branch brook park and you'll be in those housing projects (forget the name) that have been featured in such shows as DEA lol
I would not live there b/c of its proximity to other neighborhoods which are less safe and not as lovely.
That said, it's a beautiful neighborhood with some wonderful historic homes. When I was in college I would house sit for one of my Rutgers professors who lived there. She had an amazing home that looked like something out of the Great Gatsby with a large yard with gardens and a built-in pool. The house itself had stained-glass windows supposedly designed by Tiffany.
I didn't feel unsafe as the house had an alarm system, there was a long driveway to park in, and the neighborhood was quiet (this was back in the 1990s).
She later moved as her child got older and she wanted to live in an area with better schools. I remember her being upset after learning that thieves broke into the home after it was sold and tore the stained-glass windows right out of their casings.
If Newark ever returns to its former glory (which I hope it will someday) Forest Hill would be the place to live.
Yeah Forest Hill looks nice if you don't mind the fact that 1 minute walk across branch brook park and you'll be in those housing projects (forget the name) that have been featured in such shows as DEA lol
There are no projects in North Newark or the North Ward.....anymore...they were torn down and replaced with low density housing which has reduced the crime in those areas. Which has happened in other parts of Newark and Urban jersey.
I have always found Forest Hill/Branch Brook Park filled with beautiful old homes and lovely apartment buildings all at reasonable prices.
But I don't think I would consider the area particularly safe by my standards.
Yeah Forest Hill looks nice if you don't mind the fact that 1 minute walk across branch brook park and you'll be in those housing projects (forget the name) that have been featured in such shows as DEA lol
I can only imagine you are referring to Stephen Crane Village off of Franklin street. They are projects but they are no where near the level of any of the current project housings like Seth Boyden or Pennington Court. While there is questionable activity going on there the rest of the Forest Hill area is very nice and in terms of Newark, probably the safest neighborhood in the city. Yes, the outskirts of Forest Hills are a little gritty in spots, yes there are a few garages on Verona Ave that strip stolen cars but the crime in that area is no where near the level of crime you see on somewhere like South 18th street. It is not a gang and drug infested area. Most of the residents there take pride in keeping it nicer than the rest of the city.
I have friends on Lake, Parker and Ridge St, so I have spent a good amount of time in Forest Hills. I live 10 minutes from the Forest Hill area, crime from Newark spills into my town also, it happens. That is a risk you take living in an urban area.
If I had to live in Newark, it would be Forest Hills. Like someone else said, some days you don't realize you are even in Newark when you are in that area. Plus, I could go to Heller Pkwy and eat from Chris's red hots truck every day.
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