So How bad is Newark Really? (Camden, East Orange: lawyer, relocate, jobs)

[CJ-FROM-NJ]

Originally Posted by pixieshmoo

LOL, you are too funny!!!!! Newark, just the word makes me cringe. My parents were born and raised in Newark. I spent my first 3 years there...after that, there were only two reasons we ever went back. One, was to go "Down Neck" to visit my grandparents, the other was to visit my dad at work (only when necessary). My parents found out I went to a club down there when I was 19 and almost removed me from the planet (and it was "Down Neck"...the nice spot!!!! Apparently it wasn't nice enough). My dad was a Newark Homocide Det. (a very "old school" cop, not like some of the crooked "wanna-be's" we have now that like the idea of waving a gun and a badge) and to put it simply, the man was never out of work. Someone actually gave him a shirt for a gift one time (they were definitely twisted from working Homocide), it was a picture of a chalk-drawn body surrounded by crime scene tape and it said "Newark Homocide, Our Day Begins When Yours Ends". We were forbidden down there (other than my first two reasons) and that was that. I trust that the man knew what he was talking about. As for someone saying the last Italian moved out in 1999, I think you must've meant my grandfather, with my dad retired and grandma gone, gramps was the last one left and he died in 1999. "The Last of the Italians"..................... It's bad down there.

I was the one who said the last italian moved out in 1999. See, I was right. Sorry about your loss though.

The T-shirt logo is hysterical. Those guys are twisted but you had to be in order to do your job. They don't make cops like they used to. Today they are all wanna be's they don't even care about the people they just want the authority. This whole world is becoming corrupt. I bet your dad has lots or stories to tell you. If I were you I would write them all down and write a book. Call it "The Detectives Son" I bet it would be a hit!

[coldblooded36]

Listen, I know how bad newark is, but from a business/investing standpoint, it can only go up- New mayor, I think I heard something about the devils moving their arena there, and a mayor who is not proven but I can promise certainly cares more than the last one. With NYC's population growing by six figures every year they're gonna need some place to live. Trust me, it can ONLY get better.

[Amanda73]

Does anyone know anything about the Forest Hill area?

[mead]

Alright I'm sorry but it just isn't going to happen. Newark is, for the most part, a black town and white people aren't going to move in there, no matter how cheap the rents are in comparison. Call it racism or whatever you want, but its true. You might have some black professionals move in there for the cheaper rents, but I just can't see lots of these yuppies from the city moving into Newark.

Watch Harrison though. There is a huge development being put up currently in Harrison. It is called MetroCentre, I believe. Harrison is right on the PATH line into NYC and in 10-20 years is going to have just as many Yuppies as does Hoboken & Jersey City. Harrison as it currently is, is a pretty nice town. You can still find a 1br for about $1,000 per month, which is definitely a rarity in the NYC area.

Originally Posted by coldblooded36

Listen, I know how bad newark is, but from a business/investing standpoint, it can only go up- New mayor, I think I heard something about the devils moving their arena there, and a mayor who is not proven but I can promise certainly cares more than the last one. With NYC's population growing by six figures every year they're gonna need some place to live. Trust me, it can ONLY get better.

[LittleMissSunshine]

I personally would never feel comfortable living in Newark, but if you look at all the posts from the origional poster....he must want or need to live in an urban area.

So to answer Uno's question, I would say the Ironbound is the best part, I have a few friends that live there. But just so you know they are all of Portguese decent. They like it there, but it does seem to be a heavy concentration of close knit people.

Like someone else suggested, check out Harrison, still pretty urban but a little safer.

[mead]

Yeah Ironbound is definitely the nicest neighborhood of Newark, however I doubt many non-Portuguese speaking people would actually want to live there.

40-50 years ago the Ironbound used to be a really diverse little community. You had Italians, Russian, Irish, Germans, and Black people living there. When the Portuguese started moving in though they basically forced everyone out, especially the Black people. So for better or for worse the Ironbound is currently probably 90% Portuguese & Brazilian. While there are some immigrants who have moved in from Spanish speaking areas of Latin America they are a small minority compared to the Portuguese speakers (Lusophones).

Originally Posted by LittleMissSunshine

I personally would never feel comfortable living in Newark, but if you look at all the posts from the origional poster....he must want or need to live in an urban area.

So to answer Uno's question, I would say the Ironbound is the best part, I have a few friends that live there. But just so you know they are all of Portguese decent. They like it there, but it does seem to be a heavy concentration of close knit people.

Like someone else suggested, check out Harrison, still pretty urban but a little safer.

[kcov2005]

where are all the Italians in Jersey?

[pixieshmoo]

Originally Posted by CJ-FROM-NJ

I was the one who said the last italian moved out in 1999. See, I was right. Sorry about your loss though.

The T-shirt logo is hysterical. Those guys are twisted but you had to be in order to do your job. They don't make cops like they used to. Today they are all wanna be's they don't even care about the people they just want the authority. This whole world is becoming corrupt. I bet your dad has lots or stories to tell you. If I were you I would write them all down and write a book. Call it "The Detectives Son" I bet it would be a hit!

LOL, yes, you were right! And thank you.

I do have a million stories he told me (he's been deceased since 2000) and I wanted to write a book, but we'll see....maybe someday...oh, and I'm a girl

[pixieshmoo]

Originally Posted by Amanda73

Does anyone know anything about the Forest Hill area?

Bad. It used to be a very nice section (the "tennis courts" are over there...that's how everyone gave directions..."go past the tennis courts"). There are huge homes ("mansions") that border the Forest Hill section, in fact, they may be part of that section...don't quite remember. Anyway, that's where part of Branch Brook Park (the cherry blossom park) runs through and it used to be very nice. Even when I was little, going for a picnic at that park was awesome, it's huge. Doctors, lawyers and others of high income owned the "mansions" back in the day. Nowadays, the only good thing is the hot dog truck on Bloomfield Ave over there (JJ's). The homes are still huge, but many were left uncared for...whilst they're still selling, they're not as "quality" as they used to be and the "tennis courts" are a dangerous area now. In fact, my cousin's car was stolen (yeah, runs in the family ) and that's exactly where it was found...turns out the thiefs actually lived in the apartments it was parked in front of (duh). Major crime and drug area by the "courts" and the park too. Sorry.

[LawrencevilleGA]

IronBound is the last decent thing in Newark.
People getting shot in broad daylight now. Bang Right in the gut!
Drugs and Guns.
I say move everybody out, and napalm the place. Rebuild Newark and Camden, instead of IRAQ!!!!