West Caldwell (Wayne, Bloomfield, Roseland: insurance, house, neighborhood)

[Roma124]

We are looking to purchase a house in West Caldwell, NJ. I wondering if anyone knows the area around the Essex Mall? Streets are Parkview, Essex Place, and Franklin Ave, off Distler Ave. Is that area a flood zone??
Thanks

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by Roma124

We are looking to purchase a house in West Caldwell, NJ. I wondering if anyone knows the area around the Essex Mall? Streets are Parkview, Essex Place, and Franklin Ave, off Distler Ave. Is that area a flood zone??
Thanks

When I was a child growing up in West Caldwell, Distler and Francine Ave flooded A LOT. Francine Ave north of Franklin Ave, and Distler flooded pretty much the entire way. Parkview Ave might get a little flooding at the very end, by Distler. Richard, St Charles and Johnson Ave never flooded.

All my friends lived in this neighborhood growing up, and I remember all the floods, during all the years I lived there during the 70s and early 80s.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by mike0421

When I was a child growing up in West Caldwell, Distler and Francine Ave flooded A LOT. Francine Ave north of Franklin Ave, and Distler flooded pretty much the entire way. Parkview Ave might get a little flooding at the very end, by Distler. Richard, St Charles and Johnson Ave never flooded.

All my friends lived in this neighborhood growing up, and I remember all the floods, during all the years I lived there during the 70s and early 80s.

West Caldwell floods every time there is a good rain
Couple of years ago I had to take the long scenic route into work as Bloomfield flooded and was flooded for days, could not get on from Rte 46.. and forget about Brooks Rd...it was like a lake..had to go to 280 and come through I think Roseland and go Passiac Ave

Other then flooding it's pretty nice here

[mike0421]

On a few occasions, my friends and I were able to take a rowboat across Bloomfield Ave, just west of the Cadillac dealership (don't know if it is still there) right until just before the Pio Costa industrial park. Brooks St floods completely, as well as the beginning of Oak Rd. On more than one occasion, my friends and I made money pushing flooded cars out of that small section of Bloomfield Ave. However, once you are east of that Cadillac dealership, there was never any more flooding. On one occasion, during April of 1984, Bloomfield Ave did flood in a second area, where Kirkpatrick Lane crosses, just east of the Essex Mall. That was the worst instance of flooding I can remember.

As Madonna once said: "This used to be my playground..." That entire area of West Caldwell holds some special memories. The flooding was one of them. The neighborhood of town the OP mentions is called "The Gardens". Or it used to be remembered as such. The flooding there was very much in micro areas, it wasn't widespread. At least not in the Gardens. Now, if you go north of Bloomfield Ave, by Clinton Rd, at the industrial park, they got it pretty bad, every single time. Henderson Drive, I remember occasions when pretty much the entire area was under water.

[New2NewJersey]

I too am thinking about relocating to West Caldwell... and I didn't know about this... wow, I guess this is a big deal, no?

[CaitlinVABeach]

I went to Middle and High School in West Caldwell and my parents still live there. They live off of Hatfield and Grover Lane. It is a small neighborhood but at the top of a hill. In the twelve years they've loived there, their street has never flooded. And I never realized flooding was an issue in West Caldwell, maybe Wayne, but not the Caldwells.

[HeatherLynn822]

Originally Posted by CaitlinVABeach

I went to Middle and High School in West Caldwell and my parents still live there. They live off of Hatfield and Grover Lane. It is a small neighborhood but at the top of a hill. In the twelve years they've loived there, their street has never flooded. And I never realized flooding was an issue in West Caldwell, maybe Wayne, but not the Caldwells.

I went to Mt St Dominic Academy as well as Caldwell College. So I had a lot of friends in that area and spent 8 years of my life traveling around there. Yes, flooding was an issue. Friends often had water in their basement, etc. I even recall some people I knew saying they couldn't get flood insurance there BECAUSE they were in a flood zone, which I remember blowing my mind.... but I have no 1st hand knowledge of that, just hearsay.

[MaverickDD]

Originally Posted by New2NewJersey

I too am thinking about relocating to West Caldwell... and I didn't know about this... wow, I guess this is a big deal, no?

It's only a big deal if you're on one of the few streets close to the river. Otherwise, it's not an issue at all. I'd estimate that 97% or more of the homes in West Caldwell never flood.

If the house you're considering is not in "the flats," I wouldn't give it a second thought. (Even most streets in the flats are okay.) Mike0421 has pretty well delineated the streets you need to be concerned about.

I lived in the Caldwells for 15 years and never had a problem with flooding. (However, the bugs in the ballpark next to the river can be terrible.)

West Caldwell is a great town. If I needed to live in Essex County again, Caldwell/West Caldwell would be my first choice.