How come NJ has no gated community? (Paramus, Washington: apartment complex, condos)

[Obrero]

Originally Posted by elflord1973

They do have them. Maybe they are less common/conspicuous. Most of the "gated communities" in the suburbs don't really have "gates".

They are very very uncommon and are absolutely the exception rather than the rule in NJ.

[BergenCountyJohnny]

Originally Posted by diddiyo

i lived in south florida (doral, miami) for two years before i moved to jersey half a year ago. i lived in one of those gated communities and couldn't stand it. bah.

just look at it (google maps). doral is full of them. each and every one looks the same. it's so boring. plus, maybe the worst thing about gated communities, the associations are a *****.

the Doral! My office was nearby there and I would always stay at The Doral when I had to go for work. I loved it, it was very nice! I can see how living in that might not be good, but it was sure nice visiting! The valets were good guys, 1 was from NJ and 2 were from Brooklyn. There was also a really good little Lebanese restaurant near my office there. I had a lot of friends in that office, both at my company and at Continental/Copa airline, who was also in the same office complex.

Your post brought back great memories of Miami for me!

[gradstudent77]

Originally Posted by UKOK

Because we don't need them. We just don't have the same kind of issues with suburban crime that you find in FL. NJ suburbs are amazingly safe and people don't feel the need to protect themselves with gates. And thank goodness for that.

Well said.

To anyone who likes gated communities: the next time you are in one or standing at the gate, say "architecture of fear" in your mind. Then, just stand there and think about it for a while.

[mumra]

there are many gated communities the first one that comes to mind is maple gardens lol according to their banner its "luxury" lol. And on the other side of the spectrum you got lewellyn park, but most gated communities that i know of are townhomes and adult communites.

[Obrero]

Originally Posted by mumra

there are many gated communities the first one that comes to mind is maple gardens lol according to their banner its "luxury" lol. And on the other side of the spectrum you got lewellyn park, but most gated communities that i know of are townhomes and adult communites.

So not many at all then.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by UKOK

So not many at all then.

There are a couple (that I know of) in Cherry Hill and I've seen one in Voorhees. I'm sure that there are a few others but, no, there are not a lot of them.

[Bergenite]

Smoke Rise in Kinnelon is a gated community going back to at least the sixties. Trying to get passed the gate last week, they gave me the third degree!

[PEBCAK]

Summertime as a college kid in Wellington Florida, many gated communities in the area. I worked as a Security Guard/manager.. Saddest thing I ever saw.. As I patrolled in all 4 of the Gated communities I worked at.. NO one ever was outside talking to the neighbors, No one ever socialized unless it was in a clubhouse or organized "Community Only" event, The streets were empty during the day and at night... one person told me they lived there for 8 years and didn't know their neighbor's name. Some communities in NJ are like that. I'm lucky in that I now live in Waldwick, a great town with great people who are not anti-social shut-ins. Our kids in the neighborhood play together, and there are interesting people from all races and professions living here. Gated communities are for people afraid of the world outside their imaginary bubble of safety in my opinion.

[MMan710]

There are a few gated town home communities in northern New Jersey. Cambridge Heights in Nutley, NJ and Cambridge Crossings in Clifton, NJ come to mind. As far as the comparison to Florida - I think gated communities and distinct subdivisions are a trend in a lot of new construction. Since the origins of many New Jersey neighborhoods are fairly old, it would be much more difficult to start new gated communities. That's likely why many of the communities that do exist are 55+ and townhomes.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by Bergenite

Smoke Rise in Kinnelon is a gated community going back to at least the sixties. Trying to get passed the gate last week, they gave me the third degree!

Why wouldn't they? Did you have a valid reason for being there?

IMO, the only "gated community" worth anything is one with a well-paid guard at the gate. I lived in Las Vegas, where practically every development was "gated", but only the high $$ places had guards. I could get into any non-guarded community in a matter of minutes, by just hanging around waiting for someone else to come up and open the gate, and then following them in. Within a month of the place opening, every pool guy, pizza delivery driver, etc., had the code for the gate, so it was essentially worthless- the gates were open more often than they were closed.

Getting into guard-gated communities was much tougher- if you didn't have a valid reason for being there, which meant either being on the pre-approved list or having someone at the house you were visiting available to answer the phone when the guard called, you weren't getting in.