Question for anyone living in Rahway (Newark, Edison: real estate, apartment complexes, condos)

[Lusitan]

My wife and I are considering moving to Rahway with our 1 year-old son. We've visited the town many times and like the mix of urban/suburban - it reminds me of the town I grew up in, but with a more interesting downtown. And the access to NYC, major highways, and the Newark airport is great.

We've seen the different neighborhoods and while we like the Lake, Inman Heights, and hospital neighborhoods, we're looking closer to downtown because of its proximity to the train station (I commute to NYC). We've seen some nice, older homes within 10-15 minutes of the train station (by foot), in the area in between the train station and St. Georges. If anyone lives near that neighborhood, I'd love to hear about your experience living there (including any experience you have with the elementary schools) and any advice you might have for a young couple looking to move into the area.

Thanks!


Note: I know that Rahway has its share of problems, but unless you live in Rahway and have some experience to share, I'm not really looking to start another debate about "Rahway sucks" versus "Rahway is great".

[crpat]

Rahway is a town that is in transition. I have family and friends that live in Rahway and like it very much. With that being said, they will be the first to tell you that the schools are terrible. I know you expressed interest in the elementary schools. Unless you decide to go private I would not send your child to the public schools.
The downtown is in the middle of a reemergence with conflicting reports. Some of the restaurants that opened are already closed or are looking for other locations. In my opinion the downtown is a good 15-20 years away if the town gets its act together and does it right. I would expand your search to Clark, Colonia, depending on your budget I would take a look at Cranford, Scoth Plains, Garwood, and even Westfield. All the towns I just mentioned starting with Cranford has train access to the City and all have very good school systems. Always go where the schools are good. It might cost a bit more in the beginning but the return will be two-fold.
Hope this helps.

[CuCullin]

My brother lives in the condos nearby. He likes his neighbors, they are generally like him (late twenties to early thirties, working professionals, some with children, some without). Just a hop to the other side of St. Georges Ave (near Colonia) has some nice homes as well, worth looking at. The area you mention is near the church, St. Mary's, and is generally nicer. However, if you go further south (towards woodbridge/avanel), the area begins to deteriorate more quickly. I'd recommend the sections closer to Colonia and nearing Clark, personally.

The downtown (as I'm sure you've noticed) is going through major changes. The cops are much more vigilant about loitering in order to prevent drug deals from happening downtown. Additionally, building is allowed in stages to minimize impact on the local real estate. All of downtown is getting a new, more uniform look to brighten its appeal.

If you have any specific questions, I can ask my brother.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by Lusitan

My wife and I are considering moving to Rahway with our 1 year-old son. We've visited the town many times and like the mix of urban/suburban - it reminds me of the town I grew up in, but with a more interesting downtown. And the access to NYC, major highways, and the Newark airport is great.

We've seen the different neighborhoods and while we like the Lake, Inman Heights, and hospital neighborhoods, we're looking closer to downtown because of its proximity to the train station (I commute to NYC). We've seen some nice, older homes within 10-15 minutes of the train station (by foot), in the area in between the train station and St. Georges. If anyone lives near that neighborhood, I'd love to hear about your experience living there (including any experience you have with the elementary schools) and any advice you might have for a young couple looking to move into the area.

Thanks!


Note: I know that Rahway has its share of problems, but unless you live in Rahway and have some experience to share, I'm not really looking to start another debate about "Rahway sucks" versus "Rahway is great".

I love it here as do all my 6 sisters and their family's
We all moved out from brooklyn ,6 of us live in Rahway and 1 in Westfield

I live in the inman hgts section ,2 live in the lake section,1 in the hospital section ,1 in the merck section and 1 in the downtown section
Each of us like their own section for different reasons
We all moved out here with kids that were in grade school thru high school
age, They all were doing okay in brooklyn schools but did great in Rahway
but again it depends on how much the parents participate

I spend a lot of time downtown working or Relaxing at one of the local pubs or restaurants (have not heard of any that closed) and i have never had any problems
As you stated , i like the suburban feel without losing the city feel

Good luck on your search

[CuCullin]

Originally Posted by BrianG

I spend a lot of time downtown working or Relaxing at one of the local pubs or restaurants (have not heard of any that closed) and i have never had any problems

I've seen them close only for renovations of late...

And a few bars closed, sold off to developers or new ownership (who are revamping the bars for a different feel).

Thats it though

[Lusitan]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

crpat - you raise a point worth mentioning about the schools, and I agree - based on my research and what I've heard, the schools seems to be one of the areas of Rahway that need improvement. That said, my bias is toward taking the public school ratings information with a grain of salt - the ratings for the school district where I grew up are similar to Rahway, and so I have a decent idea of what to expect.

BrianG - I agree that how a child does in school (and where he goes from there) is so dependent on how involved the parents are, that it's almost impossible to look at schools independently from the families whose children populate them. I am confident my kid(s) will be OK in school if we stay involved, no matter where we live.

And yeah, I do like the variety of the urban/suburban mixture in Rahway. That must be great for you with your brothers and sisters all in town!

CuCullin - it's funny, we passed St. Mark's while walking around, and I made a mental note of where that church is, but I think I missed St. Mary's even though I know I walked past it looking at the map. It's odd that two Catholic churches are so close by, but I guess they divide up the town into parishes roughly north/south and just happen to both be located near the center of town. I'm glad to hear your brother has had a positive experience in Rahway - we're in roughly the same age range.

Clark and Colonia are out because I want to live in a town with rail service to NYC. I have some friends in Cranford and Scotch Plains, and both are very nice towns. However, I tend to work long hours, and the Raritan Valley line (that goes through Cranford) doesn't have a direct connection to NYC. The last thing I need is to add another transfer point to my just-barely-tolerable commute - it seems like a trivial point, but when you do it hundreds of nights a year and are working long hours, everything counts. Rahway's commute to NYC is superior, especially for anyone who works long hours.

We're still looking around, but it's great to hear of the positive experiences you guys have first-hand knowledge of.

Cheers!

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by Lusitan

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

crpat - you raise a point worth mentioning about the schools, and I agree - based on my research and what I've heard, the schools seems to be one of the areas of Rahway that need improvement. That said, my bias is toward taking the public school ratings information with a grain of salt - the ratings for the school district where I grew up are similar to Rahway, and so I have a decent idea of what to expect.

BrianG - I agree that how a child does in school (and where he goes from there) is so dependent on how involved the parents are, that it's almost impossible to look at schools independently from the families whose children populate them. I am confident my kid(s) will be OK in school if we stay involved, no matter where we live.

And yeah, I do like the variety of the urban/suburban mixture in Rahway. That must be great for you with your brothers and sisters all in town!

CuCullin - it's funny, we passed St. Mark's while walking around, and I made a mental note of where that church is, but I think I missed St. Mary's even though I know I walked past it looking at the map. It's odd that two Catholic churches are so close by, but I guess they divide up the town into parishes roughly north/south and just happen to both be located near the center of town. I'm glad to hear your brother has had a positive experience in Rahway - we're in roughly the same age range.

Clark and Colonia are out because I want to live in a town with rail service to NYC. I have some friends in Cranford and Scotch Plains, and both are very nice towns. However, I tend to work long hours, and the Raritan Valley line (that goes through Cranford) doesn't have a direct connection to NYC. The last thing I need is to add another transfer point to my just-barely-tolerable commute - it seems like a trivial point, but when you do it hundreds of nights a year and are working long hours, everything counts. Rahway's commute to NYC is superior, especially for anyone who works long hours.

We're still looking around, but it's great to hear of the positive experiences you guys have first-hand knowledge of.

Cheers!

No brothers
I have 6 sisters but that is okay
it was pay back when they had kids
from oldest to youngest
1 2 boys
2 2 girls
3 1 boy
4 2 boys
me---3 boys
6 1 boy 1 girl
7 1 girl
Since most of them are of age
i have a lot of company to watch a game
or just hang out and have a beer or 2

St Mary's is 1 block down from our office on Central Ave
you could have came by and said hello

As for the schools
If you are involved the kids will do good
Also
The Rahway high school band is one of the best in the state
and the Mcjrotc drill team is one of the best in the nation
They were in the disney movie with Hillary Duff called Cadet Kelly
my son still gets checks from that movie

People think it is easy to learn how to drill and spin rifles
but what they don't realize is these kids are in school at 6 am for pratice before school and have to keep up there grades to stay on the team


Good luck with your search
and next time stop by and say hello

[bmack]

Originally Posted by Lusitan

My wife and I are considering moving to Rahway with our 1 year-old son. We've visited the town many times and like the mix of urban/suburban - it reminds me of the town I grew up in, but with a more interesting downtown. And the access to NYC, major highways, and the Newark airport is great.

We've seen the different neighborhoods and while we like the Lake, Inman Heights, and hospital neighborhoods, we're looking closer to downtown because of its proximity to the train station (I commute to NYC). We've seen some nice, older homes within 10-15 minutes of the train station (by foot), in the area in between the train station and St. Georges. If anyone lives near that neighborhood, I'd love to hear about your experience living there (including any experience you have with the elementary schools) and any advice you might have for a young couple looking to move into the area.

Thanks!


Note: I know that Rahway has its share of problems, but unless you live in Rahway and have some experience to share, I'm not really looking to start another debate about "Rahway sucks" versus "Rahway is great".

Hi Lusitan,

I just moved to Rahway about a year and half ago. I live on the other side of Rahway, where the recreation center is, and I love it. My neighbors are quiet I hardly even see them. I moved to Rahway because I was told it was being revitalized, and it is. I am seeing a lot of impressive changes.

My husband and I in NYC so the train was equally important to me as well; I see a lot of people moving here from NY too. I can not comment on schools because I have no children. However I agree with what Brian said. You have to be involved with your children’s education.


I hoped I helped.

[suef]

I would not recommend moving to Rahway although it depends what you are looking for. I grew up there but did not choose it for my children. We moved south (Monmouth County) where there is more open space and the schools are ranked in the top 10. Our students are probably two years ahead in their education that the students in Rahway schools. We also have many programs that start with 1st grade that Rahway students don't get until some time in middle school. I would continue searching if I were you.

[girl-973-908-732]

Originally Posted by Lusitan

My wife and I are considering moving to Rahway with our 1 year-old son. We've visited the town many times and like the mix of urban/suburban - it reminds me of the town I grew up in, but with a more interesting downtown. And the access to NYC, major highways, and the Newark airport is great.

We've seen the different neighborhoods and while we like the Lake, Inman Heights, and hospital neighborhoods, we're looking closer to downtown because of its proximity to the train station (I commute to NYC). We've seen some nice, older homes within 10-15 minutes of the train station (by foot), in the area in between the train station and St. Georges. If anyone lives near that neighborhood, I'd love to hear about your experience living there (including any experience you have with the elementary schools) and any advice you might have for a young couple looking to move into the area.
Thanks!

Note: I know that Rahway has its share of problems, but unless you live in Rahway and have some experience to share, I'm not really looking to start another debate about "Rahway sucks" versus "Rahway is great".

What hospital are you talking about? Rahway hospital? I thought they closed??? The only other one I can think of is JFK in Edison off 27? which would be about 10 minutes from that area by car and is a nice small hospital. I like Rahway, I just notice that the vicinity of Lawrence Street and Monroe maybe a 10 block radius seems to be one big eyesore - and a few tiny apartment complexes I'd shy away from. The downtown is really small, but again, the trainstation and #62 bus are a commuters dream. There are a few tiny neighborhood parks that you take your son too and I woulldn't even be afraid to go for a morning jog. I don't understand why it gets such a bad rap.

St. Georges Avenue where you're speaking about is on the borderline of Edison, Avenel Woodbridge, Linden and Rahway which is in the middle. Very diverse. I'd say go for it. I don't see any reason not to. Outside of a few pet peeves, I don't see anything wrong with this area. On the plus side you have your walmart, target, Shoprite, Pathmark, 2 malls 10 minutes away and every store you can possibly think of right in your vicinity.