Ivy Hill, Newark, New Jersey facts for kids
Ivy Hill is a lively neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. It's located in Essex County, in the city's West Ward. Ivy Hill is known for its many well-kept homes and streets. It shares borders with towns like South Orange, Maplewood, and Irvington. Sometimes, people think of Ivy Hill as part of the nearby Vailsburg area.
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Ivy Hill's Past
The area we now call Ivy Hill was once part of South Orange Township. It was known as Maplewood until 1890. That's when the city of Newark bought this land. Later, in 1926, Newark added another 110 acres (about 0.45 square kilometers) to the area.
In the 1960s, a famous writer named Philip Roth wrote about Ivy Hill. In his 1997 book American Pastoral, he described it as a safe place. He said it was a community focused on families.
Schools in Ivy Hill
Ivy Hill is home to two elementary schools. These are Mount Vernon Elementary School and Ivy Hill Elementary School. They serve the younger students in the neighborhood.
Mount Sinai Congregation
The Mount Sinai Congregation and Jewish Senior Center is located in Ivy Hill. This center serves the local community. Many Russian Jewish families live in the area.
Ivy Hill Park: A Place to Play
In 1927, the City of Newark created Ivy Hill Park. They set aside 18 acres (about 7.3 hectares) of land for it. The park was made to give people in Maplewood, Newark, South Orange, and Irvington a place to have fun.
Park Facilities
Ivy Hill Park has many things to do. You can find hard surface tennis courts there. There are also fields for softball and baseball. A large field can be used for both football and soccer. The park also has a lighted basketball court. For younger kids, there is a playground. There's even a shelter and an area for band concerts.
Tennis Courts Agreement
Seton Hall University has a special agreement with Essex County Parks. They have a 25-year lease for one acre of the university's tennis courts. This adds to the park's total of 10 tennis courts. In return, the County fixed up the tennis courts. Seton Hall University can also use other facilities in the park.
Homes in Ivy Hill
Ivy Hill has many different kinds of homes. You can find single-family houses and duplex homes. There are also apartment buildings of various sizes. Many of these homes and streets are very well kept.
Ivy Hill Park Apartments
The Ivy Hill Park Apartments are a very large housing complex. It has ten buildings, each 15 stories tall. These buildings are located on Mount Vernon Place and Manor Drive. The complex stretches for about half a mile.
Construction on the Ivy Hill Apartments began in 1951. The first residents moved in during 1952. The developers were Arthur Pedula and Ralph Solow. The project received help from both the federal government and the city. The City of Newark sold the land for the apartments. The federal government provided loans to help build them.
The Ivy Hill Apartments were originally for middle-class families. Over the years, it became home to a very diverse group of people. In 2011, residents from over 40 countries lived there. It felt like a "mini United Nations" with up to 10,000 residents. Many students from nearby Seton Hall University also live here. It is New Jersey's largest privately owned apartment complex. There is also a shopping center close by on Irvington Avenue.
Famous People from Ivy Hill
Many interesting people have lived in Ivy Hill, including:
- Rah Digga, a rap music artist
- Andre de Krayewski, an artist
- Teri Shields, the mother of actress and model Brooke Shields, who was born in the neighborhood
- Randy Foye, an NBA basketball player who grew up in the Ivy Hill Apartment Complex
- [King Kerk], a rap music artist
Getting Around: Public Transportation
Ivy Hill has several bus routes that help residents travel.
- Bus 1 or 361X: This bus connects Ivy Hill to Jersey City and Newark Penn Station. Bus 1 runs often, starting early in the morning. The 361X is an express bus that runs during the morning rush hour.
- Bus 107: This bus takes you to New York City. It's the second stop after the South Orange Train Station. Buses run throughout the day and night.
- Bus 37: This bus goes to Newark Liberty International Airport. It starts early in the morning on weekdays. The loop in Ivy Hill is the first stop for this bus.
