Radburn, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Radburn, New Jersey
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A diagram showing the street network structure of Radburn and its nested hierarchy. Separate pedestrian paths run through the green spaces between the culs-de-sac and through the central green spine (the shaded area was not built).
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 Radburn, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Radburn, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Radburn, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Borough | Fair Lawn |
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 879582 |
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Radburn
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A Radburn cul-de-sac
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| Location | Fair Lawn, New Jersey |
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| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Clarence Stein, Henry Wright |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001118 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 16, 1975 |
| Designated NHLD | April 5, 2005 |
Radburn is a special community located in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. It's known for its unique design. Radburn was started in 1929 with the idea of being "a town for the motor age."
Its creators, Clarence Stein and Henry Wright, wanted to use new ideas for city planning. These ideas came from the "garden city movement" in England. They also used the "neighborhood unit" idea, which helps plan communities with schools and parks close by.
One of Radburn's main features is how it separates cars from people walking. It has special paths for walkers that don't cross big roads. Radburn also introduced the "superblock" and some of the first "culs-de-sac" (dead-end streets) in the United States. Because of its important history in city planning, Radburn was named a National Historic Landmark District in 2005.
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Radburn Community Facts
About 3,100 people live in Radburn, making up around 670 families. They live in different types of homes, including single-family houses, townhouses, and apartments. More townhouses are also being built.
Radburn covers about 149 acres (0.6 square kilometers). A big part of this land, about 23 acres (93,000 square meters), is made up of parks. The community has many fun facilities. These include four tennis courts, three baseball fields, two softball fields, and two swimming pools. There's also an archery plaza for shooting arrows.
For younger children, Radburn offers two play areas, two playgrounds, and a small pool for toddlers. The community also has a center with offices, a library, a gym, and rooms for clubs and a pre-school.
How Radburn is Managed
The Radburn Community has its own group of leaders called the Radburn Association. This group helps manage the common areas and facilities. Homeowners in Radburn pay fees to the Association. These fees help pay for the upkeep of the parks, pools, and other shared spaces.
The Association also helps keep the community looking nice. They can set rules for how properties are developed or decorated. Only people who live in Radburn can use the special facilities, but the parks and walkways are open to everyone.
Radburn residents get to vote for a group of volunteers called the Board of Trustees. These nine people help run the Radburn Association. Any homeowner can put their name forward to be on the board. In 2017, a new law was passed in New Jersey. This law made sure that all homeowners in communities like Radburn can be members and can nominate themselves for board elections.
Community Facilities and Landmarks
The Radburn School is an elementary school located near one of Radburn's parks. It's part of the Fair Lawn Public Schools system. Many students from Radburn go to this school, but it also serves a wider area. The school building was built in 1929 and has been expanded twice since then.
In 2016, students at The Radburn School raised a lot of money for a new playground. They did this by selling lemonade and bracelets, and even holding a 5k race. However, the Radburn Association did not allow the playground to be built because of how it would look.
Radburn also has a business area. It's located where Fair Lawn Avenue and Plaza Road meet. Many businesses are in the Radburn Plaza building, which has a clock tower and is a well-known landmark. The Old Dutch House, a historic building that used to be a tavern, is also nearby.
Across from the Plaza Building is the Radburn railroad station. This station was built by the original Radburn developers. Today, you can catch a train there on the New Jersey Transit Bergen County Line. The station is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Radburn Design Influence
The special way Radburn was designed has been used in other places. This "Radburn design" has influenced public housing projects in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Even Walt Disney was inspired by Radburn's design when he planned Disney World!
Notable People from Radburn
Here are some people who have lived in or are connected to Radburn:
- Steven Ehrlich (born 1946), a famous architect.
- Philip Plotch (born 1961), a professor, author, and city planner.
See also
In Spanish: Radburn (Nueva Jersey) para niños
