The Real Story Of Newark

If you were over the age of 15 back in the 1990s, you were probably made aware in some way or another that Newark New Jersey was not exactly the best place in the United States of America to live.The city gained continent wide notoriety when in 1996, Time magazine named it the most dangerous city to live in in the entire USA. Pop culture quickly latched on to the label, and as a result Newark continues to be associated with high crime to the present day.

It's time that people began to see the city behind the headline, and the Newark of today rather than the one of more than a decade ago. First, keep in mind that all cities tend to have their bad areas, whether we are talking Glendale or Edmonton. Botox clinics and lawyer's offices are located in the better parts of towns, but the working class and poor of the city have to live somewhere.

Thus, it would be a true assumption to say that the high crime rate in Newark was really restricted to certain parts of town. The city is made up of five different wards, three of which contain neighborhoods in which any owner of a graphic design firm, Toronto based, would have felt perfectly safe and secure. The North Ward in particular is home to many of the city's most affluent citizens, located there because of the many positive economic attributes to be found in Newark (which we explore in another article on this site).

Many of the neighborhoods which earned Newark its shady reputation have undergone a rejuvenation of sorts over the past decade. Much of Newark's woes were directly tied to the racial riots of the late 1960s, riots which led to a legacy that has only recently begun to heal. The tensions in the area meant that many residents were afraid to go to the downtown even for some food and beverage. Public relations for the downtown have concentrated in recent years on the massive turnaround that the area has recently seen.

This turnaround, which hinges on redevelopment of large parts of the downtown core and a rejuvenation of the entire area, has also led to substantial economic growth within the city. That growth has included everything from the establishment of financial services who trade active ETFs to the construction of a whole new facility to house the performing arts. The rejuvenation has seen the downtown turn as safe as Barrie; catering and party businesses have tripled. The growth and diversification of businesses has meant more employment, which in turn has led to a major downturn in all areas of crime.

If you still think of Newark as a pretty hazardous place to live, it might be time to re-evaluate. While the city still does have its problems, local law enforcement and business leaders have made substantial strides towards making the city a much better place to live.