The weekend, a headline in the New York Times Real Estate section declared Bloomfield “A Starter Spot for Suburbanites.” The article cited cheaper house prices, lower taxes, Brookdale Park, Midtown Direct and even Holsten’s Sopranos connection as attractions.
The article only skims the subject of the Bloomfield schools, which are compared quantitatively with statewide averages but not the neighboring towns of Montclair and Glen Ridge. The differences are huge. In New Jersey Magazine’s 2008 high school rankings, Glen Ridge rated 5th in the state, Montclair 85th and Bloomfield 181st. School board politics, if ranked, would probably be even worse. And Bloomfield is just getting full-day kindergarten, for the first time, next fall.
There are also unquantifiable but looming psychosocial divides. Blogger Alice Bradley (finslippy) gave Bloomfield a three-year trial before moving back to Brooklyn in March. The owners of Animal Instinct, worn out by incessant development battles, deserted in 2007.
To be sure, Bloomfield has its gems: the Westminster Art Center, Flic Spa, Orange Squirrel, Anne Prince. Notably, it’s the only town in Baristaville that actually summoned the will to create a real skate park.
But does it really live up to realtor and Times hype? Rather than a perfect “starter” suburb, Bloomfield might better be seen as the perfect place for an empty nest. Glen Ridgers through with the public schools and looking for a property tax bargain have recognized that for years.
Bloomfield has a way to go but I’m glad to see the improvement.
This “article” is outrageous. Why the effort to smear Bloomfield’s image? We get some support from the Times and you need to “report” the inaccuracies? Point out unquantifiable but looming psychosocial divides? What psychosocial divides? My Bloomfield neighbors are a diverse group of artists, musicians, actors, NY Times employees, lawyers, chemists, teachers, professors, etc. We socialize and work with folks in Montclair and Glen Ridge. We belong to the same pool clubs, religious institutions…we even are allowed to join the Montclair Y.
The majority of my neighbors did move to Bloomfield for the reasons stated in the Times article and we replaced residents who moved here for the same reasons – who then moved on to bigger homes in Montclair and Glen Ridge. In 4+ years in Bloomfield, I have never met anyone who moved here for a cheaper empty nest. If anything, the biggest misses of this article were 1) not noting the large influx of creative types who want to move to the burbs but can no longer afford to start off in Montclair and 2) the growing amount of great restaurants in town. Bloomfield is a great town. The Times got it right.
I’m surprised to see you dissing one of the three towns you represent.
I don’t understand the need to be nasty about the article! Why not just be happy that they got great press? Good for you Bloomfield!
It can work fine for a starter, and a finisher.
I’m sure the elementary schools are just fine (most, even in bad towns, are), the question of quality may pop up once you get into the later middle school years.
But I imagine there are plenty of kids who go to Bloomfield High who go on to do very well.
I’m remembering a study that found motivated, high achieving NY students did just as well after college if they went to an Ivy or a State school.
So while school rankings are fun, they are not determinative.
Active, educated parents and motivated friends are a better indicator.
(So for all it’s 85th ranking, our grads still turn up on the police blotter…..)
Oh, and I agree: the tone of the article and touched upon in this post is dismissive and reductive.
That was pretty harsh! As someone who often contemplates the move, the only reason I stay in Montclair is because I love the freedom of choice in Montclair schools. However, I still think highly of Bloomfield schools, esp. since they now have full day kindergarten!
I grew up in Montclair and now live in Bloomfield. I wanted to move here to get away from the desperate housewives in my old neighborhood (seriously, they made the show look like the Waltons).
I wouldn’t move to Brooklyn if the rest of the world were on fire. So to each his own.
We are a great town. We aren’t a perfect town. We are improving with baby steps.
I agree — this article really underscores the very serious superiority complex that
Montclair has. A previous poster asked the question perfectly — why are you disrespecting Bloomfield?
But I do not think the NY Times article was much better; it had the very same thread running through it. No mention of the fact that Brookdale Elementary is a Blue Ribbon school?
And couldn’t they have interviewed a professional residing in Bloomfield rather than the Port Authority police officer? I’m sick of Bloomfield being the ugly stepsister of GR and Montclair. (OK, you got me — I live in Bloomfield).
Montclair at 85th and someone snubs their nose at Bloomfield? Oh please! For what we pay in school taxes we should be in the top 5 and we can’t even get in the top 50, 60, or 70. CONGRATULATIONS BLOOMFIELD!! at least you have the opportunity to fight the BOE. The Montclair BOE has the town by the balls and they keep running the show. They can’t even get us into the bracket of a town with good schools. Our school system is nothing to be proud of.
I didn’t think the article was disrespectful. It offered and alternate take to the Times’s. I think your over-reactions show an inferiority complex. Anne Prince rules, by the way.
That was a bit ungallant, Ms. Galant; after reading the article (twice), I think Mr. Caldwell — whose real job at the NYT is sports writing, but these days I think even the columnists are asked to sweep the floors — did a good job in describing the town where I live. With the addition of so many new restaurants and stores in the past few years, and the easy transportation and availability of parking (buh-bye, Montclair shopping and dining), Bloomfield has become an excellent destination, whether you are a first-time buyer, moving out from the city, or an empty-nester from those cold, expensive (did I say expensive) Glen Ridge prep-school dorm buidings. “Happy Graduation / House for Sale” signs don’t pop up as frequently in B’Field. After six years of renting in Upper White Bread (Caldwell), the diversity of Bloomfield, which appears to be less sharply differentiated than that of Montclair, is a welcome and interesting change. The proximity of the city (even if the best way there is still the Bus Line From Hell) is another plus. Of course, the timing of this article might be a problem: the Times could have waited until the re-evaluation is complete before touting B’field to all those people living in Brooklyn brownstones. Oh, yeah: much of the brownstone in NYC came from Bloomfield quarries, too.
…oops, I forgot: Anne Prince would be a jewel in any town’s crown.
The post poses a question really. Is Bloomfield Montclair Lite? Absolutely not! It’s just another Jersey town, a good microcosm of the rest of the country.
Besides, if you agree education is this town’s main detriment, can’t we just send our kids to Glen Ridge and pay the difference in taxes? I actually heard this rumor at the GR Starbucks from a GR resident. True?
Yes, Bloomfielders can send kids to Glen Ridge schools as tuition students.
From what I see, Bloomfield has way too much variety to be pidgeonholed. The area down by Newark is nothing at all like the area along Brookdale Park, for starters.
Overall, Montclair is a far prettier town, however, except those areas along Mission Street, which are pretty depressed looking.
debbie, your bias is showing. I’m a bloomfieldite and not feeling lite at all. I live in a nice space in the silkmill lofts, which fills a niche: industrial loft conversion to rental units. its nice to have montclair up the street. but my choice was based on the neighborhood, the 10 minute walk to midtown direct, and the 10 x 15′ windows in each room.
that being said, the original article was about real-estate, which is all about packaging. I suppose that if the real estate folk can sell the neighborhood using that wrapping, then so be it. its a good get.
fip,
I live around the corner on Cleveland and remember when the silk factory was just an empty shell.
My wife and I were delighted to hear it was being developed into high end leased/rental residential lofts.
I think it’s ultra cool that leasees are permitted pets and think that many of the ‘new’ dog walkers we see enjoying Watsessing park must be residents of that building.
This part of Bloomfield is safe and convenient. Sandy mentioned in the falafel mugging thread that a police officer told him that violent crime is almost unheard of in this part of Bloomfield (Watsessing Heights).
I love the trees in this part of town. The breeze borne susurration of swaying trees drifting into my home from Watsessing Park on a warm August day accompanied by the rising drone of cicadas is better than a double martini for easing my frayed, overstimulated, middle age nerves.
The education system in Blmfd. is what your child makes of it. Our son wants it all & then some. He worked hard in Watsessing Ele and South Jr. High & BHS and got into his 1st choice of Rider University, where he got straight A(s) 7 out of 8 semesters, then passed his CPA boards and is now a CPA/Comptroller with the Rockefeller Center Organization in NYC AND now in N.Y.U. School of Law to combine a J.D. with his CPA. If a person wants it bad enough and is willing to work their butt off to get it – it can even be done in Orange High School, if the desire is there.
Sadly, yes, Blmfd students scores only beat Orange, East Orange, Irvington, Newark & Belleville in Essex County. ALL other towns school’s scores are higher the Blmfd. The reasons are many.
I agree with Sandy on the education thing. Any kid who really wants to achieve something in life will do well even if they are not going to the best high school.
I personally found the Bloomfield school system to be an ideal place for an underachiever to cruise below the radar and basically get nothing out of the experience! So it really comes down to personal preference in the end.
First – I’ve never lived there, but I have at least 10 friends from Bloomfield. I don’t think most of them have any intention of leaving – it’s home and they love it there. I shop in Bloomfield when I need formal wear, kids precription shoes, rentals and flowers.
Second – My daughter will be going to half day kindergarten on purpose, and then I’m switching her over to the other school with full days starting in first grade.
I don’t know why you are referring to Bloomfield as Montclair Lite or Montclair anything. What does the one have to do with the other in this article?
I moved to my Bloomfield “starter” home 18 years ago (before the kids came). My wife was born in raised in Montclair. For the past few years we have been looking to move to a town with better school ratings. As it turns out, the more we look around, the better we like Bloomfield. We like the proximity to stores, deli’s, etc. without having to travel on busy roads like Bloomfield Ave.
On another note (sorry if it offends anyone), Montclair has become Brooklyn-Lite. Any one that has been around the town for the last 30 years can see a distinct change. I leave it at that.
We moved from Park Slope, Brooklyn to Bloomfield and don’t plan on moving back to Brooklyn. (Of course we can’t afford Park Slope now anyway!) We like having a decent-size house, a yard, tomatoes in the garden, room for all our cats and ourselves..if we’d stayed in Brooklyn we’d still be crammed into our tiny “2-bedroom” (ha ha) co-op that had a layout like a bowling alley.
One thing I’ve never understood, not being from this area originally (I grew up in upstate NY prior to living in Brooklyn for 20+ yrs.), is why Bloomfield is constantly being trashed by people from the other towns nearby. If I hop into my car, I’m in Glen Ridge or Montclair in less than 5 minutes. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the same town. Wasn’t Montclair part of Bloomfield once & known as “West Bloomfield”?
I’m not saying Bloomfield is perfect, but neither is anyplace I’ve ever lived in my life. You make the inevitable trade-offs whenever you choose a particular place to live. We’ve lived near Bloomfield College since 2000 and have found that it’s quiet, peaceful, & convenient and it has worked out really well for us. We may not live here forever, but where else could we have bought a 3-bedroom colonial in good condition for $155K?
A house in Bloomfield on the corner of Cleveland Terrace and Carterett was going for 174K in 1991. It’s the big white house on the south side of the intersection. Good Lord, I wish I had been prescient enough to buy that place. The same kind of house/lot in Montclair would be going for over a million in today’s market.
I think the people that bought it back then were from Glen Ridge and got tired of the high property taxes. Maybe their kids were in college or something.
hey m-brush,
nice parkside location. and the sycamores along llewellyn between glenwood and cleveland make for a fine boulevard while driving home. yes, there’s lots of doggies at the silk mill. and thankfully not too much barking. watsessing heights turned out to be a great find.
veleda7,
The answer to your question is schools.
And that Bloomfield historically was “working class”…..
Compare that with typically affluent, homogeneous town like GR, or one that “celebrates diversity!” like Montclair and you can begin to understand.
ScubaNJ,
You may want to “leave it at that”, but,
as far as I can tell, Brooklyn Lite (your clever term) usually means too many high-earning ethnic and semitic liberal types – more than some can tolerate.
Ha ha! Do y’all think that Debbie would have got 24 comments with a Pollyanna blurb on the Times article? The lady knows how to spark a discussion.
And honestly, did she say anything worse than the Times headline? A starter spot, after all, is by definition some place you want to leave as soon as you can afford to. (Which seems to be contrary to what the Cheplics plan, making it a pretty dumb headline.)
Much of eastern Essex County, including Montclair and Glen Ridge, were once part of Bloomfield, which itself was part of Newark until 1812. The Bloomfield Township website provides a good overview of the town’s history here..
Thanks Pork Roll, it’s nice to know we all live in Newark.
I can understand people wanting good schools for their kids (we don’t have children so it’s not an issue I really think about much, so all the “mommy blogs” coming out of this area don’t hold a lot of interest for me) but I’d think you could live elsewhere for the schools without running down the towns with schools you consider unacceptable.
There are irritating people in Bloomfield, (I wish I could teleport a neighbor or 2 to another planet), but annoying people are annoying people regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Bloomfield is certainly unique in a lot of ways, it’s hard to categorize as it’s not like Glen Ridge or Montclair.
And I know it’s great that Bloomfield has all these new restaurants, but I still miss Formia’s on Broad Street!
Debbie,
Sorry, you really missed the mark on this one. My impression was that there are few positive stories about Bloomfield on baristanet, and this piece just confirms that impression. A terrific story in the Times, and your take on it is to detract from it. I have lived in Bloomfield for fourteen years, sent both my children through Bloomfield schools, participated in many school and community-based organizations, and I have a very positive image of my town. No, it is not perfect…nor are the surrounding towns that provide news for this site.
Very disappointing…
Is the area around the Silk Mill Lofts really that safe? I’m asking in all seriousness. We had looked at an apartment in this building not so long ago, and while the building and its facilities and pet friendly policies were all great, the neighborhood left us feeling uncomfortable. A block in one direction was nice, but in another direction, not so much. I had asked a female resident and called the locale police department and they both advised against. There was also mention of a lot of car burglaries (which is why the complex now has a gated in lot). The building itself seemed great, and if dropped in the middle of Montclair, would be far out of my price range, but I felt the location had a lot to do with why it was more affordable (but by no means cheap).
We live in Glen Ridge but do almost everything in Bloomfield:
My kid goes to pre-k there, we shop at Shop Rite, play soccer in Brookdale park, eat at McDonald’s on Broad Street, buy bagels from Broomfield Bagels, have dinner at Nevada Diner and dessert at Rita’s or Carvel on Bloomfield Ave – not to mention that bakery on Broad (what’s the name?). Also, I buy gasoline from the gas stations on Broad, patronlize the 7-11, go to Dunkin Donuts for a treat and take my car to get washed at that place next to Nevada (again, can’t remember the name…). What else, my wife’s doctor and my opthamologist are both in Broomfield. It goes on and on…
There is no slighting from this Ridger to Bloomfield.
Spiro T.’s comment above of 1:04 PM winds up sounding like at least crypto-anti-Semitism. Of the sort usually muttered at country clubs in John O’Hara and James Gould Cozzens novels.
No one else noticed this? I mean, really?
And Spiro, lest you be compared here yourself to Goebbels, you might wish to thus clarify said comment. Was it your guess at what someone else meant. say? Or were you offering up your own view of recent arrivals from an outer borough to Baristaville?
At the risk of being called an ingrate and a misery and hounded off the site, I wish to express my pleasure at seeing how the Barista slags off the Times for local reporting one day and rips off one of its stories the very next day.
Ooops, I meant two days later.
“not to mention that bakery on Broad (what’s the name”
I think you mean Gencarelli’s, which I may have spelled wrong.
I love their stuff. I also love that they will put any picture on a cake. One year I had a Keanu cake, I made a wish on it and it came true! Talk about magically delicious.
Then we had a cake for a friends birthday with a group shot of the gang from a previous birthday party.
Walleroo, you are of course an ingrate and a misery, and there is much more that is woeful about you.
But you are also occasionally a critter of rare acumen, and I salute you for your remark above. (No matter that YOU didn’t cover Jersey for the Times for 5 years, either.)
So please roll with the punches and stay here.
I don’t want to get into another spitting match with you boys (cathar and Walleroo), so I’ll just say this. When the Times commends Bloomfield in its real estate section and we write about it, we are not ripping off the story. It is of widespread interest and we are critiquing it.
That said, I will retreat and threaten no one with expulsion. Go ahead, spend of the rest of day and night telling us how lame we are. Extra points if you explain why you keep coming back!
Wow. Pretty hostile, even for baristanet. Thanks, Debbie, you just gave me all the reason I need NOT to come back. There must be another site that can give me the local news I want, without clearly favoring one town over the others. As in coverage of Glen Ridge’s Memorial Day parade as “old-fashioned, vibrant, and a reminder of everything small towns can be…” while next door in Bloomfield, a lovely Memorial Day parade isn’t even mentioned. No, just a story calling us “Montclair Lite”.
Changatnyc does not have very good eating habits, despite being from Glen Ridge and therefore supposedly having a higher socioeconomic status. A little less overprocessed starch and sugar and some more greens would be better for you and your family.
Everyone, everywhere, loves whatever I bring from Gencarelli’s. I plan on buying pounds and pounds of cookies to transport to the July 4th picnic my uncle holds in upstate NY…everyone loves them.
Shocked at the nasty tone of this article. Really unnecessary and I agree with the poster above who pointed out the contrast between the dewy-eyed Glen Ridge parade article and this.
Well, thanks for pointing out that I’m not your target audience.
The Star-Ledger had some nice photos of the Bloomfield parade in today’s paper.
I took my father to Gencarelli’s last week. He lives in Central NJ and is still talking about how amazing the pastries are and how cheap (3 fancy pastries and a large cookie were $7). I suspect I will now have to provide them for every party he hosts going forward.
Cheesy blow-up lawn ornaments and various “ribbons” are reason enough not to like a town. People – NO blow up lawn ornaments please – it’s so tacky, you drive down property values.
I am sorry to have offended so many Bloomfield readers. I did not mean the story as a wholesale condemnation of the town. Although I did point out some of Bloomfield’s negatives, I also pointed out many of town’s good attributes as well. There has been a Bloomfield renaissance, and we’ve been out front in reporting on it. As I mentioned in the post, I think Bloomfield deserves special commendation for actually have the political will to build a skate park.
I also said that Bloomfield is a great place for empty nesters who already know the area and don’t have to worry about the schools. And like many commenters, I too use Bloomfield services all the time.
My main question was whether Bloomfield lives up to the hype in the Times article. I think it’s a fair question, particularly when people are being encouraged to buy a very large illiquid asset.
Changatnyc does not have very good eating habits, despite being from Glen Ridge and therefore supposedly having a higher socioeconomic status. A little less overprocessed starch and sugar and some more greens would be better for you and your family.
jerseygurl -
I posted my first comment ever on Baristanet to say something nice for Bloomfield because like many others I think the blog article short-changed my fine neighboring town, and you chose to criticize my family’s eating habits? What give? Why the hostility? Where do you go eat that is so fine? Please enlighten…
BTW, thanks for the advice. We do try to eat more greens. I did say we shop at Shop Rite, so plenty of healthy produce from that fine establishment too, just in case you missed reading the words “Shop Rite” in my first post.
I’ve seen a lot of young people moving to ‘Watsessing Heights’ in the past few years. There are tons of young folks with their dogs and their perambulators strolling through the park at days end. I enjoy the view from my porch, strumming quietly on my guitar, entering a trancelike state of Bloomfield’ness’. I even wrote a song about this experience.
Excerpted from: “Waiting Here for You” @ Frank Healy, Endorphic Enterprises
Early in the evening
The sun is going down
People coming home from work
To this busy little town
Bikes go up and down the street
And kids on rollerblades
Dogs run in Watsessing Park
As the daylight slowly fades…
Debbie, while of course I agree with your estimation of Anne Prince as one of the gems of Bloomfield (as well as Orange Squirrel and Flic), I did think your take on the NYT article was more critical than necessary. While of course there are two sides to every story, it is so unusual for Bloomfield to get any kind of good press, I was sorry to see some of the usual criticisms trotted out as the other side of the coin.
While it is true the schools in Glen Ridge and Montclair overall may be higher ranked, the elementary schools in Bloomfield are great, and as others have said, Bloomfield has plenty of high achieving kids coming out of it who go on to excellent colleges. It is truly what you make of it. And maybe some families prefer that their kids get a more diverse experience and be exposed to various types of people to get a feel for what the real world is about. I know a work colleague who wanted to live in Bloomfield rather than Glen Ridge for that very reason.
As for my former neighbor Alice Bradley moving back to Brooklyn, she had a number of other reasons for preferring the city. She never had anything bad to say about Bloomfield itself. And for every Alice, there are tons of other people happily making the move from Brooklyn to Bloomfield – and staying. Our neighborhood is full of expatriot Brooklynites and other former city dwellers, including artists, writers, actors, educators and various professionals.
And the North Center is becoming the new Montclair when it comes to restaurants – Stamna, Bohemia, Natraj Palace (formerly of Montclair), Vinnie’s, Aroma, Tuscana, and more, all make their home up there.
Now if only our downtown redevelopment would get off the ground. That is the thing that truly needs to happen for Bloomfield to live up to its real potential.
And Spiro, lest you be compared here yourself to Goebbels, you might wish to thus clarify said comment. Was it your guess at what someone else meant. say? Or were you offering up your own view of recent arrivals from an outer borough to Baristaville?
cathar
Merely sensing what Scuba insinuated, cathar.
Why assume it is “hype” and not just an honest assessment? The article touted affodability relative to two other neighboring towns so how is that hype?
“…Much of eastern Essex County, including Montclair and Glen Ridge, were once part of Bloomfield, which itself was part of Newark until 1812. The Bloomfield Township website provides a good overview of the town’s history.”
> Well, it isn’t that bad, but it could use a 21st century update. The Township also could quit operating in Major Major mode: there was a blurb on the site saying that the Town Clerk would be happy to register voters in person, M-F, 9:00 to 3:30 or thereabouts. Must be them retired folks, she’s talking about.
Unfortunately, Pork Roll, the Township website hasn’t been updated since 1812.
Aroma? Seriously? There is a *New Jersey* restaurant called “Aroma?”
Aroma Palace, actually — very Indian and very good.
As to why I keep coming back, Debbie (and I won’t presume to speak for the marsupial, well, even though this site may be “lame” at times (your word, not mine), Jesus had as one of His missions to help the lame and the halt. And I love you too, Debbie.
Spiro T., if that in fact was your intention, you’ve got to offer up better written sentences than you did in that post, which lends itself to a more pejorative interpretation. But then, I also much like blow-up lawn ornaments.
Kinky.
“as far as I can tell, Brooklyn Lite (your clever term) usually means too many high-earning ethnic and semitic liberal types – more than some can tolerate”
I’m quite certain Joseph Owades would disagree with you. If he was still alive, that is.
But Ms. Quokka, I took pleasure in it! I’m not at all disgruntled! (Unlike the 40 percent or so of Baristanet readers who live in Bloomfield.)
“Merely sensing what Scuba insinuated, cathar.”
Your senses have failed you Spiro.
“…usually means too many high-earning ethnic and semitic liberal types – more than some can tolerate.”
Those are your words, not mine.
The change I’ve seen has more to do with the high cost of living there. As a result there are usually two members of the household working long hours which results in less time with the kids (nanny), less time to get to know the neighbors, less time to invest in the community, etc. My comment had nothing to do with ethnicity or political preferences.
PS- I chose Bloomfield so that my wife can stay home and raise my children and I can get home by 5:00 to play with them.
Now excuse me, I have to go Scuba Diving.
OK, Scuba but if you were strictly referring to the new residents and their high priced lifestyle, you could have picked a less ethnic place than Brooklyn.
How about “Fifth Avenue Lite” or “Park Avenue Lite” – two well known, expensive , densely populated areas?
Not the same pungent ring, methinks.
raeven, you are right that silkmill installed the parklot fence after a spate of attempted car break ins. the lofts attracted a higher percentage of people who drive nicer cars and that came up on someone’s radar. since the fence went in I know of no other incidences. as mentioned in the thread on the falafel robbery, the area overall has seen less crime then nearby areas.
I only used Brooklyn because it seems (to me) like every one moving to Montclair says they’re from Brooklyn. I was in Brooklyn once in the ’80′s and I couldn’t tell you who lives there. All I can say is, if they like Scuba Diving they’re OK in my book.
Raeven, fip,
In the summer of 2001, there were 4 armed robberies within a 2 week span in this neighborhood (Watsessing Heights). My neighbor had a gun put to his head as he was relieved of his wallet and I heard of 3 others as well.
I leave a couple of moderately nice cars in my driveway and on the street. My garage space is way too valuable to waste on a car. I haven’t had any attempted car thefts or break-ins yet. And if one happened, I’d be glad it was the car and not my house, which, btw is very secure and defended by an owner with good aim and four macho tom cats.
2001 predates me. I might be wrong but I also think the mini crime wave that went down last winter hit a deli on glenwood – as well as more publicized locations up bloomfield ave. these guys were later caught while casing a joint on rt. 46 (I believe) and haven’t been back.
“Less expensive” being a relative term, of course.
$219k house in Bloomfield vs. $200k in Denville.
None of the spill-over crime from Newark, higher ranked schools, larger house, lower property taxes, and nearly an acre for $19k less than the least expensive decent looking house in Bloomfield (according to my own personal tastes and a cursory search of Realtor.com).
This is a nice area to rent and all, but I really doubt we’ll be buying here.
Having lived in both Montclair and Bloomfield, I found this article to be kind of snarky. I don’t live in either town these days, but I look back much more fondly on my years in Bloomfield than my years in Montclair.
If I were a Baristanet advertiser with business in Bloomfield, I might feel unwelcome here, or at least condescended to.
Hopefully, this link to the house in Denville works better.
(I forgot that b-net has a 1 link limit on their reply posts)
Never trust a listing that only features one photo (and of the exterior, no less!)
Fair enough, Scuba.
I was in a house resembling that one in Montclair a few years ago – in one of the culs de sac off Alexander – and inside it had mushrooms sprouting from the walls. This is true. Some fungal growth had burst through damp plaster (high) on the wall (leaky roof maybe?) and it resembled cauliflower.
I know–I am now the official cookie/cake-bearer for the July 4 bash & other social events.
Agreed, banana–and the Denville listing also states “as is,” which is usually pretty ominous.
There’s a house in our neighborhood that looks very nice on the outside. I saw some photos of it on a real estate website and the inside photos didn’t look bad. We told some house-hunting friends about it. They made an appointment with a realtor to see it and we went with them. Horrifying. I don’t think I’ve ever seen (or smelled) anything so disgusting in my life. Mold downstairs, cat and dog urine EVERYwhere upstairs, every circa 1971 appliance broken in the kitchen, a toilet that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since 1947…..
I heard from another neighbor that he spoke to someone who claims to have bought it & says he will fix it up…hope he has lots of $, that place will need it.
Danger Will Robinson! Danger!
Here is the full remark in that Denville listing that KatiebirdRex refers to:
“Call all the investors. Sold as is”
GNM, this house is def not in “move-in” condition, and I doubt anywhere within the scope of a handyman fixer-upper. That phrase tells me that this house needs some major remods and updating. One cannot judge from the listing, but I wouldn’t be shocked if this house needed tens of thousands of dollars in work to make it reasonably habitable. This one sounds like it’s being marketed to professional flippers, or at least someone who has the capital to renovate and rent it out.
As a prospective new homeowner, be careful not to delude yourself into a blissful state of denial over the true total cost of ownership of a house you might want to buy. Many people (myself included) underestimate the recurring cost of home maintenance, as well as the cost in time and money of renovations.
There are probably several good (or rather, bad) reasons why this house is only $299k.
Aroma Palace, actually — very Indian and very good
And now very much on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, no longer on Broad St in North Center, Bloomfield.
The Orange Squirrel…I’ve noticed that place as I’ve traversed Bloomfield Ave on my way to Sherwin-Williams and back. I just check out their website, and two things immediately popped out at me to say that this probably wasn’t my kind of place: the “baby octopus” appetizer and the fact that none of the menus carry prices, including the bar menu.
Anyone care to comment on their visits to the Orange Squirrel (cool name, however)?
Spiro, I think we can be friends.
As I’ve said many times,I love the Orange Squirrel. The owner is very nice, and it has a great ambiance. Different for Bloomfield. And by the way, he could have opened this type of restaurant in Montclair but chose to contribute to the redevelopment of downtown Bloomfield. He is such an asset to this area and I patronize him whenever I can( and when I can afford lol). Try the sausage rigatoni.
Bloomfield vs. Montclair: — I have lived in Montclair for 32 years and Bloomfield for only three so I may be writing with insufficient data. God willing we will both be around in another 29 so I can make a proper comparison
Firstlym .Public Safety was not mentioned on Baristanet so far. Bloomfield has one of only 30-something nationally certified Fire Departmentout of thousands. This is not only a tribute to the fine men and women who serve, but also to a government which provided the resources for the town to qualify. Montclair’s may be as good — after all it also serves Glen Ridege — but I don’t see Hartnett or anyone else to get its servants that level of recognition.
Secondly, Bloomfield has an aggressive system of caring for and informing citizens after any natural disaster.
Thirdly, Our garbage is picked up twice weekly with bulk recycling every week. If a holiday intevenes, it is still picked up if not on the holiday, the day after.
Fourthly, our town government greets us by name on the street, as opposed to ignoring e-mail.
Finally, if you’re out walking your dog in Bloomfield strangers, stop to say hello. In Montclair, they also stop — to greet your dog,
– Carl Heimowitz
Debbie, since you mentioned the Orange Squirrel in your post, perhaps the Baristas could do a review for the Food section sometime in the near future for those of us unfamiliar. I’m intrigued, but the price-less menus make me reluctant to just pop in…
While I am fully disappointed by Debbie’s initial article, it is great to see so many posts from fellow Bloomfield residents highlighting all this town has to offer.
With regard to the issues at the public schools in Bloomfield, I think its important to note that when the affulent residents of the town move to Mtc or GR when their children reach middle or highschool age, it has a major effect on the school system. I’m not suggesting that this is the source of all the Blmfd school system’s problems, but it is part of the problem.
I am in agreement with the above post that it’s nice to see fellow Bloomfield residents support our town. Amazing the short-sightedness in the barista’s desire to tear down a nice town that, if anything, is rallying. go Bloomfield.
Really! Aroma moved to Montclair? Well, Natraj moved to Bloomfield so maybe they are playing Indian Checkers (Parcheesi, anyone)? We haven’t tried to go to Aroma in the last couple of months — it is hard to pass up Aki for sushi and Pandan for pan-asian. I wish them well, wherever they are: they seemed like nice folks. We are trying the Orange Squirrel next week — I think there is already a review of this place on Food. Anne Prince touted the Squirrel on B’net before it officially opened, but we are just now getting over all those Restaurant.com twofers we had for dining in Montclair, and trying some more of what B’field offers. Film at eleven.
Thanks for the update, PR.
The same thing happened in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where I used to live. When their kids reached a certain age, parents either put their kids in private schools or moved out of Brooklyn to places like Montclair and Glen Ridge because of the schools. So you’d see vast herds of little kids in strollers, but there’d be a weird absence of older kids/teenagers in certain areas.
Thanks to everyone above for their input on the Denville listing. Like I said: Just a cursory comparison of what comes up when you use the exact same criteria (3br, single family,
AnnieR731,
I don’t think Baristanet was trying to tear down Bloomfield. I think they were trying to look at a New York Times article in an objective light.
I think that some folks from Montclair and, perhaps, GR will look at Bloomfield with some mildly disguised ‘distaste’ but I’ve never felt that Baristanet has done that. They seem, to me, to be ‘pro’ Bloomfield. After all if Bloomfield does well – and it has been improving in many ways over the last few years – so will all of Baristaville. More affluent, younger, professional and creative residents moving to Bloomfield for it’s affordable housing, parks, proximity to mass transit can only mean better times ahead for all of Baristaville.
Go Bloomfield!!!!!
“The same thing happened in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where I used to live.”
Spiro, see what I mean. There seems to be a trend for whatever reason.
Bloomfield has definitely seen much change in the past couple of years. I know a lot of first time home buyers settling there for the lower taxes and proximity to mass trans.
There’s still much room for improvement. There’s a lot of vacant retail space south of Bloomfield Ave. (around the Broad St. intersection) and there’s something not so charming about Heartbreakers.
It still blows my mind that Good Guys and Easy Pickens have been there for as long as I can remember. Good for them.
of course, she’s sneering at Bloomfield. What do you think that picture is all about?
Meanwhile however….boom!
“Now if only our downtown redevelopment would get off the ground. That is the thing that truly needs to happen for Bloomfield to live up to its real potential. ”
That is true. It amuses me that we’ve got the few developers in Montclair who eye every bit of grass as a potential site for condos or townhouses. Yet down the road is a real and needed development project, half in the works and half waiting, that they won’t touch. Being a resident of Bloomfield I’m thrilled that they won’t be showing up to put up something as ugly as the Sienna but I’d also like to see more done then the urban waste and teardown we have now.
I find there’s a lot of people from Park Slope in Montclair now. Park Slope isn’t like it was in the 80s when we rented an apt. for $600 a month and thought it was outrageously expensive.
I have some really gorgeous roses blooming in front of my porch in Bloomfield but I guess inflatable crap is more photogenic.
For all the great things Bloomfield may have going for it, there’s still the fact that as a town, it’s basically the buffer zone between Newark and somewhere that’s not Newark.
Well Amandala,
If Bloomfield is “basically the buffer zone” between NWK and notNWK, then it is failing miserably.
Looking at crime reports in the Star Ledger over recent weeks shows a lot of crime happening in notNWK.
There are only 2 problems in Bloomfield. Sadly I have allready written this a zillion times, on here.
A family, We will call them the Smiths, is cautiously looking in this area. Bloomfield seems interesting, on paper. Nice parks, and alot of them, good transportation, centrally located, etc. They have 2 kids. One will be in 7th grade next year & the other will be going into 4th grade. SOooo, they take a look at the public schools standings within the county. We beat Orange, Newark, Irvington, East Orange & Belleville. All the other towns (17) beat us !
This is not good, as they can’t really affort Private Schools for 2 children.
Then, MRS. Smith wants to take a look at what perhaps will be her new home’s in-town shopping center, so they visit Blmfd. Center. HORRORS !
They move on to look at other towns, West Orange, Maplewood, South Orange, Cedar Grove, and others. Bloomfield is now off the radar.
Fix those two problems and Bloomfield will once again be competitive. I’ve been here now for 26 years and its only gone downhill. God save the King!
This is what I really don’t get, which has puzzled me since I moved here. Everyone seems to act like Bloomfield is near Newark and yet, somehow, Glen Ridge and Montclair, which are next to Bloomfield, are magically NOT near Newark.
Sandy,
For a while it looked like ‘Watsessing Heights’ was going down the tubes. This was back in the early 90s. There were tons of unsavory characters in the neighborhood, living here or just looking for a mark. When the Liquor store on Carterett was open, it was a magnet for low-lifes and lay-abouts. Now that it’s closed the ‘hood’ has improved very much. I see lots of younger, ‘with it’ folks moving in here now and property values have gone up 100% or more since I’ve lived here. The park is in great shape, crime is negligable. In my opinion, Midtown Direct service from Bloomfield saved this neighborhood. You don’t see many run down properties anymore. There were quite a few when I first moved in here.
And as you yourself have said, it’s the kid more than the school. Bloomfield schools have been improving so I think there is still hope they can get even better.
veleda7,
Montclair and Glenn Ridge are near Newark. Bloomfield is next to Newark.
When I go to the zoo, I like to be near the tigers, not next to them in their enclosure. A lot of people see Bloomfield as the walls of that tiger enclosure, never mind that it’s not a high enough wall to actually keep the tigers out.
Yeah, I was curious about the choice of photo as well. The New York Times piece used several lovely photos, showing homes and landscapes in Bloomfield indistinguishable from their Montclair and Glen Ridge counterparts. Why wasn’t one of those used?
Was it really necessary to scout this location and use this particular photo? My evening bus passes this house every night and their lawn is always impeccable, their flower beds tidy and the house is well maintained. Who cares if they like to celebrate holidays in an over-the-top fashion or that they robustly love America? While I wouldn’t necessarily inflate anything in my front yard, I think it’s tacky to use them as an example in this article.
I live in Bloomfield in a beautiful Tudor cottage built in 1929. I have original chestnut trim throughout the house, antique glass doorknobs, a gorgeous slate roof, and a garden that just gets more robust and fragrant with each passing week. My grass is emerald green and the home to a few cute bunnies. I wake up to the sound of cardinals singing, and butterflies surround me on my morning walk to the bus.
I wish this had been the magical setting used instead for the photo above. It would certainly represent my version of Bloomfield more accurately, and as this thread nears 100 responses, I’m sure others would agree.
Don’t look now but another Bloomfield “believer” is moving into the old deli in North Center on Broad St, across from Pandan. It’s going to be a French bistro. Restaurants almost out number the nail salons! Best of luck to the new tenants!
I believe the photo illustrates the “unquantifiable but looming psychosocial divides.”
To be perfectly honest, ever since the Times article dropped I’ve was checking this site to see what would be said. But I expected all the nastiness to come from the comments.
I believe the photo illustrates the “unquantifiable but looming psychosocial divides.”
To be perfectly honest, ever since the Times article dropped I’ve was checking this site to see what would be said. But I expected all the nastiness to come from the comments.
Ha–good one. That’s a nice way of saying “people who live in Bloomfield are so unenlightened as to put low-class signifiers (i.e.,inflatable crap)on their lawns, unlike those of us who live in better, in-denial-that-we’re-actually-closer-to-Newark-than-we’d-like-to-be-towns who would NEVER do such a manifestly tacky thing”.
Thanks for the correction regarding Aroma. I hadn’t realized it was gone; saw it the other day and the sign was still there so didn’t realize.
HangingOn, great news about the French Bistro – I can’t wait to try it.
Also glad someone mentioned Aki and Pandan – also must mention Brookside Thai and the other sushi restaurant on Broad Street, which is very good also. It used to be Mishi, now it’s called Kira Kira.
I’ll take an inflatable blow up Homer Simpson Santa Claus over an “Obama for President” sign any day.
Scuba, do you really believe t there were no Obama signs in Bloomfield? Or that anyone who puts up an inflatable Homer is either unenlightened or conservative? Talk about your stereotypes. At least you didn’t mention all the Mary on a half shell shrines.
Montclair is more in line with the zeitgeist
(tonight on ABC)
Oh, I’m just having some fun. Some of my best friends are Libs. Hey, speaking of Mary on a half shell shrines, what ever happened to the old tire planters some people had on their lawns in the ’70′s? I miss them.
I just can’t wait…
I’m going to put up a big inflatable figure of Philip Roth in my front garden.
We used to call those Mary figurines “Our Lady of the Refrigerator”. I haven’t seen quite as many “lawn dupas” around here as I used to in upstate NY…you know, those polka-dot bloomer-clad ladies bending over?
After moving into Bloomfield 20 years ago, I am still here. After growing up in North Arlington, Bloomfield seemed like a small city. I was wrong. Bloomfield, despite it’s size, is a tightly knit community. Everyone knows each other and everyone says hello to each other. We all have one thing in common…we all want what’s best for this town and are very committed to making it better for our children. When a Bloomfielder raises an unflattering issue involving the town, it’s only out of concern for our community and it’s people. I would never think of slamming a neighboring town, because I’m sure that town’s community feels the same way. Yes, Bloomfield does have issues, such as the Center, but hopefully, with positive leadership and resolve, those issues will be resolved.
ROC, in your perpetual shrillness, you’re so convinced that global warming is a farce.
Why not put your money where your mouth is?
Buy a homestead for your future descendants somewhere on a barrier island off of one of the Red States. Buy it now before it submerges permanently.
That’ll teach these socialist bastards a thing or two.
In my opinion, the children and empty nesters of Montclair and Bloomfield are indistinguishable. I can’t offer an opinion on single people because they are outside of my radar, but they also seem similar. The parents are rather different. I would venture to say that parents in Montclair tend to be less friendly than Bloomfield parents.
I know that Montclair schools are supposed to be wonderful, but that has not been our experience, (NYC being our standard for comparison). I have seen Bloomfield’s summer music program finale, and I was rather impressed, but I know that is just one aspect.
As for the property, I would say that Bloomfield’s Brookdale area is comparably as nice as any part of Montclair. I would also say that the less savory areas of both towns are similar. I noticed many Bloomfield residents tend to have backyard pools, so I suppose a community pool is not in high demand. Overall, I believe both towns have the wonderful perks of suburban living.
We joke about being bamboozled by a previous NY TImes article, as we are still awaiting the promised weekend service! As for Decamp, I have been boycotting them for more than 4 years now.
“Restaurants almost out number the nail salons!”
Against law.
THE FACT THAT BLOOMFIELD SHARES A BOUNDRY LINE WITH NEWARK…..SO WHAT !!
MAPLEWOOD ALSO DOES
SOUTH ORANGE ALSO DOES
MILLBURN SHARES BOUNDRIES WITH THE VAUXHALL SECTION OF UNION.
MONTCLAIR SHARES A BOUNDRY WITH ORANGE.
PEOPLE ARE PAYING 3/4S OF A MILLION AND OVER, TO BUY PROPERITY IN MAPLEWOOD /SOUTH ORANGE / MILLBURN
SHARING A BOUNDRY HAS NO DETRIMENT OVER THERE AND IT SHOULD NOT HERE IN BLMFD (OR ANY OTHER PLACE).
I WAS BORN & RAISED IN MAPLEWOOD, LATER WE MOVED TO SOUTH ORANGE, BOTH HAND & HAND GREAT TOWNS. I GO BACK THERE WEEKLY TO SHOP, AS I CANNOT SHOP IN BLMFD. OTHER THAN CENTER DRUG, WISE OPTICAL, ROXY FLORIST AND MY WIFE LIKES ANNIE SEZ. I MISS SUBWAY AND EAT AT SENORITAS AND COUSINS PIZZA & FREQUENTLY AT STAR PIZZA (oops, that is Orange.)
I read these posts today and had to laugh. I have owned a home in Bloomfield for 6 years; my kids attend the schools. Let’s see, this year they participated in Mock Trial, Stock Market Game, Summer Arts, travel soccer, Challenge 24(by the way -they won!), leadership and peer mediation, Dare and Gang Awareness (anyone thinking this doesn’t need to be taught in any town is an idiot). The neighborhood is great – the people are friendly – the bagel place is the best local watering hole I know – the kids can walk everywhere and my backyard is a beautiful county park. And, by the way, I can afford to go out to dinner because I am not house poor.
The “Bloomfield Oh” is not new. We hear it everytime we tell someone where we live. Ms. Galant did not create that pity that people feel compelled to express when one “admits” to living here. I did the GR thing – for my entire childhood – and I choose to not raise my kids there. My kids are going to be well prepared for the real world – not the privilege and shelter of a GR. Don’t feel bad Debbie – most of us wouldn’t switch with you. You can keep it. The coffee is fine on Broad Street.
We are so proud of the Montclair Schools, Go number 85!!!!!, now that we gave the administrators a 4.5 pay raise we can make it all the way to 80
one more point,
Debbie,is the collar of Bloomfield a little too blue for you. Maybe you should take the 88 bus home one day and see there are even reporters for the NY Times that live in Bloomfield
Oh, that reminded me. I also LOVE Cambridge Bagels on Blmfd. Avenue next to Bloomfield Electric. Probably my favorite retail outlet in Bloomfield.
That’s brilliant, ROC.
“Helen knows that everybody is entitled to their opinion. She just can’t stand it.”
When we first moved to Bloomfield (2000), I stopped by the library on Broad St. to get a library card. I was talking to the staff member behind the desk, telling her that I’d just moved to Bloomfield.
She looked at me and said, “Why’d you move HERE? Bloomfield used to be nice but now it’s horrible!”.
I just stood there thinking: “And thank you ever so much for your warm welcome to Bloomfield, library lady!”
GnM, perhaps you’re not aware that Glen Ridge borders East Orange?
We’re all pretty close to Newark (and EO, and Irvington, and other towns where the average person is less privileged than most folks from Montclair, Bloomfield, and Glen Ridge). If you’re that concerned about “tigers,” I’m not sure why you’d want to live in Essex county at all.
I’ve lived in some very poor neighborhoods and now I live in Glen Ridge (by happenstance, not design), and I’ve lived in lots of places in between.
If I had a kid, I’d actually rather have him/her go to school in the Bloomfield school system than in Glen Ridge. I went through a school system a lot like Bloomfield’s, and I did well academically (both in public school and in college). Kids who are interested in learning find ways to do that. I’m so glad to have been part of the cultural richness of my very diverse school system and wouldn’t have considered trading it for wealthy, homogenous Glen Ridge.
“Helen knows that everybody is entitled to their opinion. She just can’t stand it.”
Sort of describes baristanet, don’t you think walleroo?
I also love the vegan dog, Ché. And the bumper sticker on their Prius: “Support our troops and their opponents” .
KatebirdRex,
I used to feel the same way as you– I’ll take Bloomfield, a town like the town I grew up in, over GR.
But now, I feel different.
Your kid may be great, but as long as there are more kids.. how to say this… not scoring as high as those in other towns… you run the risk of your kid falling into the wrong crowd.
Therefore, I’d rather my chances in a town where the kids score high, education is valued and being smart and doing the right thing is not frowned upon, than one that does not.
So, diversity aside, I’d go with GR.
Likewise, if my little one starts to mess up in the Montclair Public Schools- I’ll send him to a private school in a second.
You can learn to accept diversity anywhere, but you can only get your formal education at school.
ROC dfid you watch that show last night? I thought it was hysterical. I want to say more but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
That show sounds hysterical, plus I’m a big Mike Judge fan. Will have to check it out.
I can see your point, prof. It is true that education wasn’t highly valued across the board where I went to school.
I guess I happened to be intrinsically motivated, and tended to surround myself with similar people. For a kid who could go either way, I can see why it’d be valuable to be around a higher percentage of kids who are motivated to do well in school. It’s certainly food for thought.
i agree the tone of the article was very off-putting. i have lived in bloomfield for nearly 5 years and am happy to report that no one i know wants to be a montclair lite. the “choice” of elementary schools is something people dread. the high school is not enviable. our kids attend the oak view school, a blue-ribbon school.
Can some of you Montclair folks explain what “unquantifiable but looming psychosocial divides” are. I live in Bloomfield and I am scared. Does it mean that at some point in the near future my fellow Bloomfielders will splinter into psychosocial factions? Should I start stockpiling canned foods in a psychosocial divide shelter? What causes it? Is it too late to try and stop the looming psychosocial divide? I feel so helpless.
I believe that this article relays quite a bit of information about Ms. Galant, herself.
Her reference to a “psychosocial divide” is inappropriate both in its intended meaning AND its actual meaning. Ms. Galant, a psychosocial-divide would refer to issues related to mental health psychology, not diversity of race or economic status. Perhaps you meant socio-economic divide? But, no, that would have too clearly stated your feeling about *whisper*those of another race*whisper*. Please don’t try to use big words or concepts that extend beyond your (obviously) narrow views of the world.
Ms. Galant’s attempt at a consolation near the end of her article akin to “Bloomfield sucks and is for poor people, but some very nice(expensive) shops and restaurants are located there, so I suppose we shouldn’t burn the place down” is pathetic and a window into the over-materialistic soul of this woman. An unfortunate trait, to be sure.
Lastly, the actual facts of this tirade hinge mostly on the scores of Bloomfield High School. The Times article was suggesting Bloomfield as a starter town, which implies young-marrieds with young or no children. Brookdale Elementary, for one, is a wonderful Blue Ribbon school. Elementary or early middle school would likely be as far as a child of these “starter suburbanites” would go while still living in the original home.
Please note 2 things, Ms. Galant:
1) Most of us who live in Bloomfield chose to live here not because we can’t afford to live in Montclair, but because DO NOT WANT TO LIVE IN MONTCLAIR. People in any area outside of Baristaville (including NYC) openly roll their eyes and mock Montclair as a town of urban “wannabes”. Those who believe Montclair is SO superior to Bloomfield are the same people who choose to wear only designer clothing. You do so for the ego boost and out of a misplaced effort to make yourself feel important. (To be clear, I did not say ALL people who live in Montclair, just those who believe themselves far superior to their Bloomfield counterparts.)
2) You owe a great, public apology to all those readers residing in Bloomfield. Your snobbery is unacceptable, particularly considering (as others have noted) the fact that this township is very much part of your “Baristaville”. I would like to DEMAND a new article be written in which you plainly apologize for this insult. If Ms. Galant has her nose too far in the air to do so, then perhaps we should boycott all her generous sponsors.