Gold Coast, New Jersey

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The Gold Coast
Skyline of The Gold Coast
Location of The Gold Coast
Counties Hudson and Bergen
Area  
 - City 53.1 mi² 137.529 km²
 - Land 36.9 mi² 95.571 km²
 - Water 16.2 mi² 41.958 km²
Population  
 - City (2000) 606,221
 - Density 16,428.8/mi² 42,550.6/km²
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)

New Jersey's Gold Coast consists of a string of communities on the west bank of the Hudson River, across from New York City in Hudson and Bergen counties. The term is a relatively new one and was coined by real estate agents, brokers, and developers in the 1990s who participated in the redevelopment and revitalization of these former industrial communities.

Contents

[edit] History

The west bank of the Hudson was initially settled by Europeans around the same time as New York City, in the early 1600s. Prior to this it was inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans.

During the latter half of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, this region experienced intense growth, due largely to the many railroad terminals that were built there. Before the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad's North River Tunnels under the Hudson, railroads terminated on the west bank of the river, forcing travellers (and cargo) to travel by ferry to get to Manhattan. This, coupled with the development of ports in Jersey City and Bayonne, resulted in intense industrial and residential development in the area.

However, the construction of tunnels and bridges into Manhattan, coupled with the growing popularity of road travel over the railroads or boats, spelled the end of the railroads and ports. Most of the ports along the Hudson and Lower New York Bay were shut down, while nearly all of the railroad terminals closed. The only remaining railroad terminal currently in operation along the Gold Coast is Hoboken Terminal, which serves as a terminus for many New Jersey Transit commuter trains. As much of the capital and wealth fled the region after World War II, the area experienced a major downturn, which lasted through to the late-1990s.

[edit] Today

Today, it is primarily made up of established urban communities that were commercial/industrial in nature throughout the 20th century, though some areas were high-density bedroom communities. The area is currently experiencing intensive economic development, consisting largely of high-density residential buildings, office towers, and retail centers. Some of this development is on brownfields that were once factories, warehouses, docks, and rail yards. Existing housing stock, made up mostly of high-density detached homes, old brownstones/rowhouses and converted industrial spaces, has been revitalized — particularly in areas near to public transportation corridors. Additionally, the area is seeing new residential development, in the form of single-family housing, multi-family apartments, and condominiums. Today, the Gold Coast has some of the most valuable real estate in the state.

The Gold Coast communities are very urban and have some of the highest residential densities in the United States. However, the communities remain fragmented, due in part to New Jersey's long history of home rule local government. Within these communities exist distinct neighborhoods and shopping districts, formed in part due to isolation caused by Hudson River inlets, the cliffs of the New Jersey Palisades and rail lines.

[edit] Transportation

The Gold Coast is well-served by public transportation, including:

All three of New Jersey's road connections to Manhattan — the Holland Tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the George Washington Bridge — terminate in Gold Coast communities (Jersey City, Weehawken and Fort Lee, respectively). The Bayonne Bridge connects the Gold Coast to Staten Island. The following major highways traverse through or very near Gold Coast communities, Interstate 80, Interstate 95, the New Jersey Turnpike, U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 9, U.S. Route 46, Route 3, Route 4, Interstate 78, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway.

[edit] Communities

Part of the New York metropolitan area, the Gold Coast has a population of approximately 600,000. The Gold Coast is made up of the following communities (from south to north):

[edit] See also

[edit] Interesting Facts

  • If the Gold Coast were incorporated into one city, it would be the twenty-first most populated in the country and would still have the smallest land area of the most populous fifty.
  • The most densely populated city in the country, Union City, New Jersey is in the Gold Coast
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