Newark is New Jersey’s most populous city. It is also a major transportation hub in the US and an important gateway into New York. Port Newark is the largest container port on the East Coast having moved over $100 billion worth of goods in 2003. Newark is also home to Liberty International Airport which was the first commercial airport in the US. The city is home to many multinational companies such as PSEG, IDT Corporation, Manischewitz and Panasonic North America. Newark is one of the few cities in the US whose populace is majority African American. 50 percent of the population in Newark is African American and about 24 percent is caucasian.
North Ironbound is part of the larger Ironbound neighborhood and unincorporated community. North Ironbound has one of the largest Portuguese communities in the US. Most of the Portuguese came into the countries in the 1910s, 1920s and 1950s. The neighborhood is unique from other Newark neighborhoods as it has a Caucasian population of around 53 percent and an African American population of only about 4 percent. Housing in North Ironbound is costlier than other Newark neighborhoods as the rents and house prices are higher. 80 percent of houses in North Ironbound are renter occupied and only 20 percent are occupied by their owners. Public transport is available in North Ironbound with ample bus stops distributed throughout the neighborhood. There are many high quality restaurants in Newark offering different cuisines. Ferry Street, which is popular in New Jersey, has Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish, Mexican and Ecuadorian restaurants on its famous strip.
Forest Hill neighborhood is located north of Newark city and to the west of the Passaic River. The Branch Brook Park runs through the neighborhood from north to south. Branch Brook Park is home to the largest collection of cherry blossoms in the US. Forest Hill is home to the colorful Cherry Blossom Festival held every April. The park was first planted in 1985 and it is one of the primary attractions in Newark. Forest Hill is more expensive than other Newark neighborhoods with an average home price of around $250,000.
University Heights is a neighborhood in central Newark. It is bounded by University Avenue on the east side, South Orange Avenue to the south, Bergen Street on the west side and Central Avenue on the northern side. The neighbor is so named because four academic institutions are found within its bounds. The institutions are New Jersey Medical School, Essex County College, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University. Collectively these schools enroll 40,000 students. In addition to the colleges there are four public and three private high schools. University Heights’ population is predominantly African American who constitute around 54 percent of its population. The neighborhood has many restaurants and clubs for providing entertainment. There are also numerous parks such as The Green Community Garden, Sussex Park and The People’s Garden for those who love getting in touch with nature. University Heights also has the Prudential Center, a shopping center, which provides office spaces and upscale stores and retailers.