I lived in the Ivy Hill Apartments from
1967 to 1974. I lived at 25 Manor Drive. This was my very first
apartment after getting out of the Marine Corps and living with
my father for four or five months. My first apartment was a one
bedroom. In 1968 just about the time my lease was up a fellow I
was working with down at National Newark & Essex Bank was looking
for an apartment and we decided to become roommates and we moved
into a two bedroom apartment. I forget what the rents were then
but they were pretty cheap.
I liked the apartments very much and I liked the convenience of
just walking to the corner and jumping on the bus to take me to
work downtown. There were parking lots across the street from the
apartments and that was very convenient and very cheap.
We had a laundry room down in the basement and there were many
times I left my clothes in the washer and dryer and went back to
my apartment and came back an hour or so later and nothing had ever
been stolen.
I made, and had, many friends amongst the people who were living
there at the time. My apt was the “party apt” for many
years. I’m still in touch with some of my friends from the
Ivy Hill Apartments to this day.
We had a beautiful park right across the street and plenty of food
stores, bars –Cryan’s on Stuvyesant Ave – cleaners,
etc. all within walking distance. Seton Hall campus was just a few
blocks away.
From the Ivy Hill Apartments it was very convenient to go up to
South Orange Village and Grunnings Ice Cream Parlor and any of the
other great stores there in the Village or just go up the hill to
South Mountain Reservation.
I have nothing but great memories of the Ivy Hill Apartments.
I was living in the Ivy Hill Apartments during the 1967 riots in
downtown Newark. The bus I took to work every day – I think
it was the “54 Stuvyesant” - had to be “rerouted”
several different times in the days following the riots as we made
our way downtown. There were several times that rocks and other
types of debris were thrown at the bus by the low-life’s along
the route.
At this point in time – 2011 – the apartments are still
kept in pretty good shape and the neighborhood is not that bad –
never really went downhill as other parts of Newark did after the
riots. You can still rent a two bedroom apartment for less than
$900 a month and that includes gas and electric.
|
