STRATEGIC REVITALIZATION PLAN
for the
WEST SIDE COMMUNITY OF NEWARK, NJ

Volume III:
Markets and Opportunities for Residential Develpoments

Report on behalf of the Corinthian Housing Development Corporation

Project Community
Center for Urban Policy Research

May 12, 1997

Principal Investigators and Authors:
Laura V. Arce
Timothy S. Doherty
Brenda Gilbert
Toshiko Nagazumi

Faculty Advisors:
Norman Glickman, Ph.D.
Renee Sieber, Instructor

Project Manager & Editor:
Stephen Finn

Project Community Center for Urban Policy Research Dr. Norman J. Glickman, Director Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Funding support for Project Community is provided by the Fund for New Jersey, Ford Foundation and Rutgers University.

PROJECT COMMUNITY

Project Community is an initiative of the Center for Urban policy Research at Rutgers supported in part by a grant from the Fund for New Jersey and the Ford Foundation, to provide research assistance to New Jersey's community based organizations. Project Community responds to requests for research on community development projects which CBOs plan to implement. The aim of Project Community is to help CBOs further their goal of rebuilding distressed communities. Project Community is part of the Center for Urban Policy Research's 25 years of service to New Jersey's governments, industries and CBOs on matters of poverty, housing, economic development, land use, transportation, technology and the environment.

Project Community draws upon the talent and resources of Rutgers University's faculty, staff and students from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and other disciplines to carry out its mission. An advisory board of nonprofit community development corporations and their representatives exists to make policy recommendations for the Project Community effort.

STRATEGIC REVITALIZATION PLAN for the WEST SIDE PARK COMMUNITY of NEWARK, NJ

This report is part of a four volume strategic plan prepared on behalf of the Corinthian Housing Development Corporation to assist the organization in its mission to revitalize its target neighborhood in the West Side Park Community of Newark, NJ. The subjects covered by these volumes are:

• Volume #1: Islands of Strength, Reasons for Hope: An Analysis of the Springfield Avenue and South Orange Avenue Commercial Corridors
• Volume #2: Schools and Community Development: A Study of Three Elementary Schools
• Volume #3: Markets and Opportunities for Residential Development
• Volume #4: Needs Assessment and Analysis of Crime and West Side Park.

The research covered in these reports respond to specific questions asked by Corinthian, and in the case of the education report, the Newark Public Schools as well.

• Executive Summary
• Introduction to Research Area and Problem
• Housing Problem in the West Side Park Community
  • Neighborhood Demographic Description
  • Neighborhood Housing Stock Description
  • Local Housing Demand
• Vacant Lot Study
  • The Database
  • General Characteristics of the Blocks and Ownership
  • Findings and Recommendations
• Resident Satisfaction - Corinthian Homes Survey
  • Choosing Corinthian Homes
  • Neighborhood Satisfaction
  • Corinthian Homes Satisfaction
  • Residents Transportation
  • Services/Amenities Desired
  • Major Findings
  • Recommendations
• Corinthian's Housing Market
  • Overview
  • Characteristics of Respondents
  • Present Living Conditions
  • Reasons for Desiring Relocation
  • Housing Type Preference
  • Working Conditions
  • Children
  • Recommendations
• Observations and Recommendations
  • Vision Issues
  • Community Planning
  • Parking
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• Bibliography
• Appendices
  • Appendix A1. The Two Tables in the Database
  • Appendix A2. Acreage of Vacant Lots by Block
  • Appendix A3. Figure 1: Study Area
  • Appendix A4. Figure 4: Vacant Lots in the Study Area
  • Appendix A5. Figure 5: Vacant Lots Owned by the City in the Study Area
  • Appendix A6. Figure 6: Housing Authority Property
  • Appendix A7. Figure 7. Focus Group 1
  • Appendix A8. Figure 8: Focus Group 2
  • Appendix B1. Resident Survey
  • Appendix B2. Results of Resident Survey
  • Appendix B3. Comments Written on the Surveys
  • Appendix C1. Wait List Survey