The Heights
Central Avenue. Photo by Aaron Morrill
By Alexandra Antonucci, Kattie Corte and Azlie Lavandier
Where?
The Heights is located in the New Jersey palisades right next to Hoboken. Its boundaries are Paterson plank to the North, Highway 78 to the South, Hoboken to the East and the Hackensack River to the West.
History of The Heights:
The Heights became an official town in 1852 and merged with Jersey City in 1873. What is thought to be the oldest building in Hudson County, the Van Vorst House (1742), is located here.
Neighborhood Makeup:
According to data from the Statistical Atlas and the US Census Bureau, The Heights has the following population:
Race: 45% Hispanic, 23.9% Asian, 21.6% White, 7.1% Black, 1.6% Mixed, 0.9% Other
Transportation:
The Heights has multiple transportation options. There are the NJ Transit buses, Jitney buses and VIA Service.
The buses can be taken on Palisade Ave or John F. Kennedy Blvd, that go to various parts of Hudson County including Hackensack, North Bergen, Guttenberg, West New York, and Union City.
NJ Transit buses: 84 and 84P can be taken on Palisade Ave, buses 88 and 83 can be taken on John F. Kennedy Blvd. Residents can also take the same buses to Journal Square Transportation center where they can take buses, the Path train, or the light rail to NYC and other parts of NJ.
VIA Service: a new ride-sharing service that charges $2 per ride to get anywhere around the city, plus $0.50 per mile for rides outside of downtown.
Passengers can select a pick-up and drop-off location and confirm their ride through the Via mobile app, or a phone line for users without access to a smartphone. All of the vans are electric. Service ends at 10 p.m. and there is currently no weekend service.
The Ninth Street / Congress Street Light Rail Station is also located in the Heights.
Shopping:
The Central Avenue Shopping District is home to a variety of boutiques, restaurants, markets and stores that cater to not only the community, but the city of Jersey City. The full list of stores can be found on JCHeights.com.
Landmarks:
Leonard Gordon Park (located on the corner of Manhattan Avenue and John F. Kennedy Boulevard) has become something of a local legend for Jersey City residents. Most commonly referred to as ‘Mosquito Park’, it is named after Dr. Leonard Gordon, a Union-fighting Civil War soldier who practiced medicine in Jersey City and founded the first public library. Visitors will find life-size statues of bears and buffalo throughout the park, courtesy of sculptor Solon Hannibal Borglum.
When the White Mana Diner (470 Tonnelle Avenue) was promoted as “the diner of the future” at the 1939 Worlds Fair, who knew that the local landmark would still be around to sling burgers and serve milkshakes today. Mario Costa has owned the diner since 1979, and it still has the same art deco, local charm that captivated audiences at the Worlds Fair. And the prices can’t be beat either: a cheeseburger is sold at $2.05.
Farmer’s Markets:
The Riverview Farmer’s Market is held every Sunday, rain or shine, from 10 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverview-Fisk Park (498 Palisades Avenue.) The market runs from the first Sunday in May through the first Sunday before Thanksgiving in November.
Political Representation:
Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh was elected in May of 2020 following the passing of Michael Yun. Born and raised in the Heights, he graduated from Rutgers University with his juris doctorate and has remained active in his community.
Alexa Lima serves as the Executive Director for the Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID), a position she has held since May of 2020. CASID was established to improve and preserve the “main street” aspect of the Heights community. It hopes to turn the area into a go-to for dining, shopping and working.
The Riverview Neighborhood Association (RNA) is the oldest and continually active community organizations in Jersey City. Founded in 1983, it partners with community members, local organizations and government leaders to instill pride and improve the quality of life in the neighborhood. Jocelyn D. Patrick serves as the RNA President.