Bucolic retreat 5 miles from Montclair and 20 miles from Midtown Manhattan
The birthplace of former U.S. President Grover Cleveland and not too far away from the home of fictional HBO mafia man Tony Soprano, Caldwell, New Jersey has its fair share of Italian marketplaces and cozy restaurants along Bloomfield Avenue. There’s also Caldwell University, a four-year private institution with an undergraduate population of approximately 1,600, large-scale brick libraries and sprawling greens. Compass Broker Associate and Caldwell local Sandra Bolcar, who works alongside her husband, Robert Bolcar, describes Caldwell as “the center of the donut,” surrounded by communities like West Caldwell, North Caldwell and Roseland to the south. “There’re lots of church steeples and older buildings built in the 1800s,” she says, noting that “bucolic” is the best way to describe the community; “It’s a quiet retreat from Montclair; it’s nice to come home to the hill.” According to the Bolcars, this is the type of place where people know one another by name and wave hello on the street. Community members also connect online in Facebook groups like “I Love Living in the Caldwell,” which Sandra herself founded in 2014. New York City is a steady presence to the east, just about 20 miles away along Interstate 280.
Among its many claims to fame, Caldwell, NJ was the birthplace of President Grover Cleveland,
Calandra's Italian Village in Caldwell, NJ offers a wide array of Italian specialties.
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White picket fences and condominium communities
In Caldwell, prospective buyers will find a mix of pre-World War II architecture and brand-new developments. However, Colonial styles are dominant. Two-bedroom condo units close to downtown start in the mid-$300,000s and can sell for upwards of $500,000 in luxury buildings. Mid-century split-levels and raised ranch styles with single-car garages start around $650,000, and renovated Colonials, 20th-century cottages and colorful Victorians, many of which have intricate crown molding and rocking chairs on their front porches, can hover between $700,000 and $1 million depending on square footage. Historic homes in a part of town called “The Cedars” are especially coveted, says Bolcar, and locals can easily walk down the hill to Grover Cleveland Park. White picket fences aren’t just a suburban movie trope in Caldwell: they’re a decorative feature in several front yards.
There are many well maintained Colonial homes in Caldwell, NJ.
New townhouses in Caldwell, NJ offer an alternative to the single family home.
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The Halloween Festival in Grover Cleveland Park
Spanning over 40 acres, Grover Cleveland Park was famously designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm in the early 1900s — they were also responsible for Manhattan’s Central Park. Today, residents make use of the running trails, throw frisbees in the fields and cast their fishing lines in the pond, which freezes over for skating in the winter, according to Bolcar. There’s also a playground, tennis courts and outdoor workout equipment. Every October, residents gather in the park for the town’s Halloween Festival.
Italian eateries along Bloomfield Avenue
Caldwell’s restaurant scene is primarily confined to Bloomfield Avenue and its side streets. There’s Angeloni’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, known for what they call their “Thinny Thin” pizza and pasta dishes. When the weather warms, enjoy the back patio at Stephanie’s Italian Restaurant and, afterward, walk to Guerriero Gelato & Cakes for a cone. Cloverleaf Tavern has been a Caldwell staple for generations — today, it’s known for its expensive draught list, regularly scheduled trivia nights and, according to Bolcar, “supposedly having the best burgers in Essex County.” Grocery options in the area include Super Foodtown, Caldwell Market Place for fresh cuts of meat and ShopRite in the West Caldwell shopping center. There’s also Calandra’s Italian Village, which has imported goods from Italy as well as prepared items. “You go underneath the arch to get in, and there are grape vines growing over arbors where you can sit out to eat in the summertime,” she says. “It’s a destination.”
Slices of "thinny thin" pizza at Angeloni's in Caldwell, NJ.
Guerriero in Caldwell, NJ was voted the best gelato in North America in 2019.
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Hauntings, parades and U.S. Presidents
Essex Lodge is turned into a haunted house each Halloween, and kids can stop by the high school parking lot for an event called “Trunk or Treat,” where residents fill their trunks with candy. The West Essex Memorial Day Parade is perhaps best known for the bicycle decorating contest, and locals celebrate the Fourth of July by watching the West Essex fireworks show at the James Caldwell High School baseball field. There’s an annual tree lighting at the Caldwell Firehouse, and children can pose for pictures with Santa. Although it’s currently closed for construction, the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Museum will reopen to offer tours on Bloomfield Avenue next to St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church.
Dual enrollment and vocational opportunities at James Caldwell High School
Area students can enroll in Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools. The four elementary schools include Essex Fells, which was awarded an A-plus on the educational review site Niche and ranked within New Jersey’s top 10 public elementary schools, and the A-minus-rated Lincoln Elementary closer to downtown. Named after one of the town’s most notable residents, Grover Cleveland Middle also has an A-minus; so does James Caldwell High. JCHS boasts a long list of popular electives like Monsters in Literature, Philosophy Through Science Fiction and Classical Mythology. The high school has dual enrollment partnerships with Seton Hall, Fairleigh Dickinson and Kean University. Students can also pursue vocational opportunities at Essex School of Technology.
Students enter through the scenic front entrance of James Caldwell High School.
The beautiful Campus of Caldwell University in Caldwell.
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Cars, trains and buses into New York City
Caldwell doesn’t have its own train station, making neighboring towns like Montclair more attractive to commuters — the Montclair-Boonton rail runs all the way to Penn Station. Residents looking to travel into the city can also drive 20 miles along Interstate 280 or take the express bus from the Willowbrook Mall. “In the mornings they do what’s called a bus lane where they close the other side of the highway to create an unobstructed route,” says Bolcar. Public buses also run up and down Bloomfield Avenue. Newark Liberty International Airport is about a half-hour from Caldwell, and residents can seek medical care at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, a teaching hospital with nearly 600 beds, or Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair.
Bloomfield Ave. with its shops, restaurants and churches is at the heart of Caldwell, NJ.
NJ Transit buses carry Caldwell, NJ commuters into NYC and other parts of New Jersey.
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