Like every town we have kid’s soccer but only South Orange has its own art gallery. These telling words were spoken by a mom explaining what she thought made South Orange so special. I agree. My family has the opportunity to explore our athletic and artistic interests right here in town.
She was referring to the Pierro Gallery of South Orange, located in The Baird Center, the recreational hub of South Orange. The rambling Tudor style building sits surrounded by tennis courts, the town pool, basketball courts, baseball fields, bocce courts and, yes, soccer fields. There is also a large duck pond, used for skating in the winter, and Floods Hill, the scene for winter sledding and outdoor concerts in the summer.
Arts and sports are central to families in South Orange, many of whom have moved here from Manhattan and Brooklyn in the past 15 years. The Midtown Direct line, started in 1996, reaches Penn Station in just 35 minutes.
Commute
South Orange is only 3 square miles but it has two New Jersey Transit train stations. The main station, South Orange, is located in the center of town. From there trains go to and from Penn Station on the Midtown Direct Line seven days a week. Trains continue westbound to Summit, Morristown and Dover. Permit parking is available in lots close by. Daily parking is available for $4.00. For many, weekday mornings are a quick dash from car (or cycle) to Starbucks and then upstairs to the train. A jitney bus service, covering three routes, brings more commuters to the train station. Commuters purchase roundtrip monthly tickets to and from Penn Station or Hoboken for $193.
Mountain Station, located less than a mile east of South Orange Station, has an interesting history. It was originally created as a stop for the renowned Mountain House resort, just up the hill from what is now North Ridgewood Road. This spa was a popular destination for a water cure. Horse drawn carriages would carry the vacationers up the hill from the train. Now most trains that stop at this station are headed to Hoboken where commuters catch a PATH train into lower Manhattan. Limited permit parking is available.Buses to the Livingston Mall run along South Orange Avenue. Easy access to 280, the Garden State Parkway and Routes 24 and 78 make north, south and westbound commutes easy.
Eats
Ashley Marketplace is food central in South Orange. It’s a cheese market, bakery, butcher, fishmonger, deli and grocery store packed into a (relatively) small downtown shop. It also has its own parking garage behind the store and a restaurant above it. The restaurant is appropriately named Above and is a great spot for lunch, dinner or drinks. Two terraces offer alfresco dining, weather permitting.Walking along South Orange Avenue, you’ll find The Gaslight, South Orange’s own brew pub. Excellent beers are available on tap or by the growler to take home and enjoy. You’ll want to stop at Kitchen a La Mode, it has everything but food for cooking and entertaining.Casual dining spots and gathering places abound with the Village Trattoria for pizza, Chris’s Family Restaurant, the Village Diner and Stony’s for burgers and shakes.
For coffee there’s Starbucks, under the train platform, as well as Cait & Abby’s bakery. Dunkin Donuts, Hot Bagels Abroad and Grid Iron are other convenient spots along South Orange Avenue.
Town Hall Deli gives South Orange bragging rights. It is the home of the original Sloppy Joe. This sandwich, not to be confused with the ground beef and sauce sandwich by the same name, is a hand crafted masterpiece of meats, cheeses and slaw. Formerly on South Orange Avenue it is now located at the start of Valley Road. Fair warning: one sandwich serves 2 hungry eaters.Close by are two South Orange gathering places for food and drink, Toro Loco for Mexican fare and Bunny’s Sports Bar for great pizza.Travel the world by visiting one of our two Ethiopian restaurants, Harrar Café and Lalibela. There’s Pandang for Thai food, Neelam for Indian, Ariyoshi or Harusame for Japanese and several places in town for Chinese takeout.
There’s a great new addition to the food scene on Irvington Avenue, Blue Plate Special. A cozy atmosphere and soul-satisfying food make it a popular destination. In the summer the Farmer’s Market is held every Wednesday from 2:00 to 7:00 in the parking lot across from the South Orange train station.
For dessert there’s Cold Stone and Love & Yogurt.
Neighborhoods
Location, location, location. That’s the real estate mantra but the truth is you can’t go wrong in South Orange. This small town has one good neighborhood after another. While one offers the convenience of walking to town another offers great sunsets. Large Victorians, homey Craftsman style and contemporary ranch houses they’re all here.Montrose Park is an historic district which runs from Seton Hall University to Mountain Station. Curvy, tree-lined streets, large front yards and expansive homes, many dating from the late 1800 and early 1900s, mark this neighborhood.High on the hill is Newstead. Interesting modern architecture (many homes were built in the 1950s and 60s) mixes with older homes, many situated to enjoy views of New York and striking sunsets. This community nestles into the South Mountain Reservation a natural, preserved wonderland.
Many more neighborhoods, named and unnamed, offer a wonderful mix of homes and community. You really can’t go wrong in South Orange!
There are about 5500 households in the village. While most families live in single-family homes, there are also apartments and condominiums, especially on and close to South Orange Avenue, Seton Hall University, the train station and downtown. A community of new homes was built in the 2000s on the site of a quarry.The town offers a mix of unique homes, welcoming front porches, backyard patios and spacious yards. Notable neighbors include singer Dionne Warwick, jazz musician Claudio Roditi and actor Andre Braugher.South Orange, along with Maplewood, has made a conscious effort to maintain a diverse community. The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race is an organization committed to building a unique, suburban community that is free of racial segregation in housing patterns and community involvement.
Town services are excellent, keeping the streets maintained and cleared in all weather conditions. Many neighborhoods have active Neighborhood Watch groups.
Schools
The Village of South Orange separated from what is now Maplewood in 1904. Although South Orange formed its own government, the school system has always been shared. Generally speaking, South Orange children attend elementary schools in close proximity to their homes. All South Orange and Maplewood students attend Columbia High School in Maplewood.The following schools are located in South Orange:
- Marshall kindergarten and grades 1 and 2.
- South Mountain Annex kindergarten and 1st grade.
- South Mountain kindergarten, 2nd through 5th grade.
- South Orange Middle School 6th, 7th and 8th grades
(there is also a Maplewood Middle).
Note: many South Orange students attend schools in Maplewood, particularly Jefferson for grades 3 5.
Since there are variables, including the exact location of your home and parental choice, that determine where your children will go to school I will be happy to help you sort it out. My daughters went to Marshall and Jefferson and are now in the Middle School and High School so I have a parent’s perspective. I’m also happy to connect you with other families attending any of the schools.Columbia High School has made significant gains recently in ratings including moving up to number 47 out of 328 in the New Jersey Monthly Magazine annual ranking. Graduates attend leading universities. Columbia has an impressive list of alumni in its Hall of Fame including: the Grammy winner Lauryn Hill (she was a member of The Fugees while a student), drummer Max Weinberg, actor/director Zach Braff and architect Richard Meier.Our Lady of Sorrows is a private, Catholic school located in South Orange for kindergarten through 8th grade; there is also a nursery and preschool. Many local religious congregations, private companies and The Baird Center offer preschool programs.
Family Fun
It’s hard to imagine an area with more entertainment! South Orange is a quick train ride away from New York City, the cultural hub of the world. In an hour you are on the beach or in the mountains. Two hours and you’re in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation. Weekend trips to Washington DC and Boston are within reach.That doesn’t mean you have to travel for fun. You’ll be amazed at the richness of activities right here in South Orange (and close by in Maplewood, West Orange, Millburn and Montclair).Not only do actors and musicians live in our community they are also active in it. The world’s great jazz musicians gather for Giants of Jazz right here in South Orange every fall, thanks to resident and jazz great, John Lee. Broadway actors, living in the community, decided to start their own acting company. Midtown Direct Rep celebrates the uniquely large amount of Broadway theatre professionals living in the Maplewood/South Orange community.
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is home to Giants of Jazz and Midtown Direct Rep. This small theatre opened in 2006 and attracts big name talent for live performances. Tucked between the train station and South Orange Avenue, it is also home to Clearview Cinemas’ five theatres.
Another claim to fame: South Orange native Joel Silver (now a film producer and restorer of Frank Lloyd Wright homes) created the sport of Ultimate Frisbee (now called Ultimate) while a student at Columbia High School in the late 60s. The sport is still very popular here.Arts and sports get equal billing at the local community hall, The Baird Center. Programs and classes are scheduled year round including printing, music, dance, fitness and tennis. South Orange children can participate in a wide range of organized sports programs and the summer playground program. A theatre and the Pierro Gallery of South Orange are located in the building, showcasing the work of local and national artists.The rambling Tudor style building is surrounded by tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball fields, bocce courts and soccer fields. There is also a large duck pond, used for skating in the winter. The steep Floods Hill is the scene for winter sledding and outdoor concerts in the summer. Finally, a great town pool (including a wading pool, a shallow pool and the main pool with diving well) is also part of the complex. Unlike most community pools this is town-owned and very reasonable a seasonal pass is only $30 per person with a family cap of $120!
South Orange Avenue, Valley Street and Irvington Avenue are lined with stores offering everything from antiques to clothing, day spas to shoemakers, dry cleaners to quick printing. A popular toy store, Sparkhouse, is located on Scotland Road, as is the town library.
The Mall at Short Hills and Livingston Mall are only 15 minutes away.
