Weequahic, Newark

Weequahic (pronunciado wee- KWAY -ik o, "cuando se habla rápidamente", week-wayk ^{[ 1 ]} ) es un barrio de la ciudad de Newark en el condado de Essex , en el estado estadounidense de Nueva Jersey . Parte del South Ward, está separado de Clinton Hill por la avenida Hawthorne al norte, y limita con el municipio de Irvington al oeste, el Aeropuerto Internacional Newark Liberty y Dayton al este, y el municipio de Hillside y la ciudad de Elizabeth al sur. Hay muchas casas y calles bien mantenidas. Parte del barrio de Weequahic ha sido designado distrito histórico; las calles principales son Lyons Avenue, Bergen Street y Chancellor Avenue. ^{[ 2 ] [ 3 ]} El Newark Beth Israel Medical Center es una importante institución de larga trayectoria en el barrio.

El nombre "Weequahic" es Lenni-Lenape y significa "cabeza de la ensenada". ^{[ 4 ]} La zona era agrícola hasta finales del siglo XIX, cuando se convirtió en un barrio de clase media, no industrial, con casas unifamiliares aisladas alrededor del parque Weequahic . Siendo la parte más meridional del municipio de Clinton, fue la última porción de Clinton en ser anexada a Newark en 1902.

Hasta finales de la década de 1960, Weequahic era principalmente un barrio judío de clase media , con numerosas sinagogas , yeshivás y restaurantes judíos. El Centro Médico Newark Beth Israel (ubicado en Weequahic), el hospital más grande de Newark, fue construido bajo el patrocinio de la comunidad judía.

El autor Philip Roth creció en Summit Avenue, se graduó de la escuela secundaria Weequahic en 1950, y muchas de sus novelas (como American Pastoral y Nemesis ) están ambientadas allí. En aquel entonces, era conocida como una escuela predominantemente judía. El documental de 2009, Heart of Stone , se centra en el declive de la escuela desde la década de 1950, cuando graduaba a más doctores que cualquier otra escuela secundaria del país, hasta convertirse en una de las escuelas con peor desempeño de Newark, Nueva Jersey. ^{[ 5 ]}

The post-World War II growth of suburbs and Second Great Migration of African Americans altered the demographic make-up of Newark in general and the Weequahic section in particular. Real estate blockbusting, white flight, and the construction of Interstate 78 were negative factors. The 1967 civil unrest was also devastating to the district.^[6]

The jewel of the neighborhood is the 311-acre (1.26 km²)Olmsted Brothers-designed Weequahic Park. This park has a 2.2 miles (3.5 km) rubberized jogging path around its 80-acre (320,000 m²) lake^[7][8] and Weequahic Golf Course, the oldest public golf course in the United States. It is listed on the state and federal registers of historic places.^[9]

Several highrise apartment buildings, among the tallest buildings in Newark, were built in the 1960s along the Elizabeth Avenue corridor opposite the park.^[10]

440 Elizabeth Avenue, formerly Carmel Towers, opened in 1970. The apartment building is 313 feet (95 m) and 25 stories tall.^[11][12] It offered subsidized housing,^[13] but later became a center of drug-dealing and gang violence^[14] until it was vacated in 2011.^[15][16] The buildings were sold in 2015,^[17] with plans for redevelopment and gut rehabilitation of its 216 apartments.^[18][19] As of 2025, it is being marketed as Cosmo 440.^[20][21]

Zion Towers, at 515 Elizabeth Avenue, opened in 1972 and is one of the tallest buildings in Newark.^[22][23] The apartment building is 313 feet (95 m) tall and has 29 stories with 268 apartments.^[24][22] It provides subsidized housing.^[25] The building was sold for $28 million in 2018 with plans to upgrade it.^[26]

Other buildings include the 22-story Elizabeth Towers at 455 and the 24-story Heritage Estates at 555.^[27][28][24]

Newark Public Schools operates public schools. Weequahic High School serves the neighborhood. The 1931 Art Deco building that housed the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art is in the neighborhood.^[29]

The Weequahic Branch Library of the Newark Public Library (NPL) serves the neighborhood. The branch, which opened in May 1929, was the sixth NPL branch to open between 1923 and 1946. In 1992 the library system renovated the branch for $1 million; the renovation added air conditioning, online public access computers, an elevator, new lighting, off-street parking, and a children's storytelling pit.^[30]

Forgosh, Linda B. (2008). Judíos de Weequahic . Imágenes de América. Charleston, SC: Arcadia. ISBN 9780738557632LCCN 2007935344 . OCLC 212842952 . Consultado el 27 de septiembre de 2022 .  

• Historia de Newark

40°42′40″N 74°12′54″O / 40.71111°N 74.21500°O / 40.71111; -74.21500