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Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 622
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 5:32 pm: | 
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Hi. A friend from NYC is considering a house in the Llwellyn park part of W.Orange. All I know about the area is what I've read on the internet; Thomas Edison lived there, many other historic homes, lovely park setting, full time security gate.
Anyone know anything they can share, or know anyone who lives there happily or unhappily? Would you let a friend move there?
Thanks! |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 1072
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 6:10 pm: |
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It is lovely...we have friends that live there and we have done work there (architectural).
The only complaint that I have heard is that it is "remote" in the sense that the town you use to shop in and (in our friends' case) send your kids to school in is not West Orange.
They sometimes feel a bit cut off ....not a good feeling for many folks from NYC. If your friend is looking for peace & quiet and a gorgeous place to live they have found it. It is not a vibrant, tightly knit, psuedo-urban community like Maplewood however. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1367
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 6:43 pm: |
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Kmk is right. It is lovely, undeniably and unbelievably lovely, but very, very secluded. It is generally safe, because of the security. I don't get the sense that there is a sense of community, however.
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Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 182
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 9:46 pm: |
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I lived in Llewellyn Park as a kid in the '60's, not far from Thomas Edison's estate. I remember it fondly, made some great friends. Not sure how the "community" is today, but of course there's no "downtown", such as Maplewood Village.
There was a Park Association which probably still exists that had some social events. Back then, some were held in Glenmont, Edison's home.
The homes and settings are beautiful, and the history of the area is unique. |
Ace789nj
Citizen
Username: Ace789nj
Post Number: 310
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 12:36 am: |
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I repo'ed a car out of there once....the guard was in lala land |
Josh Holtz
Citizen
Username: Jholtz
Post Number: 327
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 7:40 am: |
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Beautiful homes ... gorgeous setting ... no immediate shopping ... average schools at best ... very high taxes.
Although I did just read in the Star Ledger that they are trying to redevelop a large space on Main down the street from Llwellyn Park. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10921
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 8:19 am: |
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Comparison of SOM and West Orange School District from www.schoolmatters.com
http://www.schoolmatters.com/App/SES/SPSServlet/QuickCompareSearchRequest?MenuTy pe=&MenuLevel=0&Site=pes&StateID=31&LocLevelID=116&StateLocLevelID=-1&LocationID =-1&Delete=false&Sel=989843&Sel=989925 |
kevin
Supporter
Username: Kevin
Post Number: 633
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 9:08 am: |
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You also pay a community fee (approx $2000-$8000 annually) which is determined by the value of your property.
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Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 623
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
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Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback!
Ace - are you saying you drove in without being stopped, and then towed a car out without the guard blinking an eye? I was under the impression that you couldn't go in without a realtor, or a friend that lived there.
Are the taxes higher than S.O/Maplewood? I would think they wouldn't be since W.Orange has more ratables than our tiny towns. Maybe with the community fee included the taxes are higher.
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Ace789nj
Citizen
Username: Ace789nj
Post Number: 313
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 4:05 pm: |
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He was passed out when we got there, if I recall correctlty the gate was up. Wouldn't have mattered anyway, I didn't use a truck for that one, I get key codes for the nicer cars.  He was awake when I drove out, gave him a nice wave. BTW, this was the only job I ever had in that place, it was about 4 years ago. |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1200
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:10 pm: |
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I once drove through there. I got in by telling the guard that I wanted to see the Thomas Edison home. He waved me right through. |
Lester Jacobs
Citizen
Username: Lester
Post Number: 96
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:21 pm: |
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The rule of thumb in New Jersey is "Stay out of the Oranges". Your friend is probably better off in Livingston. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12908
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:23 pm: |
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Whose rule is that, Lester?
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tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 4516
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:23 pm: |
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Get lost, Lester. |
Lester Jacobs
Citizen
Username: Lester
Post Number: 98
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:31 pm: |
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Tom, that was the advice we got when we first moved to Jersey from some B-school friends. Now that I have lived here for 6 years I can't say that I disagree. Deserved or not the Oranges have a bad reputation based on East Orange and Orange. Probably the reason why a house in Llwellyn Park that sells for $1.5MM would sell for $4MM in Morris county. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12909
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:35 pm: |
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Clearly, tens of thousands of people would disagree with your use of the word "the" when you use the term "the rule of thumb in New Jersey". It's your opinion, of course, and reading the descriptions above of Llewellyn Park, I'll bet it's not a place that resembles East Orange.
But go ahead and hurl insults all you like. You obviously know how you want to get along with us.
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I'm Only Sleeping
Citizen
Username: Imonlysleeping
Post Number: 127
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:59 pm: |
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Why do people respond to Lester at all? He's either a troll trying to get a rise out of people, or else he's a first-class jerk whose worldview is so offensive I can't imagine anyone wanting to engage him on any level. Everything he posts is vile. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1100
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 6:50 pm: |
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I wish he would move, already. |
Lester Jacobs
Citizen
Username: Lester
Post Number: 100
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 10:30 pm: |
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I've purchased a place in Mendham. The property right now is about 1.5 acres with an old 18th century farmhouse. We are going to tear it down and build a new 5000 sq ft house that better meets our needs. The whole process will take about a year so I'll be around until then. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 4521
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 11:16 pm: |
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You can't find an acre-and-a-half without a buiding from the 1700s? The Russians have a word for it, "Nyekulturny". |
I'm Only Sleeping
Citizen
Username: Imonlysleeping
Post Number: 128
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:19 am: |
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See? Obviously a troll. You're getting just a tad too obvious with your button-pushing there, "Lester." |
Former Cowgirl
Citizen
Username: Formercowgirl
Post Number: 10
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 6:13 pm: |
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Lester's posts on this and on the "Newcomer" threads (and a lot of your responses) make me laugh actually.
Just curious: Do you have to be madly in love with your town in order to post on the web site? Taking anyone's word as fact on this web site is dangerous...whether the comments are positive or negative. I would hope that anyone asking for advice or information would take it the way they would a neighbor's...and do their own research on the side.
So far, I haven't found anything offensive about Lester's posts. But maybe I haven't been around long enough.
JMHO.
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