City, Alameda County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 94560
Short of
land for homes, plants and
business facilities, Silicon Valley has reached out to embrace cities that
missed out on the initial waves of high-tech development. www.mccormacks.com
Newark,
population 43,872, was one of the last cities to join the Silicon family. In 1999,
Sun Microsystems opened a large complex for offices, manufacturing and
research. Hewlett-Packard and other firms had already set up plants in the
town, spurring the construction of homes, condos and apartments.
The
result: a city that blends the old with the new and fairly new, pays more
attention to appearances, and offers housing that is attracting more high-tech
professionals.
Click for regional or detailed map
And a city
more in touch, painfully, with the ups and downs of high tech. In 2006, after
reducing its Newark work force, Sun (with 2,000 jobs) gave up on Newark
altogether but, on the bright side, sold the complex to a bio med broker that
is subdividing the building and leasing them to individual companies. So
instead of making a name in high tech, Newark is looking to biotech.
Served by Newark Unified School
District, which passed an improvement bond in 1990 and a second one, for $66
million, in 1997. The money was spent to upgrade and repair the schools and
equip them for high tech. In 2002, the high school opened a tech center and a
new cafeteria. Among California schools, Newark schools historically have
landed about the middle but as the city changes these numbers may rise. Scores
often follow demographics; Newark, in many parts, is ascending into middle-class
plus. See Schools.
Ohlone
Community College leases space for classes in Newark and in 2002 won a voter
approval of a bond to build a large, well-equipped campus, cost $107 million.
To be located on Boyle Road near Mowry Avenue, the place will open about 2008. www.mccormacks.com
The City
of Newark will help fund the college library on condition that it also serve
the public. Washington Hospital, to train its medical students, will open a
clinic at the new campus.
Two
homicides in 2005, zero in 2004, one in 2003, zero in 2002 and 2001, three in
2000, zero in 1999 and 1998, two in 1997, five in 1996. The counts for the
previous years are two, zero, zero, four, one, five, zero, zero. See Crime.
In
commuting, Newark falls into the category of, “not bad.” The town borders
I-880, one of the main freeways to San Jose and Silicon Valley. The Dumbarton
Bridge, located just northwest of the city, leads directly to North Santa Clara
County and Palo Alto-Menlo Park. BART stations in nearby Fremont and Union
City. AC Transit runs express buses across the Bay to Palo Alto.
As for
appearance, Newark, especially in its northeast section, has built
neighborhoods and many homes that would fit very nicely into any upscale town.
One development is built around a lake ringed by open space and trail.
The city has
planted trees (about 15,000 of them) all over the place. Graffiti absent, homes
and lawns generally well-maintained. In some sections, industry and housing
live side by side, which some people may not like. The town works with the
older industries to buffer them from residential areas. www.mccormacks.com
Ten parks.
City adjoins a large (29,000 acres) shore refuge and just over city limits is a
regional park with historic farm. Newark is developing 28 acres into a sports
complex; jobs finished include playing fields, teen center, gym and rooms for
aerobics and day care. Town also has a seniors center. City hall runs
activities for kids and adults. Fireworks sold locally on the Fourth of July.
Farmers market.
Opened in
2004, a large indoor swimming complex that includes a lap pool, two water
slides, a spa and a wheelchair-friendly pool.
In 1956, Fremont, seeing growth coming,
incorporated itself as a legal city. What is now Newark was included in the
original “Fremont” but a dispute arose over how “Fremont” would develop “Newark.”
The locals pulled out of the proposal and pushed through their own cityhood
drive. Newark’s suburban boom began about this time. About 1,500 housing units
were built in the 1950s and 4,000 in the 1960s.
In the
postwar era, the East Bay economy was built around large industrial plants,
General Motors, Ford, Caterpillar Tractors, Peterbilt Trucks, and around San
Francisco International Airport, easily reached by the Dumbarton or San Mateo
bridges. Newark’s initial housing was priced and designed to serve this
blue-collar market, the standard three-bedroom home forming the backbone of the
units built.
In the
following years, many of the industrial plants were closed or reduced in size
and a new type of job appeared: computer, high tech. Newark still has many
residents working blue-collar jobs, and many outsiders probably still hold the
image of Newark as a blue-collar town. But with the influx of white-collar
workers and professionals, the housing and social mix has become more varied
and the town has moved up the scale. www.mccormacks.com
The state
in 2008 counted 13,423 residential units, of which 9,212 were single detached
homes, 1,240 single attached, 2,912 apartments and 59 mobile homes. Between
2000 and 2006, the city constructed about 265 residential units, an indication
that buildable land is in short supply.
Large mall with Macys, Sears, Target,
Old Navy and Penneys and about 150 stores (tax revenue for civic amenities.)
If you
want to meet the town’s business and civic leaders, break out the tie and tails
or the flowing gown. Every September residents and business people celebrate
Newark Days with a fair, a parade, games, a footrace, a dog show and a grand
ball.
In
Dumbarton, Scotland, stands a castle named Newark. Pioneering developer came
from Scotland and remembered the old castle. Hence, Newark, one, it is
estimated, of 29 Newarks around the planet.
Chamber of commerce (510) 744-1000.
Miscellaneous:
• The
state has purchased many of the salt ponds along the Newark waterfront and is
returning them to marsh and wildlife. www.mccormacks.com
• Many
residents shop Fremont, which in recent years has opened a modern mall (Costco,
Circuit, etc.), about 3 miles east of Newark, on Interstate 880. Fremont is also
bringing in major league baseball, the A’s. The stadium will be built close to
Newark but accessed from freeway ramps in Fremont.
• More
commercial going in near the waterfront. To get sense of this side of Newark,
drive Cherry Street.
• K-Mart demolished,
replaced in 2006 by Home Depot.
• Newark
has one remaining big parcel to develop, about 900 acres. City favors high-end
homes, a golf course and a school.
City web
site: www.ci.newark.ca.us
