Red Bank, New Jersey
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Introduction
The Borough of Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Population: 11,844 (2000 Census). See U.S. Census Bureau, Red Bank borough, New Jersey - Population Finder (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US3462430&_geoContext=01000US%7C86000US07701&_street=&_county=red+bank%2C+nj&_cityTown=red+bank%2C+nj&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010) (Estimated to be 11,792 as of 2003 by the U.S. Census Bureau).
Date of Incorporation: 1908. See Borough of Red Bank, History (http://redbanknj.org/history.html).
Geography
Red Bank is located at 40°20'51" North, 74°4'1" West (40.347492, -74.067081)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 5.6 km² (2.2 mi²). 4.6 km² (1.8 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 17.13% water.
Red Bank is located on the southern bank of the Navesink River, in northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. It is 46 miles (74 km) SSW, 20 nautical miles (37 km), if traveling by waterway, of the City of New York, New York. Red Bank is bordered by Middletown Township, Rumson Township, the Borough of Fair Haven, Lincroft (part of Middletown Township), and the Borough of Shrewsbury.
History
Originally part of "Shrewsbury Towne", Red Bank was named in 1736, "when Thomas Morford sold Joseph French 'a lot of over three acres (12,000 m²) on the west side of the highway that goes to the red bank.'" Borough of Red Bank, History (http://redbanknj.org/history.html), supra. Red Bank was settled in the 17th Century, but was not populous until approximately 1809. By 1844, Red Bank had become a commercial center, focused on textiles, fur, tanning, and manufacturing goods for sale in Manhattan. Because of the dredging of the Navesink River, circa 1845, Red Bank became a port from which steamboats transported commuters to Manhattan. Red Bank grew in size as a result of this and the laying of rails in the town by the Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad, circa 1860.
During the 20th Century, Red Bank was a strong cultural, economic, and political center in Monmouth County, New Jersey, until it was hindered by the economic recession that began in 1987. During this time, Red Bank's economy, based largely on retail commerce, was in decline, leading local pundits and urban planners to refer to the town as "Dead Bank." Beginning in approximately 1991, under the New Jersey Development and Redevelopment Law, the town authorized the creation of an organization to manage redevelopment in what was designated a Special Improvement District. This organization is known as the Red Bank RiverCenter (http://www.redbankrivercenter.org/home.cfm). RiverCenter retains authority over the management and redevelopment of an agreed-upon "downtown business district."
- The downtown district includes Broad Street from the post office to Marine Park and from Maple Avenue to one block east of Broad Street. The district that was originally proposed was much larger. It originally included the commercial areas west of Maple Avenue, including the antique buildings, the Galleria, and Shrewsbury Avenue. However, some property owners in this area were opposed to the idea because they did not want to pay the assessment. Plans for the larger district advanced but the opposition became more rigorous. Therefore the proposed district was amended to exclude those who were opposed. So, the district that was adopted stops at Maple Avenue.
- Red Bank RiverCenter, About us (http://www.redbankrivercenter.org/about.cfm).
Red Bank was the birthplace of literary critic Edmund Wilson (1895-1972), jazz pianist and bandleader Count Basie (1904-1984), and Daniel J. O'Hern, Esq. (1930-present), Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. During the 1990s, news media figure Geraldo Rivera was involved in developing a newspaper for the Red Bank area, The Two River Times. Musician Bruce Springsteen lives in nearby Rumson and was often involved in Red Bank-related events. It is often associated with filmmaker and actor Kevin Smith (1970-present), who was born in the nearby Borough of Highlands, New Jersey. Smith filmed parts of his 1997 film Chasing Amy (1997) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118842/) at locations in Red Bank, New Jersey, along with other nearby towns. Currently, his comic book store Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash (http://viewaskew.com/jsbstash/), named after characters in many of his films, and his film production company, View Askew Productions (http://viewaskew.com/), occupy a building on Broad Street in Red Bank.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 11,844 people, 5,201 households, and 2,501 families residing in the borough. The population density is 2,569.1/km² (6,639.1/mi²). There are 5,450 housing units at an average density of 1,182.2/km² (3,055.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 68.19% White, 20.05% African American, 0.35% Native American, 2.19% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 6.73% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. 17.11% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 5,201 households out of which 18.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.2% are married couples living together, 11.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% are non-families. 42.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size is 2.99.
In the borough the population is spread out with 17.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $47,282, and the median income for a family is $63,333. Males have a median income of $45,922 versus $34,231 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $26,265. 12.0% of the population and 6.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 16.5% of those under the age of 18 and 10.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Politics
Red Bank is governed by a mayor and a six-member borough council. The mayor of the Borough of Red Bank serves a four-year term. Councilmembers serve three-year terms. As of 2005, the mayor and council are:
Mayor Edward J. McKenna, Jr., Esq. 4-year term to 12/31/2006
Council President Pasquale Menna, Esq. 3-year term to 12/31/2006
Councilwoman Sharon Lee 3-year term to 12/31/2007
Councilman Robert Bifani 3-year term to 12/31/2004
Councilwoman Jennifer Beck 3-year term to 12/31/2005
Councilman John Curley 3-year term to 12/31/2005
Councilman Arthur Murphy III 3-year term to 12/31/2006
Tourism
New Jersey Transit (http://www.njtransit.com/) train and bus service connects Red Bank to New York City and to other locations in New Jersey. Red Bank is two miles east of Exit 109 of the Garden State Parkway.
Red Bank is a noted social and commercial destination, filled with boutiques, designer clothing and home stores, parks, and restaurants. The Count Basie Theatre (http://www.countbasietheatre.org/) hosts nationally known performers, including, e.g., David Sedaris, James Brown, Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Foreigner, Andy Williams, Brian Setzer, etc. The Two River Theatre Company (http://www.trtc.org/) is opening a large performance space on April 30, 2005.
There have been several annual festivals held in Red Bank. See, e.g., Red Bank International Film Festival (http://www.rbiff.org/) and the Two River Film Festival (http://tworiverfilmfestival.com/trff.asp).
There is an annual fireworks display (called "KaBoom! Fireworks on the Navesink (http://fireworks.redbank.com/)") held on July 3rd that is popular with those residing in the Metropolitan New York Area. Each summer, Red Bank hosts the Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival in partnership with the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Society. "First Night," a New Years Eve arts & entertainment festival, is a Red Bank event designed to provide an alternative to alcohol-related events.
Boating, sculling, sailing, and fishing are popular outdoor activities in Red Bank. The Monmouth Boat Club, Marine Park, and the slips of the Molly Pitcher Inn provide access to the Navesink (and, from there, the Atlantic Ocean).