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Livingston, New Jersey


 
 
Livingston, New Jersey
Township
Township of Livingston
Ward-Force House
Map of Livingston Township in Essex County. Inset: Location of Essex County in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Livingston, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40.785828°N 74.3291°WCoordinates: 40.785828°N 74.3291°W[1][2]
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Essex
Incorporated February 5, 1813
Named for William Livingston
Government[6]
 • Type Faulkner Act (Council-Manager)
 • Mayor Rufino "Rudy" Fernandez, Jr. (term ended April 1, 2013)[3][4]
 • Manager Michele E. Meade[3][3]
 • Clerk Glenn R. Turtletaub[5]
Area[2]
 • Total 14.081 sq mi (36.472 km2)
 • Land 13.768 sq mi (35.660 km2)
 • Water 0.313 sq mi (0.812 km2)  2.23%
Area rank 177th of 566 in state
2nd of 22 in county[2]
Elevation[7] 289 ft (88 m)
Population (2010 Census)[8][9][10][11]
 • Total 29,366
 • Estimate (2012[12]) 29,526
 • Rank 76th of 566 in state
9th of 22 in county[13]
 • Density 2,132.8/sq mi (823.5/km2)
 • Density rank 281st of 566 in state
17th of 22 in county[13]
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (EDT) (UTC-4)
ZIP code 07039[14]
Area code(s) 862/973
FIPS code 3401340890[15][2][16]
GNIS feature ID 0882219[17][2]
Website http://www.livingstonnj.org/

Livingston is a township in Essex County,New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 29,366,[8][9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 1,975 (+7.2%) from the 27,391 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 782 (+2.9%) from the 26,609 counted in the 1990 Census.[18]

Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township (now Fairfield Township) andSpringfield Township (now in Union County, New Jersey). Portions of the township were taken to form Fairmount (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange) and Roseland(March 10, 1908).[19]

The township was named for William Livingston, the first Governor of New Jersey, with his family's coat of arms as its seal.[20]

 

History[edit]

Livingston's history dates back to 1699 when 101 Newark settlers wanted to move westward. They set up a committee to negotiate from Lenni Lenape Native Americans for the purchase of theHorseneck Tract which today includes Livingston and eight other municipalities to the north. Between 1698 and 1702, the rules for property ownership were unclear. There were many disputes between settlers and the English proprietors. For some unknown reasons, the Newark settlers did not obtain a grant from the proprietors before negotiating with the natives. They finally obtained the deed directly from Lenni Lenape in 1702 for £130. The settlements began until around 1740s as the dispute between the proprietors and the settlers continued.[21]

The dispute came to a breaking point in September 1745 when the East Jersey proprietors began to evict a settler only six months after a house fire in Newark completely destroyed the original deed, which was the only evidence of the purchase.[22] During that period, William Livingston who was one of the few landed aristocrats joined the settlers against the proprietors. Livingston owned land around today's south western corner of the Township of Livingston. His land, like other settlers, was levied with quit rents in the amount 40 shillings per acre. He defended many settlers who were jailed for refusing to pay the quit rents.[23]

This series of events caused the settlers, led by Timothy Meeker, to form a group to riot against the British government. The Horseneck Riots lasted for 10 years from 1745 to 1755. The group was also one of the first colonial militia which had periodic battles for 32 years leading up to theRevolutionary War as the group joined the Continental Army in 1776.[24]

After the Revolutionary War, more permanent settlements took place with the first school built in 1783. In 1811, a petition was filed to incorporate the township from about 100 people who lived in seven distinct areas: Centerville (separated to become Roseland, in 1908), Cheapside (nowLivingston Mall), Morehousetown (now Livingston Circle), Northfield (now Northfield Center), Squiretown (now the Cerebral Palsy Institute of New Jersey on Old Road), Teedtown (now Livingston Center), and Washington Place (now near the border with Millburn). On February 5, 1813, the township was officially incorporated. The first town meeting was held on the same day and they decided to run the township by a Township Committee system.

During 1800s, lumber and farming were major industries in the town. Shoemaking and dairybecame major industries during and after the Civil War respectively. However, the population grew slowly because it was not easily accessible. Mt. Pleasant Avenue – which was one of the firstturnpikes in New Jersey – was the only primary access to the town through stagecoaches.

The population grew quickly after 1920s when automobiles became more accessible. As a suburb of Newark, the town experienced many housing developments especially after World War II with its peak in 1970 of more than thirty thousand residents. During this growth period, many services were organized including volunteer Fire Department in 1922, first regular Livingstone Police chief in 1929, a Planning Commission in 1930, two hospitals opened in 1959 and 1960, new public library in 1961, and new municipal complex in 1963.

The last surviving Harrison Cider Apple tree, the most famous of the 18th century Newark cider apples[25] was rescued from extinction in 1976 in Livingston.[26]

Today, some 28,000 people enjoy a suburban lifestyle with close proximity to New York City. Its school system and other programs have been drawing new residents to the town. Its population has become increasingly diverse while the residents maintain the tradition of community volunteerism.[24][27]

Geography[edit]

Livingston is located at 40°47′09″N 74°19′45″W (40.785828,-74.3291). According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 14.081 square miles (36.472 km2), of which, 13.768 square miles (35.660 km2) of it is land and 0.313 square miles (0.812 km2) of it (2.23%) is water.[2][1]

The Township of Livingston is located in Essex County, in the Gateway Region. In the vicinity are the Passaic River, West Orange, Millburn, and the Grover Cleveland State Historic Site in West Caldwell. Livingston is part of the New York metropolitan area.

Demographics[edit]

Historical populations
Census Pop.   %±
1820 1,056  
—
1830 1,150   8.9%
1840 1,081   −6.0%
1850 1,151   6.5%
1860 1,323   14.9%
1870 1,157 * −12.5%
1880 1,401   21.1%
1890 1,197   −14.6%
1900 1,412   18.0%
1910 1,025 * −27.4%
1920 1,126   9.9%
1930 3,476   208.7%
1940 5,972   71.8%
1950 9,932   66.3%
1960 23,124   132.8%
1970 30,127   30.3%
1980 28,040   −6.9%
1990 26,609   −5.1%
2000 27,391   2.9%
2010 29,366   7.2%
Est. 2012 29,526 [12] 0.5%
Population sources: 1820-1920[28]
1840[29] 1850-1870[30] 1850[31]
1870[32] 1880-1890[33]
1890-1910[34] 1910-1930[35]
1930-1990[36] 2000[37][38] 2010[8][9][10][11]
* = Lost territory in previous decade.[19]

According to the 2002 results of the National Jewish Population Survey, there were 12,600 Jews in Livingston, approximately 46% of the population, one of the highest percentages of Jews in any American municipality.[39]

2010 Census[edit]

At the 2010 United States Census, there were 29,366 people, 9,990 households, and 8,272 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,132.8 inhabitants per square mile (823.5 /km2). There were 10,284 housing units at an average density of 746.9 per square mile (288.4 /km2). The racial makeup of the township was 76.17% (22,367) White, 2.26% (663) Black or African American, 0.07% (20) Native American, 19.21% (5,642) Asian, 0.02% (5) Pacific Islander, 0.86% (254) from other races, and 1.41% (415) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% (1,192) of the population.[9]

There were 9,990 households of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.5% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.2% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.24.[9]

In the township, 27.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.3 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.[9]

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Surveyshowed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $129,208 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,377) and the median family income was $143,429 (+/- $10,622). Males had a median income of $100,075 (+/-$11,306) versus $71,213 (+/- $7,102) for females. The per capita income for the township was $60,577 (+/- $3,918). About 1.1% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.[40]

2000 Census[edit]

As of the 2000 United States Census[15] there were 27,391 people, 9,300 households, and 7,932 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,973.1 people per square mile (761.9/km2). There were 9,457 housing units at an average density of 681.2 per square mile (263.1/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 82.64% White, 14.54% Asian, 1.20% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.[37][38]

There were 9,300 households out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.21.[37][38]

In the township the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.[37][38]

The median income for a household in the township was $98,869, and the median income for a family was $108,049. Males had a median income of $77,256 versus $41,654 for females. The per capita income for the town was $47,218. 1.8% of the population and 1.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 1.2% are under the age of 18 and 3.2% are 65 or older.[37][38]

Government[edit]

Local government[edit]

Livingston operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of municipal government. Livingston's Township Council consists of five members, elected to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election every other year. A Mayor and Deputy Mayor are selected by the Council from among its members at a reorganization meeting held after each election.[6][41][42]

As of 2013, members of the Township Council are Mayor Rufino "Rudy" Fernandez, Jr. (term ends 2014), Deputy Mayor Michael Rieber (2014), Deborah E. Shapiro (2014), Michael Silverman (2016) and Alfred Anthony (2016).[3][43][44]

The Township Manager is Michele E. Meade.[45][3] She is the third Township Manager, preceded by Robert H. Harp (1954–85) and Charles J. Tahaney (1985–2005).

Police Department[edit]

The Livingston Police Department (LPD) was established in 1813. It consists of three departments: the Patrol Division, Traffic Division, and Detective Bureau.

Volunteer organizations[edit]

There are more than 40 volunteer Committees and Boards run through the Township.[46] A few samples are:

  • Livingston Municipal Alliance Committee (LMAC)
  • Holiday Committees
  • Neighborhood Grievance Committee
  • Consumer Affairs Office
  • Planning Board
  • Zoning Board of Adjustment
  • Committee for Diversity

Volunteer-based public safety organizations are Livingston Auxiliary Police, Livingston Fire Department and Livingston First Aid Squad.

Federal, state and county representation[edit]

Livingston is located in the 11th Congressional District[47] and is part of New Jersey's 27th state legislative district.[10][48][49] Prior to the 2010 Census, Livingston had been split between the 8th Congressional District and the 11th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.[50]

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township).[51] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark; took office on October 31, 2013, after winning a special election to fill the seat of Frank Lautenberg)[52][53] and Bob Menendez (D, North Bergen).[54][55]

The 27th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate byRichard Codey (D, Roseland) and in the General Assembly by Mila Jasey (D, South Orange) andJohn F. McKeon (D, West Orange).[56] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township).[57] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[58]

Essex County is governed by a directly-elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by the Board of Chosen Freeholders.[59] As of 2013, the County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.[60] The county's Board of Chosen Freeholders consists of nine members, four elected on an at-large basis and one from each of five wards, who serve three-year terms of office on a concurrent basis, all of which end in 2014.[59][61][62] Essex County's Freeholders are Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson (at large; Newark)[63], Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold (at large; Livingston)[64], Rufus I. Johnson (at large; Newark)[65], Gerald M. Owens (At large; South Orange, filling the vacant seat after the resignation of Donald Payne, Jr.)[66] Rolando Bobadilla (District 1 - Newark's North and East Wards, parts of Central and West Wards; Newark)[67], D. Bilal Beasley (District 2 - Irvington, Maplewood and Newark's South Ward and parts of West Ward; Irvington)[68], Carol Y. Clark (District 3 - East Orange, Newark's West and Central Wards, Orange and South Orange; East Orange)[69] and Leonard M. Luciano (District 4 - Caldwell,Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Livingston, Millburn, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange; West Caldwell),[70] and Brendan W. Gill (District 5 - Belleville,Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Montclair and Nutley; Montclair).[71][72][73] Constitutional elected countywide are County Clerk Christopher J. Durkin (West Caldwell, 2015),[74] Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura (2015)[75] and Surrogate Thomas N. Stephen, II (2016).[76][61][77]

Politics[edit]

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 20,617 registered voters in Livingston, of which 7,640 (37.1%) were registered as Democrats, 3,564 (17.3%) were registered as Republicans and 9,402 (45.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 11 voters registered to other parties.[78]

In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 53.4% of the vote here (8,244 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 44.8% (6,920 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (122 votes), among the 15,433 ballots cast by the township's 20,367 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8%.[79] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 54.4% of the vote here (8,101 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 44.7% (6,657 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (96 votes), among the 14,896 ballots cast by the township's 19,306 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.2.[80]

In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.8% of the vote here (4,863 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 44.0% (4,386 votes), Independent Chris Daggettwith 5.7% (563 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (61 votes), among the 9,961 ballots cast by the township's 20,405 registered voters, yielding a 48.8% turnout.[81]

Livingston was the home of one of New Jersey's most prominent political families, the Keans.Robert Kean served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1939 to 1958, when he ran for U.S. Senator; his son, Thomas Kean, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1978 (and as Assembly Speaker in 1972–73, and Minority Leader 1974–77), as Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990, and as President of Drew University from 1990 to 2004. Thomas Kean Jr., elected to the State Assembly in 2001 and the State Senate in 2003, was the Republican nominee for United States Senator in 2006.

When Robert Kean ran for the Senate, losing to Harrison A. Williams in 1958, Livingston's Congressman became George M. Wallhauser, a Republican. In redistricting after the 1960 census, Livingston was moved into the district of Republican Congresswoman Florence P. Dwyer. After redistricting following the 1970 census, Livingston went into Congressman Peter Frelinghuysen, Jr.'s district. He was the father of Livingston's current Congressman, Rodney P. Frelinghuysen. When Peter Frelinghuysen retired in 1974, he was succeeded by Millicent Fenwick, who beat Tom Kean in a Republican primary by about 80 votes. After the 1980 census, Livingston was moved to Congressman Joseph G. Minish's district. Minish was defeated by Dean Gallo in 1984 and served until his death in 1994. Rodney Frelinghuysen took his seat. The 2000 Census split the town, and now Congressman Bill Pascrell represents a portion of the community.

Essex County Freeholders from Livingston have included Reita Greenstone, James Cavanaugh, Patricia Sebold, and William Clark.

Education[edit]

Public schools[edit]

Main article: Livingston Public Schools

The Livingston Public Schools serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Schools in the district (with 2010-11 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[82]) are six K-5 elementary schools — Burnet Hill School[83] (415 students, including PreK), Collins Elementary School[84] (425), Harrison Elementary School[85] (534), Hillside Elementary School[86](399), Mount Pleasant Elementary School[87] (428) and Riker Hill Elementary School[88] (419) —Mt. Pleasant Middle School[89] Grade 6 (431), Heritage Middle School[90] Grades 7 and 8 (916) and Livingston High School[91] for grades 9–12 (1,742).[92][93]

For the 1997–98 school year, Livingston High School received the Blue Ribbon Award from theUnited States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.[94] Livingston High School was the 22nd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 20th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[95]

26.7% of the township's population 25 years and older who attain professional, Masters orDoctorate degrees.[96][97] During 2007–2008 budget year, Livingston allocated 59.96% of localproperty tax toward the Livingston Public Schools. Additionally, a separate budget of 7% of all municipal services went toward the operation of its public library.[98] According to library statistics collected by Institute of Museum and Library Services, Livingston Public Library was ranked 22 out of 232 municipal libraries in New Jersey based on total circulation in 2006.[99]

Other schools[edit]

Aquinas Academy is a private coeducational Roman Catholic school that serves students from preschool through eighth grade that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.[100]

Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy is a private coeducational Jewish day school that serves preschool through eighth grade, while Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School is a four-year yeshivahigh school for grades 9–12.[101] The Tzedek School is a non-sectarian co-educational school of Jewish Heritage and Hebrew Language serving the communities of Livingston and the surrounding area for students in grades K-12.[102]

Newark Academy is a private coeducational day school founded in 1774, that serves grades 6–8 in its middle schools and 9-12 in the upper school. [103]

Livingston Chinese School and Livingston Huaxia Chinese School are two weekend Chinese-language schools in Livingston which use facilities of Heritage Middle School and Mount Pleasant school.

Arts and culture[edit]

Performing arts[edit]

Livingston is home of a few performing arts organizations from local to international:

  • Livingston Symphony Orchestra is a group of community-based performers which was formed in 1960. The symphony orchestra is currently directed by Istvan Jaray, an internationally renowned artist who appears regularly in concert halls across Europe, Canada and the United States. It holds many performances during each season.[104]
  • Livingston Community Players is a community-based theatre organization. There has been many productions in the recent years. The performers are from local community and other places in New Jersey. Past productions, including The Sound of Music, Oliver!, and Annie, received Perry Awards from New Jersey Association of Community Theatres.[105]
  • Children's Theatre of Livingston is a local organization that provides performance opportunities for Livingston children grades 2 to 8. The children are trained in acting roles andstaging staff. It has annual performance since the first season in 2007.[106]
  • New Jersey Ballet is a major ballet company based in Livingston. The company is recognized nationally and internationally with tours in many countries in Europe, Asia and North America.[107] Livingston is also the headquarters of New Jersey School of Ballet which offers many classes in Ballet, Jazz and Tap.[108]

Art[edit]

Livingston has many local artists in many forms. Local artists have support from Livingston Arts Association which is an organization formed in 1959 to promote art in the community including large scale exhibitions, demonstrations, and workshops.[109] The organization is also a member of Art Council of Livingston which has a gallery at Livingston Town Center.

There are many studios at Riker Hill Art Park with more than 40 working artists in various medias including pottery, fine metalwork, glass, jewelry, paintings, fine arts, sculpture andphotography.[110] Many studios offer art classes for adults and children.

Historic sites[edit]

Ward-Force House and Condit Family Cook House are two building structures located at 366 South Livingston Avenue. These structures were jointly registered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, commonly known as the Old Force Homestead. Originally, Ward-Force House and Condit Family Cook House were built in separate properties. Ward-Force House was built as early as 1745 by Theophilus Ward. It was later purchased by Samuel Force for his son, Thomas Force. During the Revolutionary War, Thomas served as a patriot and was captured by the British. Thomas came back to live with his wife and children after the war and expanded the house. It was sold to the township in 1962. Condit Family Cook House was built as a stand-alone summer kitchen of a farm home near the current location of Livingston Mall. When the mall was built during 1970s, the cook house was donated to the township and was moved to the current location at the rear of Ward-Force House. Currently, the Old Force Homestead is the headquarters of Livingston Historical Society and the Force Homestead Museum.[111]

Dickinson House and Washington Place Schoolhouse are two other sites in the township that are registered in the New Jersey State Historic Site Program. Dickinson House is located at 84 Dickinson Lane. It was once visited by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt for a hunting trip. Washington Place Schoolhouse is located at 122 Passaic Avenue. It was a school house that was built around 1800.[112]

Transportation[edit]

Livingston is located about 21.9 miles (35.2 km) from New York City about 40 minutes away. Bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal is available on the Community Coach #77 bus route. Bus service to Newark is available on the 70, 71 and 73 routes, with local service available on theMCM3 and MCM8.[113] The New Jersey Transit Morristown Line and PATH can be reached by car or taxi.

The township also provides a fee-based direct shuttle service called Livingston Express Shuttle for a 15-minute ride between Livingston Mall and South Orange Station for Morristown Line trains to Midtown Manhattan and Hoboken.[114]

In and near Livingston are Eisenhower Parkway, County Route 508, County Route 527, Interstate 280, Route 10 and the Morristown and Erie Railway.

Economy[edit]

Shopping and dining[edit]

Although largely a bedroom community, there are numerous stores and restaurants located in Livingston. There are three main shopping areas. The first area is located in the center of the town. It stretches along Livingston Avenue from Route 10 to Northfield Avenue. Historically, the area had been dominated by small local shops and restaurants. With recent addition of Livingston Town Center, a mixed-use development, more well-known stores have been opened in the area such as Starbucks, as well as new restaurants such as Baumgart's Cafe and Thavma Mediterranean Grill.[115]

The second area is the Livingston Mall located at the south-western corner of the town. Macy's,Lord & Taylor and Sears department stores are located in the original three wings of the mall. The fourth wing was added in 2008 as a new home of Barnes & Noble.[116]

The third shopping area is located at the outer skirt of the town on the western side. It is the starting point of Route 10 shopping corridor that extends to East Hanover. The corridor is home of many major big-box stores. Most of those stores are located within East Hanover's border.

There are three supermarkets in the township. Additional specialty food stores such as Kam Man Food – Asian food supermarket, and Whole Foods Market are located in neighboring towns.

Corporate residents[edit]

Many office parks are located along Eisenhower Parkway on the western side of the town. There are a few headquarters of major companies including CIT Group corporate headquarters, Inteplast Group headquarters, The Briad Group headquarters, and customer service and support center ofVerizon New Jersey.[117]

There are varieties of other services in the town. A Little Taste of Purple[118] – a personalizedwinemaking school, and Westminster[119] – a four diamond luxury hotel – are located in the western side of the town. Saint Barnabas Medical Center – a 597-bed hospital – is located in the southern side of the town near West Orange and Millburn. Saint Barnabas Medical Center was ranked the 13th best hospital in the United States by AARP Modern Maturity Magazine for quality of care for adults at acute care hospitals in major metropolitan areas.[120] It also received high scores for its specialties from U.S. News & World Report: the 2nd highest score in New Jersey forNeurology and Neurosurgery; the 3rd highest score in New Jersey for Kidney disease; and the 4th highest score in New Jersey for Cancer, Gynecology, and Urology.[121] Fitness facilities include West Essex YMCA, New York Sports Club, and Curves for Women.

Livingston also has a local Public-access television station (Livingston TV on Comcast TV-34 andVerizon FiOS 26), which is maintained by Livingston High School Students as well as the LPBC (Livingston Public Broadcasting Committee).

Parks and recreation[edit]

Parks[edit]

There are more than 470 acres (1.9 km2) of wooded parks with passive hiking trails in Livingston. Additional 1,817 acres (7.35 km2) are zoned to be preserved in its natural state without public access. This brings to about 25% of total land in the town that is in its natural conditions with habitats of eight threatened or endangered species.[122][123]

There are many smaller parks and open space that are integrated with recreational and municipal sport facilities. These include two swimming pools, ten little league baseball diamonds, four full baseball diamonds, eight full soccer/lacrosse fields, one full football field, three basketball courts, sixteen tennis courts, eleven playgrounds, a jogging track, a dog park, and a fishing/ice skatingpond.[123] The township is in the planning stage to build inter-connected mixed-used paths, bikingand hiking trails to connect those parks and open space throughout the town.

Livingston has an active open space trust fund that continues to acquire more lands for preservation and recreation. As of 2003, there were 842 acres (9% of total land) that were protected from development. There were additional 2,475 acres (10.02 km2) that could be protected by the fund.[124]

Riker Hill Complex[edit]

A radio tower in the Riker Hill Complex

Riker Hill Complex (also referred to as Riker Hill Park) is a 204.68-acre (0.8283 km2) parkland located along the border of Livingston and Roseland. The complex is managed by Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs of Essex County. It comprises three parks, Riker Hill Art Park – a former Nike Missilecontrol area site, Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park – aNational Natural Landmark, and Becker Park which were acquired between 1969 to 1977. Although a large portion of the complex is located within Roseland, but the county designated Livingston as the host community as the Riker Hill Art Park is the only functional and publicly accessible park at the present time.[125] The art park located atop of the hill is home of many studios in multiple disciplines of art and craft.

Recreation[edit]

Recreation department under the Senior, Youth & Leisure Services offers many programs for residents ranging from pre-school courses, children games, crafts, and dance; to a dozen of youth and adult sports programs. Livingston residents can also apply for memberships of public golf courses at Francis Byrne Golf Course in West Orange and Millburn Municipal Golf Course inMillburn Township. Additionally, there are many independent sports organizations such asLivingston Little League, Livingston Jr. Lancers (football & cheerleading), Livingston Lacrosse Club, and Livingston Soccer Club.[126][127]

An Essex County park complex is located one mile (1.6 km) from Livingston with Turtle Back Zoo,Richard J. Codey Arena (an ice hockey/ice skating arena), and natural trails in South Mountain Reservation.

Notable events[edit]

  • From 1984 to 1989, Livingston was the site of the Grand Prix tennis circuit tournament, theLivingston Open. The Grand Prix was the only professional circuit since 1985 before it was succeeded by ATP Tour in 1990. The tournament was won by tennis legend Andre Agassi in 1988 earning him the seventh title in his career.
  • On May 22, 1992, Democratic Presidential candidate and eventual Presidential elect Bill Clinton visited Livingston High School on a campaign stop to announce his support for GovernorJames Florio's NJ welfare proposal.[128]
  • On June 18, 1996, the Olympic Torch made a stop in Livingston while en route to Atlanta, Georgia.[129]
  • On March 29, 2005, comedian Mitch Hedberg was found dead by his wife in a Livingston hotel room. A medical examiner's report found traces of cocaine and heroin in his system.[130]
  • On January 13, 2008, Livingston High School housed the first of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine's all-state county forum tour of Jersey to promote and explain his new toll hike proposal to finance state road maintenance. The town hall meeting, which reportedly 900 people attended, featured a powerpoint by Corzine and then a Q and A session where many attendees inquired about a new school financing proposal more so than the toll issue.

Notable natives and residents[edit]

Notable current and former natives and residents of Livingston include:

Shiva Ayyadurai
Paul E. Olsen
Roger Tsien
Jason Alexander
Chelsea Handler
Heth and Jed
Harlan Coben
Chris Christie
Lennie Friedman
Justin Gimelstob
Byron Scott
Academia
Business
Entertainment
Military
Literature
Government and politics

Sports

Others