Guttenberg, New Jersey


Guttenberg is a town in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 11,176. In the 2010 Census, it was the most densely populated incorporated municipality in the United States, as well as one of the most densely populated municipalities worldwide, with 57,116 people per square mile of land area. Only four blocks wide, Guttenberg has been variously ranked as the ninth-smallest municipality in the state or as the state's seventh-smallest municipality.
The population increased by 369 from the 10,807 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,539 from the 8,268 counted in the 1990 Census. As of the 2010 Census, about one-fifth of the town's population resides in the Galaxy Towers, a trio of residential skyscrapers overlooking the Hudson River.
The current population growth and density in Guttenberg represents a significant change since 1983, when it was described by The New York Times, as "an old community of two-story row houses, small stores and light industry."

History

Guttenberg was formerly a farm owned by William Cooper, sold in 1853 to a group of New Yorkers, who had formed the Weehawken Land and Ferry Association. Like nearby Union Hill, it was subdivided and lots were sold mostly to Germans. The company ran two ferries, the Hultz and the Flora, which crossed the Hudson from the landings at the foot of Bulls Ferry Road, Pleasant Valley, Fort Lee, and Spring Street in Manhattan.
Guttenberg was formed as a town on March 9, 1859, from portions of North Bergen Township, but remained as a part of the township that was not fully independent. Guttenberg became part of Union Township when it was formed on February 28, 1861, and became fully independent as of April 1, 1878. The municipality takes its name from Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, though other sources indicate that the name derives from "good village" in German.
Galaxy Towers, developed by Prudential Insurance Company, were built in the late 1970s on Boulevard East. The three octagonal skyscrapers rise and contain 1,075 apartments.

Geography

Guttenberg is located atop the Hudson Palisades, south of Woodcliff and the Racetrack Section in North Bergen and north of West New York. The town borders the New York City borough of Manhattan across the Hudson River. Its western border is Kennedy Boulevard. Bergenline Avenue, the commercial corridor of North Hudson, runs north and south through the town, and is the heart of "Havana on the Hudson". Its eastern border is opposite Manhattan's Upper West Side.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 0.243 square miles, including 0.196 square miles of land and 0.047 square miles of water.
The town is ten blocks long and four blocks wide. It takes less than a minute to drive through.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $49,981 and the median family income was $53,945. Males had a median income of $50,227 versus $32,089 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,239. About 14.8% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 10,807 people, 4,493 households, and 2,619 families residing in the town. The population density was 56,012.0 inhabitants per square mile, making it the most densely populated municipality in The United States, with over twice the density of New York City. There were 4,650 housing units at an average density of 24,100.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 64.98% White, 3.81% African American, 0.38% Native American, 7.30% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 16.42% from other races, and 7.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54.33% of the population.
There were 4,493 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town, the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,515, and the median income for a family was $47,440. Males had a median income of $38,628 versus $33,154 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,931. About 11.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
The town is a bedroom community with about 36% of its employed residents working in New York City, including 1,648 of the 4,993 Guttenberg residents in the workforce who commute to employment in Manhattan as of the 2000 Census.

Economy

Portions of the town are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone, one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Guttenberg was selected in 1996 as one of a group of seven zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate at eligible merchants. Established in May 1996, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in May 2027. Areas included in the Guttenberg UEZ are:

Local government

Guttenberg operates under the Town form of New Jersey municipal government, and is governed by a mayor and a five-member council. Town council members are elected at-large to four-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections, with two seats up for election in one year, three seats together with the mayoral seat up for election in the following year, followed by two years with no elections.
, the Mayor of Guttenberg is Democrat Wayne D. Zitt Jr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2021. Members of the Guttenberg Town Council are Richard Delafuente, Monica Fundora and John D. Habermann, William Hokien and Juana Malave.
In December 2015, Wayne Zitt was selected from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2017 of Efrain Velez, who resigned earlier that month.

Political scandals

Political scandals in the 21st century have included the 2008 convictions of then-mayor David Delle Donna and his wife, a member of the town planning board, on federal extortion and mail fraud charges, for which they were each sentenced to four years in federal prison. A former mayor, Peter LaVilla, pleaded guilty in 2003 to misappropriating campaign funds and using the money for a private brokerage account. In addition, a councilman resigned in 2002 after being accused of receiving illegal advances on his salary, and the same year, a chief financial officer, pleaded guilty to misappropriation of funds.

Public safety

Guttenberg is served by North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, a regional fire department established in 1999 serving communities in northern Hudson County, that also serves North Bergen, Union City, Weehawken and West New York, replacing the five independent departments that had served each of the communities.

Federal, state and county representation

Guttenberg is located in the 8th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 32nd state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Guttenberg had been in the 33rd Legislative District. Prior to the 2010 Census, Guttenberg had been part of the, 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.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,991 registered voters in Guttenberg, of which 2,997 were registered as Democrats, 376 were registered as Republicans, 4 were registered to other parties, and 1,614 were registered as Unaffiliated.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 77.4% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 21.4%, and other candidates with 1.3%, among the 3,266 ballots cast by the town's 5,488 registered voters, for a turnout of 59.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 71.6% of the vote, ahead of Republican John McCain with 26.3% and other candidates with 1.3%, among the 3,526 ballots cast by the town's 5,878 registered voters, for a turnout of 60.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 67.0% of the vote, outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 31.9% and other candidates with 0.4%, among the 3,241 ballots cast by the town's 5,122 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 63.3.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 52.5% of the vote, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 45.7%, and other candidates with 1.8%, among the 1,478 ballots cast by the town's 5,545 registered voters, for a turnout of 26.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 70.9% of the vote, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 23.6%, Independent Chris Daggett with 2.4% and other candidates with 0.6%, among the 1,892 ballots cast by the town's 4,983 registered voters, yielding a 38.0% turnout.

Education

For pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, public school students from Guttenberg attend the Anna L. Klein School as part of the Guttenberg Public School District. The principal of Anna L. Klein School is Keith Petry. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 996 students
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend North Bergen High School in North Bergen, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the North Bergen School District. As of the 2017–18 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,412 students and 160.2 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 15.1:1.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Hudson County.
The only significant roads directly serving Guttenberg are county highways. County Route 501 follows Kennedy Boulevard along the town's western border. County Route 505 follows River Road on the east side of town. Both roads are oriented north–south. Boulevard East passes through the town atop the Palisades.
Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1/9 and New Jersey Route 495 are major highways located in adjacent North Bergen.

Public transportation

bus service is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and Bergen County destinations on the 128, 154, 156, 158, 159, 165, 166, 168 routes. Service north to Fort Lee and the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal is available the 181 and 188 routes. Hudson County local service is provided on the 22, 23, 84/86, 88 and 89 routes. NJT bus lines are augmented by privately run jitney service.
Ferry service to West Midtown Ferry Terminal in Manhattan is provided by NY Waterway. To the south, at Weehawken Port Imperial. To the north, Edgewater Landing is located on River Road at the intersection of Route 5.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Guttenberg include: